Chef Manager

wilson vale; Greater London; On-site; GBP 50,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent catering company is seeking a Chef Manager for their workplace restaurant in London. This permanent role offers a competitive salary of circa £50,000 and promotes a strong work-life balance with 40-hour weeks and paid overtime during peak periods. The ideal candidate will lead a team in creating innovative menus, using quality seasonal ingredients, and ensuring exceptional food presentation. Those with a passion for hospitality and experience in premium environments are encouraged to apply.

Benefits

Work-life balance

Fun working environment

Craft-focused career development training

Paid training tailored to you

Employee Assistance Programme

Online employee benefits scheme

Birthday off after 1 year service

Enhanced Maternity Pay

Qualifications

• Must have strong premium hospitality experience.
• Ability to work in a team and high-pressure environment.
• Exceptional presentation and communication skills required.

Responsibilities

• Design and innovate menu, reflecting seasonal ingredients.
• Maintain high standards of food presentation.
• Lead team effectively to ensure quality and organization.
• Collaborate on fine-dining menus for memorable experiences.
• Communicate ingredient changes to team and management.
• Build strong client relationships through effective communication.
• Plan menus and develop recipes across various service styles.

Skills

LOVE food

Positive attitude

Customer service skills

Strong communication skills

High-pressure environment experience

Premium hospitality experience

Local knowledge

Passion for exceptional service

Understanding of service styles and food trends

Innovation and creativity

Passion for training and development

Exceptional presentation skills

Organized

Proactive and reliable

Job description

Overview

We have an exciting opportunity to become our new Chef Manager at one of our prestigious workplace restaurants in London.

Salary : circa £50,000

Do you love creating stunning restaurant food and are looking for work hours that give you a work-life balance like no other sector in the hospitality industry?

This is a permanent position with a core contract of 40 hours per week, working Monday to Friday from 7:00am to 3:30pm. Occasional overtime will be required to support evening fine-dining events, with weekly hours rising to up to 60 during peak periods. All overtime is fully paid. The proposed start date for this role is 2 February 2026.

Wilson Vale is an established, quality-led contract caterer. We work with amazing clients across the UK who place huge value on great food as a key part of their culture and community. We work in office restaurants, independent schools and at conference venues with the same high-end ethos throughout.

Our culture unites us. We stand for craft, quality, creative freedom, forward thinking and integrity. We never compromise on our commitment to fresh, seasonal produce and the fantastic people that make it all happen!

Responsibilities

• Bring imagination and innovation to menu design, adapting ideas to seasonal ingredients and customer preferences.
• Use fresh produce and prepare dishes in small batches to ensure exceptional quality throughout service.
• Maintain high standards of front-of-house presentation, ensuring every dish and display reflects our commitment to excellence.
• Lead your team effectively, ensuring tidy work habits, organisation, and strong communication in an open-plan environment.
• Collaborate with the FOH and hospitality teams to design fine-dining menus and deliver memorable food experiences.
• Communicate any ingredient changes or substitutions promptly, ensuring management and staff are informed and menus are updated accordingly.
• Support customer satisfaction initiatives and use feedback to continuously improve the offer.
• Develop strong client relationships, attending meetings where appropriate.
• Take ownership of menu planning, recipe development, and presentation across all service styles.
• Undertake special projects as outlined by the Area Manager.

Skills and Experience

• LOVE food, and love working in a team.
• Positive attitude
• Have good customer service skills and strong communication skills.
• Be able to work in a high-pressured environment.
• Strong premium hospitality experience in another venue
• Local knowledge and experience working in the area
• A passion for exceptional service is essential
• Strong understanding of service styles, food trends
• Innovation and creativity
• A passion for training and development
• Exceptional presentation skills
• Articulate and very well organised
• Proactive and reliable

Our Culture

• Craft at our core – we pride ourselves on our craft-skilled chefs who create wonderful fresh food from scratch.
• It’s all about the food – the menu is the most important document our chefs write every week.
• Quality, seasonal ingredients – 300+ British suppliers and our chefs can source locally.
• Freedom to create – our teams love to cook up exciting food themes and pop-ups to keep the food fun.
• Support like no other – our business was founded by family and we have stayed true to those same family values of nurturing development, protecting our values and building trust and loyalty.
• Making food that not only tastes great but is good for the planet. We have always had a strong environmental ethos and are dedicated to our social and environmental commitments.
• We believe in tailored training and opportunities to build your career with us.

Wilson Vale Perks

• Our working hours are some of the best you'll find in catering - we are strong believers in work-life balance
• Our working environment is fun and inspiring, with excellent career development opportunities
• Craft Works – Free craft-focused career development training programme
• Paid training bespoke to you
• Access to our Employee Assistance Programme- your wellbeing is very important to us
• Online employee benefits scheme -monetary savings on everyday items!
• Your Birthday off every year after 1 years’ service.
• Enhanced Maternity Pay