WSH Group
Chef Manager
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Chef Manager – Award-Winning High Street & Hospitality Partnership
About the Role
We founded Benugo with a vision to deliver not only superb, natural food, but an authentic experience. Today, the Benugo brand spans our flagship stores, cafés, and iconic waterfront locations, blending innovation with culinary excellence in world-renowned public spaces.
We’re realising a landmark partnership with John Lewis Partnership to redefine their in-store dining across 32 flagship locations. At the heart of this exciting transformation is a premium flagship operation requiring a strategic Chef Manager to lead operational excellence, menu development, and commercial growth.
This role offers a unique blend of leadership and culinary mastery, positioning you to:
- Develop high-performing teams through structured coaching
- Evolve from operational management to strategic growth-oriented leadership
- Deliver a consistent, premium dining experience rooted in sustainability and quality
Responsibilities
Operational Excellence
- Oversee all kitchen operations, ensuring menu execution, food safety compliance, and cost control
- Maintain unwavering quality and consistency, meeting brand and regulatory standards
- Manage financials: Monitor kitchen budgets, labour costs, and cross-functional spending, implement savings without compromising quality
People Leadership
- Train, mentor, and develop staff to uphold John Lewis standards
- Coach team development, allocate duties, and foster a high-performance culture
- Foster open communication with customers and guests to understand preferences
Performance & Growth
- Stimulate sales growth through order stocking and dynamic menu innovations
- Continuously review food spend vs sales, balancing efficiency and excellence
- Embrace both training and leadership phases—gripping the branch, then shaping the harvest
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Partnership Dynamics
- Align with General Manager and Benugo Strategy leadership to refine menu and systems
- Represent the Benugo/John Lewis brand across food safety audits, training, and design of dining experiences
Requirements
Experience & Professionalism
- 3+ years’ experience in high-performing kitchens, proven strategic management, or commercial direction
- Hands-on expertise in food costing, waste reduction, supplier negotiation, and seasonal menu development
Strengths & Mindset
- Strong commercial awareness: Profits, margins, budgets—you balance them effortlessly
- Ability to prioritise under pressure—stacking piles of profits today while laying the foundations for tomorrow
- Curiosity for customer feedback, premium service, and feeding teams with pride
Personal Attributes
- Meticulous attention to detail—every plate reflects unwavering excellence
- retches quality across customer encounters
- Energetic, can-do attitude—passion transmutes to plate
Repertoire
- Staff inductions, audits, and team offsites
- Strict adherence to Food & Hygiene regulations, focussing on health/safety
- CLP/Kitchen confidence with physical work capacity, lifting heaving loads
What’s Here for You: Benugo Benefits
| Commitment | Rewards |
|---|---|
| Food | Meal on shift (freshly sourced) |
| Wellbeing | Unlimited tea & coffee |
| Financial security | Enrolment into William Street Healthcare Pension Scheme |
| Daily Lifestyle | 28 days annual leave (enhanced with 1 birthday off + Bank Holidays) |
| Career & Family | Personal development with growth plans, enhanced Maternity Leave and proactively addressing parental responsibilities. |
| Flexibility | Uniform provided, Cycle to Work scheme |
| Eco-focus | Opportunities to shop discounts & premium sustainably-sourced foods |
| Mental welfare | Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) + certified Mental Health First-Aiders |
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At the curralling restricted £40,000–£50,000, there’s time for growth—every piling plate reflects the effort.**
Weekly: 45 hours (#PleaseNoteDays: Saturday included) Permanent Role Location: London/John Lewis Stores (Commute support on offer)
John Lewis Partnership retains permanent support for eligible staff. Full-time enhanced implementation applies.
Apply Here via contact details – because even hottest careers begin at the right moment.
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