Overview
Head Chef / Executive Head Chef
Central London | £70,000 + Tronc
We are working with a standout boutique hotel in Central London on the appointment of a hands-on Executive Head Chef.
This is a role for a chef who wants to be in the kitchen, on the pass and leading from the front. It is not an office-based Executive Chef position.
The property has a vibrant destination-led F&B operation, with a busy restaurant centred around Mexican cuisine with a strong California influence, alongside a high-energy rooftop bar and a packed programme of events, private dining and celebrations.
The Role
- You will lead a brigade of approximately 18–22 chefs across the wider F&B operation.
- You will have significant creative freedom and the opportunity to put your own stamp on the food.
Your role will include:
- Leading from the front during busy services
- Being hands-on in the kitchen and on the pass
- Developing and evolving menus
- Maintaining high standards of food, consistency and presentation
- Building, developing and motivating the kitchen brigade
- Working closely with the senior kitchen team
- Delivering large-scale events and private dining
- Working with the events and marketing teams on special menus
- Managing food costs, GP and kitchen performance
- Creating dishes that reflect the identity of the venue
- Driving the next stage of growth across the food operation
- The operation regularly handles busy restaurant services alongside events, private dining and full venue buyouts, with events reaching up to around 250 covers.
The Food
- The core food style is Mexican cuisine with a strong California influence, alongside subtle Japanese influences and a raw bar element.
- Mexican experience would be a major advantage, but it is not essential.
- We are also interested in chefs with backgrounds across:
- Mexican and Latin American cuisine
- California-inspired cooking
- Modern sharing concepts
- Japanese-influenced food
- Raw bar operations
- High-volume destination restaurants
- Premium restaurants, hotels or members clubs
- What matters most is that you understand food, have a creative mindset and genuinely love cooking.
- You will have the freedom to develop dishes, evolve the menus and create the kind of food that gets people talking.
The Venue
- This is a high-profile boutique hotel in Central London with a strong destination F&B operation.
- The restaurant and rooftop bar attract a mix of regular London clientele, high-profile guests, events and private bookings.
- The property has recently undergone significant investment across its F&B spaces, creating a fresh platform for the next stage of growth.
- There is also a strong senior leadership team in place across F&B, sales, marketing and events.
What We’re Looking for
- We are looking for a chef with:
- Proven Head Chef or Executive Chef experience
- A genuinely hands-on approach
- High energy and a strong presence in the kitchen
- A real passion for cooking and developing food
- Experience leading a sizeable brigade
- Strong commercial understanding
- Experience with busy service and events
- The ability to develop and motivate a team
- Creativity and an understanding of current food trends
- Confidence working across multiple F&B operations
- You could come from a hotel, destination restaurant, members club or high-volume restaurant group.
- The key is personality, energy, passion and a genuine desire to cook.
The Package
- £70,000 plus tronc Approx 10k
- Brigade of approximately 18–22 chefs
- Significant creative freedom
- Strong events and F&B operation
- Central London location
- Opportunity to work closely with senior ownership
- Scope to develop the brigade and grow with the business
- If you are a chef who still gets excited by service, loves being on the pass and wants the freedom to create, this is an opportunity worth exploring.
Job Tenure: Permanent
