Head Chef

Le Strange Arms; Colchester; On-site; GBP 34,000 - 46,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Incentives

Flexible hours

Tips

Staff discounts

Growth opportunities

Community pub

Job summary

Chestnut seeks an experienced Head Chef to lead our kitchen teams across The Crown and associated venues. You will design seasonal menus, mentor staff, and uphold the dining-pub reputation with exceptional taste and presentation.

Working closely with the General Manager, you’ll manage inventory, cost controls, and food safety while fostering a positive, high-performing kitchen culture. Competitive hourly pay, incentives and staff discounts are offered.

Qualifications

• Design and develop seasonal menus reflecting Chestnut's vision.
• Recruit, train and mentor kitchen staff.
• Ensure high standards of taste, presentation and consistency.
• Oversee inventory, cost control and food safety.
• Manage dry stock and accurate ordering.
• Collaborate with General Manager to maintain a positive, high-performing team culture.

Responsibilities

• Design and develop seasonal menus alongside The Crown's fish board and pub favourites.
• Recruit, train and mentor kitchen staff.
• Maintain high standards of taste, presentation and consistency.
• Oversee inventory, cost control and food safety.
• Manage dry stock and ordering.
• Work with General Manager to keep a positive team culture across venues.

Skills

Menu design

Staff leadership

Kitchen operations

Inventory management

Food safety

Cost control

Team collaboration

Job description

The Crown sits at the heart of the village of Stoke by Nayland, right in Constable Country on the edge of the Dedham Vale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty — 25 rooms across The Folly, three private-terrace lodges, and our sister property The Angel Inn across the village green. We were named Suffolk's Dining Pub of the Year by the Good Pub Guide, built on pub classics, a daily-changing fish board and local produce, backed by a 200-bottle wine list and our own on-site bottle shop. We're seeking an experienced, skilled Head Chef to lead our kitchen team and keep that reputation growing. At Chestnut, we champion fresh, locally sourced ingredients, seasonal creativity, and dishes that make guests feel at home.

If you're passionate about great food and thrive in a positive, supportive kitchen, we'd love to hear from you.

Job Requirements

• Designing and developing exciting seasonal menus that reflect Chestnut's vision, alongside The Crown's daily fish board and classic pub favourites.
• Recruit, train, and mentor kitchen staff, fostering a collaborative and positive work environment.
• Ensuring every dish meets a high standard for taste, presentation, and consistency, in keeping with The Crown's Dining Pub of the Year reputation.
• Overseeing kitchen operations including inventory, cost control and food safety.
• Managing dry stock and ensuring accurate ordering.
• Working closely with the General Manager to maintain a happy, positive and high-performing team culture across The Crown, The Folly, the lodges and The Angel Inn.

Why Join Us?

• Incentives: Enjoy both team and individual incentives that reward your hard work and dedication — including staff days out and trips abroad.
• Flexible Hours: Allowing our employees to maintain a work and home life balance.
• Tips: Earn tips on top of your competitive hourly pay. Enjoy tracking your financial progress by using Wagestream.

Perks of Working with Us:

• Being part of a friendly, supportive team as well as integrating with an array of different staff teams from other Chestnut properties.
• Additional tips on top of competitive hourly pay.
• Opportunities for growth and development within hospitality careers.
• A vibrant, community-focused work environment, in a pub that's a genuine hub for the village.
• Enjoy both food and room discounts with friends — including stays in The Crown's own lodges.
• Access to our exclusive Chestnut Hub which offers 100s of high street discounts.
• High quality, fresh staff food included.
• Industry accredited and nationally recognised qualifications.
• Employee reward and recognition prizes.
• Referral scheme (earn up to £1,500 per referral).

Who are Chestnut?

Located within the East Anglia region, we are a growing group of stunning pubs with rooms and Bottle Shops. We are proud yet humble and at our core, we always strive to do the best we can for our fantastic people. Our team members are at the heart of who we are, which is why we offer a variety of hours to suit our team members and their personal commitments.

INDCP