Executive Chef

Wilson Vale; City of Westminster; On-site; GBP 50,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent catering company in Westminster is seeking an Executive Chef to lead kitchen operations, showcasing creativity in menu design and ensuring high-quality food presentation. With a focus on fresh, seasonal ingredients, this role offers a unique work-life balance in a supportive environment. Responsibilities include menu planning, team leadership, and collaboration with front-of-house staff to deliver exceptional dining experiences while maintaining a sustainable approach to food sourcing.

Benefits

Work-life balance with excellent hours

Craft-focused career development training

Enhanced maternity pay

Birthday off after 1 year of service

Employee Assistance Programme

Qualifications

• Love food and have a passion for exceptional service.
• Strong premium hospitality experience in another venue.
• Exceptional presentation skills and the ability to lead a team.

Responsibilities

• Design and execute seasonal menus using local ingredients.
• Collaborate with FOH and hospitality teams for a smooth service.
• Lead the kitchen team and ensure high standards of food quality.

Skills

Creativity in menu design

Strong communication skills

Customer service skills

Teamwork

Ability to work under pressure

Attention to detail

Job description

Overview

We have an exciting opportunity to become our new Executive Chef at one of our pretigious workplace restaurants in London, EC4A 3TW.

Salary: £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.

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!

We value chefs who are well-presented, work with a tidy, organised approach, and lead their team through clear, confident communication. You\'ll collaborate closely with the FOH team throughout the day to ensure service runs smoothly and the overall hospitality experience feels warm, connected, and consistent.

Our chefs enjoy full creative autonomy, designing expressive, seasonal menus made entirely from scratch using the freshest local ingredients. You will order your own produce directly from trusted local suppliers, enabling you to work with exceptional quality while supporting the regional food community. Sustainability is central to our approach, and we encourage innovative weekly menu planning that minimises waste and makes smart use of seasonal abundance.

The food offering spans a broad range of styles, including a small breakfast selection, hot and cold dishes, a vibrant salad bar, freshly made sandwiches, modern bistro plates, and refined fine-dining menus developed in collaboration with the hospitality team. In addition to daily service, the site hosts private dining and special events, giving you the opportunity to express creativity across multiple styles of cooking and presentation.

You\'ll build strong relationships with the Hospitality Head Chef, Hospitality & Events Manager, and General Manager to provide cohesive, high quality dining experiences. You\'ll also manage your direct reports, facilitating their progression and journey within Wilson Vale.

+ 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.

Qualifications & Personal Qualities

+ 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

+ 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.

Perks

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

Wilson Vale is an equal opportunities employer that strives to create an inclusive working environment for all. We are committed to supporting our people and do not tolerate discrimination of any kind. From each and every person in our catering teams, to our operations and central support teams - everyone at has a voice.

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