Head Chef

The Lounges; Chatham; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

The Lounges is seeking a Head Chef in Chatham to lead a dynamic kitchen team. You'll be responsible for preparing dishes with fresh ingredients and maintaining high kitchen standards. Ideal candidates will have prior experience in kitchen management and a passion for food, along with a strong work ethic and leadership skills. Enjoy competitive benefits, including overtime pay, staff meals, and bonuses in a vibrant and supportive work environment.

Benefits

Staff food on every shift

50% off food and drinks

Paid breaks

28 days holiday

Enhanced maternity and paternity pay

Company pension scheme

Training and development opportunities

Qualifications

• Experience in a Head Chef, Kitchen Manager, or Sous Chef role.
• Good chef and kitchen skills, especially with fresh ingredients.
• Ability to lead and maintain kitchen standards efficiently.

Responsibilities

• Prepare dishes as per the menu in a clean and safe kitchen.
• Ensure all kitchen preparations are completed for each shift.
• Guide and support kitchen staff to deliver high-quality food.

Skills

Food preparation

Hygiene practices

Team leadership

KPI management

Job description

You love real cooking. We love real cooking. Customers love real cooking. It's a no-brainer, so you wonder why so many other places don't do it. We do it, and you'll be doing it with us — fresh, customer-led, and with high-quality ingredients. We also love our real people who run Lounges. The person who runs these brilliant people has to be super-brilliant, and that'll be you. Your standards will be as high as ours, but exactly how you do it will be unique to you.

You'll be doing it your way. You'll be part of a dedicated, supportive team, working from our flexible all-day menu to give people food that'll make their day. It's your responsibility to make each dish to spec, in a clean and safe kitchen, and to ensure all prep and par are completed for each shift. You'll help every customer leave happy — thanks to your great food.

The Good Stuff

• Overtime pay for every hour worked over contracted hours!
• Staff food on every shift
• 50% off food and drinks (including alcohol) from day one at all three of our brands — Lounge, Cosy Club, and Brightside
• Paid breaks
• 28 days holiday (inclusive of Bank Holidays) pro rata
• Enhanced maternity and paternity pay after 2 years' service
• The most talked-about staff party in hospitality — Loungefest!
• Competitions and incentives (like jetting off on an all-expenses-paid trip with one of our suppliers)
• Company pension scheme
• Long service awards
• Power over your pay with Wagestream
• Emotional and practical support via the Licenced Trade Charity
• Great opportunity for personal development and career progression in a fast-growing business
• Achievable bonuses
• Tips shared equally across the team, based on hours worked
• Christmas and Boxing Day off!

What you'll bring

• You are probably an existing Head Chef, Kitchen Manager, or Sous Chef looking for your first step into a Head Chef role.
• You will have experience working with fresh ingredients and be able to demonstrate good chef/kitchen skills (food prep hot and cold, cleaning, knife skills, good hygiene practices).
• Your work ethic involves rolling up your sleeves, getting stuck in, and leading from the front; playing an active role in delivering excellent kitchen and food standards as part of a high-performing team.
• Familiar with managing through clear KPIs and making decisions considering labour, stock, food safety requirements, and others.
• You will have worked in kitchen environments where you're required to report on various metrics including GPs, labour/house, and food preparation.
• You will have demonstrated successful delivery of training and recruitment for kitchen teams including Apprentices, KPs, Chefs, Junior Sous Chefs, and Sous Chefs.

If you want to find out more about us, follow us on LinkedIn or @life.at.loungers on TikTok and Instagram