Group Executive Chef

The Evolv Collection Support Office; Camden Town; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Industry leading pay

50% restaurant discount

Stream earnings access (up to 40%)

Employee Assistance Program

Employee of the Month / Long Service

All Gravy training platform

Increased holiday entitlement with len

Volunteer day

Refer a friend scheme

Job summary

The Evolv Collection seeks a Group Executive Chef to lead and elevate the culinary strategy across its premium brands. You will mentor Executive/Head Chefs and collaborate with Back of House Operations to protect brand DNA and raise standards.

You will drive menu development, set quality benchmarks, and contribute to business growth through focused projects and new openings. A senior culinary leader with broad brand experience is essential.

Qualifications

• Experience leading group executive chefs and establishing culinary direction across brands.
• Proven ability to mentor senior BOH leaders and drive capability development.
• Strong collaboration with Back of House Operations and brand leadership.

Responsibilities

• Develop and oversee the group-wide culinary strategy.
• Oversee menu development and ensure brand differentiation.
• Set quality benchmarks and uphold Michelin-level standards when appropriate.
• Partner with Brand Senior Chefs to align menus and concepts.
• Identify gaps in food propositions and drive strategic improvements.
• Lead culinary mentorship across estate and support recruitment of senior roles.

Skills

Culinary leadership

Menu development

Brand management

Mentorship

Executive collaboration

Job description

Group Executive Chef

Location: Across All Evolv Collection Sites

Salary: Competitive

Why Work for Us

Our industry leading benefits have you covered!

• Industry leading pay: We value your expertise and dedication.
• Dine with style: Enjoy a lavish 50% discount at all our restaurants, all day, every day.
• Financial freedom: Take control of your finances with Stream – track your earnings in real time, access up to 40% of your pay instantly and save directly from your salary.
• Wellness support: Your wellbeing matters to us! Benefit from a confidential Employee Assistance Program with a 24/7 helpline and complimentary sessions with a trained counsellor.
• Recognition and Reward for a job well done: Shine bright with our Employee of the Month scheme, Long Service Awards and numerous group incentives. You may even earn a place at our yearly employee awards night!
• Grow with us: You will have access to some of the best training our industry has to offer. You will have access to our training platform, All Gravy which is packed with resources to nurture your skills and knowledge.
• Get some rest: Your holiday allowance increases with length of service.
• Make a difference: Give back to the community with an optional paid day each year for volunteering efforts.
• Spread the love: Benefit from our recommend a friend scheme and share the joy of joining our team.

Who we are

The Evolv Collection is a pioneering, premium hospitality group, founded by Sir Terrence Conran in 1991. Our portfolio includes the most iconic restaurants in modern history, homed in London, Birmingham, Manchester and New York.

Every brand in the collection has its own heritage, distinctive character, offering and ambience. By striving for excellence through investing in our people, we drive a passion to deliver outstanding guest experiences.

A bit about what you will be doing:

The Group Executive Chef will lead, devise and continuously elevate the culinary strategy of the Evolv Collection, ensuring each brand delivers food of outstanding quality, clarity of identity and commercial relevance. Working in close partnership with the Back of House Operations Manager, Executive/Head chef and Operations leadership and the Group Executive Chef will curate the culinary direction of the group, protect brand DNA and raise standards through mentorship, menu development and targeted intervention where required.

The role will act as a culinary ambassador for the group, strengthening The Evolv Collections reputation within the industry and supporting agreed PR and profile-raising activities, while also entering into focused deep-dive projects to support business growth, new openings and performance improvement.

Key Responsibilities

• Culinary strategy, menu excellence, brand direction and creation of new menu concepts within our emerging brands.
• Devise and oversee the group-wide culinary strategy, aligned with the overall business vision and individual brand positioning.
• Collaboration in labour productivity across all Evolv Collection brands.
• Curate and protect the culinary identity of each brand, ensuring menus reflect clear, differentiated propositions.
• Set quality benchmarks across the estate, drawing on Michelin-level standards where appropriate, while remaining commercially viable.
• Partner with Brand Senior Chefs to develop, review, and refine menus, ensuring consistency of execution and clarity of concept.
• Identify gaps in food propositions and recommend strategic improvements or new culinary directions where required.

Food Quality, Consistency and Menu Excellence

• Assess and elevate food quality across all brands, ensuring consistently high standards of taste, presentation, and execution.
• Conduct regular tastings, menu reviews, and site visits to evaluate performance against brand standards.
• Support menu engineering to balance creativity, guest appeal, and commercial performance.
• Champion ingredient quality, sourcing standards, and culinary techniques appropriate to each brand.
• Provide expert input into kitchen standards, recipe development, and specification control.

Leadership, Mentorship and Talent Development

• Act as a senior culinary mentor to Executive/Head Chefs and senior BOH leaders across the group.
• Advise and support the recruitment of key culinary leadership roles, including Executive and Head Chefs.
• Support succession planning and capability development within the senior chef community.
• Provide coaching and guidance to raise leadership standards and culinary ambition across the estate.
• Promote a culture of excellence, professionalism, and pride in craft.

Commercial Awareness and Business Alignment

• Ensure culinary decisions align with commercial objectives, guest demand, and operational realities.
• Provide input into food cost strategy, menu pricing, and margin protection in partnership with BOH Operations leadership.
• Support performance improvement initiatives where food quality or menu relevance is impacting results.
• Contribute to new concept development and repositioning projects as required.

Innovation and Business Growth

• Identify emerging culinary trends, techniques, and guest expectations relevant to Evolv’s portfolio.
• Support the culinary development of new openings, refurbishments, and brand refresh projects.
• Enter into agreed deep-dive projects to address specific performance, quality, or brand challenges.
• Contribute to long-term concept development and innovation pipelines.

Team Collaboration

Working closely with:

• Back of House Operations Director: Work together to define the culinary identity across the group, translating the vision into chef philosophy, impeccable menu standards and overall guest experience all aligned with commercial performance.
• Director of People and Culture: Assisting with delivery of people, Culture and Impact 2028 strategic vision priorities, fostering a culture built on values and a unique sense of belonging for our people.
• Marketing: Working closely with the marketing team to deliver restaurant brand initiatives and activations to attract first time diners and repeat visitation - in addition to driving loyalty and membership engagement.

At The Evolv Collection, we are proud of the people that work with us and see the diversity within our teams as part of our DNA. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all our team members and value the similarities and differences they bring. Our people are a core part of our business. We welcome and embrace all, regardless of age, ability, ethnicity, gender, race, religion or belief or sexual orientation.

Compensation: Competitive salary