Executive Head Chef

Wotton House; Westcott; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 70,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Discounted hotel rates for you and a f

Birthday leave

Course Sponsorship

30% F&B discount

Refer a Friend scheme

Flexible working

Wagestream - access to paid

Life Insurance

Employee Assistance Programme

Wellbeing events

Free meals on duty

Job summary

Wotton House in Surrey is seeking an Executive Head Chef to take the culinary lead, shaping menus, developing people and bringing the Wotton Food Story to life. A hands-on leader with creativity and ambition is required to own a high-volume operation that delivers exceptional food across events and dining.

Salary £60,000–£70,000 per annum, dependent on experience, with a strong track record in leadership, seasonal sourcing and menu development.

Responsibilities

• Own the Wotton Food Story – lead our culinary vision and develop a distinctive food identity across the hotel.
• Lead from the front – be a visible, hands-on leader who thrives in a busy, high-volume operation and isn't afraid to get stuck in alongside the brigade.
• Make the most of Wotton – champion local and seasonal sourcing, using ingredients grown on our grounds and produce such as honey from our own bees to bring our story to life.
• Bring creativity to the kitchen – think outside the box, challenge the norm and use the freedom of the role to introduce fresh ideas, flavours and experiences.
• Lead and inspire your brigade – build a positive, high-performing kitchen culture where people feel supported, challenged and proud of what they do.
• Develop your people – coach, mentor and nurture talent, creating opportunities for our chefs to learn and progress.
• Create exceptional menus – balancing creativity, seasonality, guest expectations and commercial performance.
• Deliver quality at every level – from individual restaurant dining to weddings, conferences and large-scale events.
• Own the numbers –

Job description

JOIN US

At RBH we believe our people are our biggest assets and understand the value in putting them first. Our approach to diversity in the workplace, health & wellbeing, sustainability and individuality sets us apart from our competitors and is one of the reasons we are rated Top 30 Best Places to Work in Hospitality!

We are passionate about the industry and always on the lookout for new talent to join us on our journey...

We are now searching for an Executive Head Chef to take the culinary lead at Wotton House - a hands‑on leader with the creativity, ambition and experience to shape our menus, develop our people and bring the Wotton Food Story to life.

With a salary of £60,000–£70,000 per annum, dependent on experience,this is an opportunity to take real ownership of a significant food operation, responsible for delivering £2.7m of annual food revenue within a hotel turning over in excess of £10m annually.

If you're a chef who loves to lead from the front, think outside the box and create food that people remember, we'd love to hear from you.

OUR HOTEL

Set within 13 acres of beautiful Surrey countryside, Wotton House is a unique destination hotel full of history, character and individuality.

Our food operation is diverse and fast-paced – from high-volume weddings, conferences and events to restaurant dining, afternoon teas, private events and special celebrations.

At the heart of it all is the Wotton Food Story. We want to celebrate seasonality, provenance and fantastic ingredients while giving our chefs the freedom to be creative, playful and a little unexpected.

And there is plenty here to work with.

With the freedom to source locally, grow ingredients on our own grounds, harvest seasonal crops and even use honey produced by our own Wotton House bees, we want our Executive Head Chef to make the most of what surrounds us and turn it into part of the story on the plate.

Without a heavily prescribed brand food concept, you'll have the autonomy to put your own stamp on Wotton House, develop our food identity and create something genuinely distinctive.

OUR BENEFITS

You will have access to a benefits package we believe truly works for our people:

• Discounted hotel room rates for you and your friends & family
• An additional day's leave for your birthday
• Enhanced Maternity, adoption & shared parental leave
• Course Sponsorship
• 30% F&B discount at RBH hotels
• Refer a Friend scheme (earn £250 for each referral up to 5 referrals)
• Flexible working arrangements
• Wagestream – choose how and when you get paid
• Life Insurance
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Social and wellness events and activities all year round
• Free meals on duty saving you over £1,000 per year

And much, much more!

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF AN EXECUTIVE HEAD CHEF AT WOTTON HOUSE HOTEL

What you'll be doing...

• Own the Wotton Food Story – lead our culinary vision and develop a distinctive food identity across the hotel.
• Lead from the front – be a visible, hands‑on leader who thrives in a busy, high‑volume operation and isn't afraid to get stuck in alongside the brigade.
• Make the most of Wotton – champion local and seasonal sourcing, using ingredients grown on our grounds and produce such as honey from our own bees to bring our story to life.
• Bring creativity to the kitchen – think outside the box, challenge the norm and use the freedom of the role to introduce fresh ideas, flavours and experiences.
• Lead and inspire your brigade – build a positive, high‑performing kitchen culture where people feel supported, challenged and proud of what they do.
• Develop your people – coach, mentor and nurture talent, creating opportunities for our chefs to learn and progress.
• Create exceptional menus – balancing creativity, seasonality, guest expectations and commercial performance.
• Deliver quality at every level – from individual restaurant dining to weddings, conferences and large‑scale events.
• Own the numbers –