Executive Chef

Urban Pubs & Bars Ltd.; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Performance-related bonus

30% discount across Urban Pubs & Bars

Company pension scheme

Enhanced maternity and paternity pay

Birthday day off

Cycle to Work scheme

Employee wellbeing support

Team incentives and events

Training and development

Career progression opportunities

Job summary

Urban Pubs & Bars Ltd is seeking an Executive Chef to oversee food performance across multiple London venues. You will work with Head Chefs, General Managers and Operations Managers, coaching teams and driving food quality while maintaining strong commercial controls.

You will lead in developing people, delivering consistent standards, and supporting menu evolution across busy, high-volume sites. This role requires hands-on leadership and a passion for fresh, seasonal food.

Qualifications

• You’ll already have experience operating at Executive Chef, Area Chef or Operations Chef level within a quality hospitality business.
• You’ll manage multiple busy London kitchens without losing attention to detail.
• Most importantly, you’ll be a people-first leader.

Responsibilities

• Coaching, supporting and developing Head Chefs across your sites
• Driving consistently high food standards across every kitchen
• Supporting menu development and seasonal changes
• Championing our fresh food approach
• Developing and retaining great kitchen talent
• Identifying and developing future Head Chefs
• Driving food sales, GP and kitchen profitability
• Maintaining excellent stock management and kitchen controls
• Ensuring outstanding standards of food safety, health & safety and compliance
• Supporting new openings, refurbishments and kitchen projects
• Working closely with Operations to improve performance across the business
• Creating kitchens where people genuinely want to work and build their careers

Skills

People-first leadership

Multi-site kitchen leader

Coaching & development

Commercial GP & labour

Kitchen operations

High-volume hospitality

Job description

EXECUTIVE CHEF -Urban Pubs & Bars | London | Multi-Site

An exciting opportunity for an experienced multi-site chef to join one of London’s fastest-growing independent pub, bar and restaurant groups.

Urban Pubs & Bars is all about great pubs, brilliant restaurants, quality food and proper hospitality.

We’re afresh food business, with kitchens at the heart of what we do. From modern British pubs serving some of the best Sunday roasts in London, to our Salt Yard restaurants, high-volume venues and exciting new openings, our food offer is diverse, ambitious and constantly evolving.

And we’re growing.

We’re looking for an experienced Executive Chef to work alongside our Operations and Food Teams, supporting a collection of our London venues and helping our Head Chefs and kitchen teams deliver consistently brilliant food.

This isn’t a role about sitting behind a desk.

You’ll be in the kitchens, working with your teams, developing people, improving standards, driving performance and making sure every site delivers the quality of food our guests expect.

THE ROLE

As Executive Chef, you’ll take responsibility for the food performance across your area, working closely with Head Chefs, General Managers and Operations Managers.

People will be at the centre of everything you do.

You’ll coach and develop our Head Chefs, identify the next generation of kitchen leaders and create strong, engaged teams who take pride in what they put on the plate.

You’ll also bring a strong commercial mindset – understanding that brilliant food and a well-run kitchen go hand in hand.

You’ll be responsible for:

• Coaching, supporting and developing Head Chefs across your sites


• Driving consistently high food standards across every kitchen


• Supporting menu development and seasonal changes


• Championing our fresh food approach


• Developing and retaining great kitchen talent


• Identifying and developing future Head Chefs


• Supporting recruitment and succession planning across your area


• Driving food sales, GP and kitchen profitability


• Maintaining excellent stock management and kitchen controls


• Ensuring outstanding standards of food safety, health & safety and compliance


• Supporting new openings, refurbishments and kitchen projects


• Working closely with Operations to improve performance across the business


• Creating kitchens where people genuinely want to work and build their careers

WHO ARE WE LOOKING FOR?

You’ll already have experience operating at Executive Chef, Area Chef or Operations Chef level within a quality hospitality business.

You’ll understand the pace and complexity of running multiple kitchens, but you’ll never lose sight of the detail.

Most importantly, you’ll be a people-first leader.

Someone who can walk into a kitchen, build credibility quickly and understand what that team needs to become better.

You’ll be:

• Passionate about fresh, seasonal food and great ingredients


• An experienced multi-site kitchen leader


• A brilliant coach who gets the best out of people


• Commercially sharp with a strong understanding of GP, labour and kitchen controls


• Comfortable operating across busy, high-volume London venues


• Organised, adaptable and calm under pressure


• Obsessed with standards and consistency


• Excited by developing people and building strong kitchen teams


• Hands‑on and happy spending your time in our venues


• Ambitious and ready to grow alongside a rapidly expanding business

WHY URBAN PUBS & BARS?

We’re building one of London’s most exciting hospitality businesses.

Our estate includes everything from brilliant neighbourhood pubs and destination dining venues to Salt Yard restaurants and Bat & Ball, with more openings and opportunities on the way.

Food is a huge part of our identity. We’re proud to be a 100% fresh food business, famous for quality seasonal dishes and some of the best Sunday roasts in London.

In 2026, that commitment was recognised when Urban Pubs & Bars won Best Food Offer (51+ Sites) at the Publican Awards.

But great food starts with great people.

We want talented chefs to build careers with us, and this role will play a massive part in making that happen.

WHAT’S IN IT FOR YOU?

• Competitive salary + performance-related bonus


• 30% discount across Urban Pubs & Bars


• Company pension scheme


• Enhanced maternity and paternity pay


• Birthday day off


• Cycle to Work scheme


• Employee assistance and wellbeing support


• Regular incentives, team events and company celebrations


• Industry-leading training and development


• Real opportunities to progress within a fast-growing London hospitality group


• The chance to play a key role in the continued growth of Urban Pubs & Bars