Head Chef | Up to £60,000 | Lead a Fresh Food Kitchen | Full-Time

Head Chef – Key Responsibilities

• Oversee all kitchen mise en place by ensuring all stations, dry stores, refrigerated storage, and food stocks are fully prepared, maintained, and replenished prior to service, communicating any shortages promptly.
• Design, develop, and cost seasonal menus, ensuring creativity, consistency, profitability, and alignment with the business concept.
• Take full responsibility for kitchen operations, including stock control, ordering, inventory management, supplier relationships, and cost management.
• Lead and supervise the preparation of all food, ensuring all production is completed efficiently before each service period.
• Review daily bookings, special requests, function menus, dietary requirements, and outstanding kitchen tasks to ensure seamless service.
• Lead, motivate, and develop the kitchen brigade through effective supervision, training, coaching, and performance management.
• Ensure smooth and efficient food service by coordinating closely with all kitchen sections and front-of-house teams.
• Monitor food quality, presentation, portion control, and consistency, ensuring every dish meets the company's standards.
• Minimise food waste through effective stock rotation (FIFO), accurate forecasting, portion control, and efficient inventory management.
• Maintain strict compliance with all Food Safety, HACCP, health and safety, and hygiene regulations.
• Train, mentor, and onboard new kitchen team members, ensuring they understand company procedures, food standards, and kitchen expectations.
• Communicate daily menu changes, specials, allergen information, function requirements, and operational updates during team briefings before each service.
• Support all areas of the kitchen as operational demands require, ensuring teamwork and service excellence at all times.
• Report all accidents, maintenance issues, and equipment faults promptly to the General Manager and arrange timely follow-up where appropriate.
• Ensure all kitchen areas, storage rooms, refrigeration units, equipment, and workstations are maintained to the highest standards of cleanliness and organisation.
• Ensure all food items are correctly labelled, dated, stored, and rotated in accordance with food safety legislation and company procedures.
• Manage kitchen labour efficiently by producing rotas that meet business needs while controlling labour costs.
• Monitor kitchen financial performance, including food cost, gross profit margins, stock variance, and waste reduction initiatives.
• Maintain excellent supplier relationships while ensuring quality, consistency, and value for money.
• Promote a positive, professional, and collaborative working environment that encourages high performance and continuous improvement.