Estate Head Chef

Ennismore International Management Limited; Witney; On-site; GBP 48,000 - 60,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Biannual socials

50% F&B discounts (4 manor restaurants

Estelleversary gifting

Pension and life assurance

Perkbox benefits

30 days holiday

Uniform provided

Onsite seamstresses

Job summary

Estelle Manor, a premier luxury hotel estate in Oxfordshire, seeks a hands-on Head Chef to lead four kitchens across a prestigious property. You will mentor kitchen teams, craft seasonal menus, and elevate the overall dining experience while upholding exceptional standards.

Reporting to the Executive Chef team, you will champion food cost control, operational SOPs, and cross-functional collaboration to deliver memorable meals and outstanding service across the estate.

Qualifications

• Head Chef experience in luxury hotel or high-end restaurant.
• Creative chef with knowledge of cuisines and concepts.
• Experience managing daily operations, SOPs and setups.
• Commercial mindset with understanding of food costs and budgets.
• Natural leader who motivates teams.
• Able to work with senior stakeholders across teams.

Responsibilities

• Shape the culinary experience across Estelle Manor and lead kitchen teams.
• Develop and implement seasonal menus with creativity and consistency.
• Drive the food offering across all four kitchens and estate activations.
• Lead by example with high standards and a culture where staff thrive.
• Collaborate with Executive Chef team and other departments as needed.

Skills

Head Chef experience

Luxury hotel experience

Kitchen leadership

Menu development

Food costing

Team leadership

Stakeholder collaboration

Job description

Who are we?

Estelle Manor is a rural retreat set on an 85-acre estate in Oxfordshire. The manor has four restaurants, an extraordinary 3,000 sq metre Roman-inspired spa- Eynsham Baths, 108 bedrooms and a gym with class studios and padel courts. Plus, there’s a kids’ club for the little ones and a workspace.

This year, Estelle Manor has been ranked No. 43 in The World’s 50 Best Hotels, recognising our place among the world’s leading luxury hotels and reflecting the passion, talent and dedication of our incredible team. Come and be part of something special as we continue to create extraordinary experiences at Estelle Manor.

The Role:

Reporting directly to our Executive Chef team, you'll play a key role in shaping the culinary experience across Estelle Manor. From inspiring and developing our talented kitchen teams to bringing exciting new ideas, seasonal menus and creativity to the table, you'll help drive our food offering forward across the entire estate.

A hands on leader with a passion for exceptional food, you'll champion the highest standards while creating a kitchen culture where people thrive and every dish leaves a lasting impression. Flexibility and adaptability are key, as you'll be happy to lend your expertise across all four kitchens and support our ever changing seasonal activations whenever needed.

Who we are looking for?

• Proven Head Chef experience, ideally within a luxury hotel, restaurant or high end hospitality environment.
• A passionate and creative Chef with a understanding of different cuisines, culinary styles and concepts.
• Experience managing daily operations, set up, standards and SOPs.
• Commercially minded, with a good understanding of food costs, budgets, stock control and kitchen profitability.
• A natural leader who leads by example, brings energy to the kitchen and creates an environment where people feel valued and can thrive.
• Confident working collaboratively with senior stakeholders across multiple operational teams and support functions.

The on target earning potential for this role is £60,000 per annum based on a 45 hour contract - comprising a base salary of £48,000, plus a qualified estimate of £12,000 in gratuities and service charge.

What’s in it for you?

At Estelle, we prioritize your well-being and growth, offering a range of perks to enrich your experience. Enjoy exclusive staff rates, biannual socials, and Estelleversary surprises. Nurture your well-being with stocked colleague spaces. Engage in forums shaping The Estelle Way. Utilise the provided uniforms and onsite seamstress support. Join us for a fulfilling journey where you are valued, supported, and celebrated.

Here at Estelle, we want to create a unified culture and sense of belonging throughout. We have a range of perks and benefits at your fingertips:

• Biannual company socials plus smaller social and sports groups.
• 50% F&B discounts at all 4 manor restaurants.
• Estelleversary gifting for all employees.
• Colleague spaces stocked with food, drinks and a selection of juices, teas and coffees.
• Cycle to Work scheme.
• Added protection of our pension and life assurance schemes.
• Perkbox - our colleague benefits platform, providing access to a wide range of exclusive discounts, rewards and wellbeing resources designed to support you both inside and outside of work.
• 30 days holiday, inclusive of bank holidays, which increases with length of service.
• Colleague Forums and Sustainability Committees to help create The Estelle Way.
• Recommend-a-friend bonus scheme.
• Uniform provided, cleaned, and pressed.
• Onsite seamstresses to ensure your uniform is fitted and repaired.

About gratuities & service charge:

• Gratuities (tips) and service charge are paid on a pro-rata basis regardless of your role.
• It is estimated that in 2026, our full-time employees can expect to receive in the range of £12,000 in addition to their annual salary.