Head Chef

Greene King; Bredhurst; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 39,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

33% off food and drink in Greene KingP

15% off for friends and family

50% off stays (Greene King Inns)

25% off for friends and family

Employee Assistance Programme

Enhanced family-friendly policies

Recommend a friend £1,500

Wagestream access

Retail discounts (Superdrug/Three)

Job summary

The Bell, Bredhurst, part of Greene King, is seeking a Kitchen Manager/Head Chef to lead a busy pub kitchen and drive a high standard of food across a popular menu. You'll be accountable for front-line leadership, coaching an established team, maintaining food quality, and managing stock, waste and costs to support a commercially successful pub.

This role offers hands-on leadership in a thriving community venue.

Qualifications

• Proven experience leading a busy kitchen and managing a team.
• Hands-on approach to leadership with ability to coach, motivate and develop colleagues.
• Strong commercial awareness, including stock control and labour costs.
• Excellent knowledge of food safety and kitchen compliance.
• Experience in a branded pub/restaurant environment is beneficial.

Responsibilities

• Leading from the front: Be a visible, hands-on leader who sets the standard and supports the team during busy services.
• Developing your team: Build on the strengths of an established kitchen team, providing coaching, guidance and encouragement to help everyone perform at their best.
• Delivering great food: Maintain consistently high food quality, presentation and portion control across our menu.
• Running an efficient kitchen: Manage stock, ordering, waste, labour and food costs to support a successful and commercially strong business.
• Maintaining standards: Keep food safety, allergen management and kitchen procedures on track, building on the foundations across stock management, EHO and NSF standards.
• Working together: Partner closely with the General Manager and front-of-house team to deliver a brilliant guest experience and make the most of every opportunity.

Skills

Leadership

People management

Team development

Food quality

Stock control

Food safety

Commercial awareness

Job description

What's the opportunity?

Nestled in the idyllic village of Bredhurst, The Bell is a welcoming, characterful pub that's popular with families and locals. Our menu offers a fantastic range of pub favourites, from succulent steaks and hand-battered fish and chips to crafted burgers, starters and sides.

With a lovely beer garden, outdoor children's play area and a great drinks selection, we're a destination for guests looking to enjoy good food and great company.

As Kitchen Manager / Head Chef, you'll take ownership of the kitchen, ensuring the team delivers consistently delicious food while maintaining the high standards our guests expect.

You'll be responsible for:

• Leading from the front: Be a visible, hands-on leader who sets the standard, supports the team during busy services and leads by example.
• Developing your team: Build on the strengths of an established kitchen team, providing coaching, guidance and encouragement to help everyone perform at their best.
• Delivering great food: Maintain consistently high food quality, presentation and portion control across our menu.
• Running an efficient kitchen: Manage stock, ordering, waste, labour and food costs to support a successful and commercially strong business.
• Maintaining standards: Keep food safety, allergen management and kitchen procedures on track, building on the good foundations already in place across stock management, EHO and NSF standards.
• Working together: Partner closely with the General Manager and front-of-house team to deliver a brilliant guest experience and make the most of every opportunity.

Company Description

The Bell, Bredhurst
Kitchen Manager / Head Chef
Salary - £35,000 - £39,000 + Bonus

Ready to lead a great kitchen team and take a busy pub food offer to the next level?

Are you an experienced Kitchen Manager or Head Chef who enjoys leading from the front, developing people and delivering fantastic food? The Bell in Bredhurst is looking for a hands-on kitchen leader who can bring out the best in an established team and keep standards high in a busy pub.

With a strong team already in place, including colleagues who have been part of the pub for many years, this is a great opportunity for someone who can provide clear direction, share their knowledge and create a positive kitchen environment where everyone can thrive.

Why join The Bell?

You’ll be joining a well-established, busy pub with a strong kitchen team and good standards already in place. This isn't about starting from scratch; it's about providing the leadership, support and direction to help the team continue to succeed.

Located in the village of Bredhurst, The Bell offers a welcoming setting with a family-friendly atmosphere, a spacious beer garden and a menu that gives guests plenty of reasons to return.

Additional Information

What's in it for you?

At Greene King, we believe in rewarding our teams and helping them build careers they can be proud of.

• Career development: Training, apprenticeships and opportunities to progress across Greene King.
• Discounts: 33% off food and drink in our pubs, plus 15% off for friends and family.
• Greene King Inns: 50% off stays and 25% off for friends and family.
• Wellbeing support: Access to our Employee Assistance Programme.
• Family-friendly benefits: Enhanced policies to support you through life's important moments.
• Recognition: Recommend a friend and earn up to £1,500.
• Financial wellbeing: Access to Wagestream to help manage your pay.
• Extra savings: Retail discounts, including Superdrug and Three Mobile.

Greene King is one of the UK's leading pub companies and brewers, with over 220 years of history and a team of around 39,000 people. We're passionate about pouring happiness into lives and becoming the pride of great British hospitality.

Ready to make your mark?

If you're an experienced kitchen leader who can inspire an established team, deliver fantastic food and help a busy pub keep thriving, we'd love to hear from you.

CREATING PLACES WHERE PEOPLE FEEL WELCOME, SAFE AND THAT THEY BELONG

We aim to embed inclusion into every decision we make – across our people, customers, communities, suppliers, and operations. We want to create a culture where everyone feels welcome, valued, and able to thrive.

Bring your experience. Lead from the front. Make The Bell your next success.

Qualifications

What we're looking for

We're looking for someone who has previous experience in a Kitchen Manager, Head Chef or similar senior kitchen role. Experience within a branded pub or restaurant environment would be particularly beneficial.

You'll bring:

• Proven experience leading a busy kitchen and managing a team.
• A hands-on approach and the confidence to lead from the front.
• The ability to coach, motivate and develop colleagues, while providing clear direction.
• A passion for great food, consistency and high standards.
• Good commercial awareness, including stock control, waste management and labour costs.
• A strong understanding of food safety and kitchen compliance.
• A positive, organised approach and the ability to stay calm under pressure.

Most importantly, you'll be someone who enjoys working with an established team, understands the value of their experience and knows how to bring people together to achieve great results.