Head Chef

High Street; Dacorum; On-site; GBP 26,000 - 43,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Performance bonus

Tronc share

Flexible shift patterns

Food discounts and hotel perks

Lifestyle discounts

Long-service awards

Refer-a-friend incentive

Job summary

The Kings Arms in Berkhamsted is seeking a Head Chef/Kitchen Manager to lead a busy, high-volume kitchen and deliver outstanding dishes with quality ingredients.

You will inspire and train the kitchen team, manage margins, stock and waste, create rotas, and work closely with management to drive the business forward.

Qualifications

• At least one year’s experience as Head Chef or Kitchen Manager or in a comparable kitchen leadership role.
• Excellent culinary and presentation skills.
• Experience of leading a busy, high-volume kitchen.
• Strong leadership, communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to lead calmly and inspire your team during busy services.
• Strong understanding of food margins, stock control and waste management.
• Ability to train, coach and develop chefs and Kitchen Porters.
• Right to work in the UK.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day kitchen operation and delivery of high-quality food.
• Protect and enhance The Kings Arms’ reputation for quality.
• Manage fast-paced kitchen during high-volume services.
• Train, coach and mentor the kitchen team.
• Create rotas and cleaning schedules.
• Manage ordering, stock control, margins and waste.
• Ensure allergen and dietary requirements compliance.
• Collaborate with management to drive business success.

Skills

Leadership

High-volume kitchen

Culinary skills

Team development

Food margins

Stock control

Organisational skills

Coaching

Communication

UK work rights

Job description

Lead
the kitchen at one of Berkhamsted’s most exciting dining destinations

Following
a highly successful rebrand, The Kings Arms is thriving — and we are looking
for an exceptional Head Chef/ Kitchen Manager to take our kitchen to the next level.

Located in
the heart of Berkhamsted, The Kings Arms is a busy, vibrant venue with a strong
reputation for quality food and genuine hospitality. We are passionate about
serving outstanding dishes, using quality ingredients and carefully sourced
meat from farm to fork.

This is an
exciting opportunity for a confident, hands-on kitchen leader who lives and
breathes great food, understands high-volume operations and knows how to
inspire a team to deliver consistently outstanding results.

What’s in
it for you?

• Salary of up to £43,000 per
  annum
• Performance-related bonus
• A share of Tronc worth up to £5,000
  per year
• Flexible shift patterns
• Up to 33% off food when dining
  with us for you and up to six guests
• 33% off Upham Inns hotel
  accommodation
• 20% off hotel accommodation
  for friends and family
• A structured development
  programme with a clear career pathway
• Free Lifestyle Card providing
  access to more than 5,000 discounts
• Long-service awards
• Refer-a-friend and chef
  recruitment incentives of up to £1,000
• The opportunity to lead a
  prominent kitchen within a progressive and expanding pub company

What we’re
looking for

You will
be an experienced Head Chef/Kitchen Manager with the energy, resilience and
ambition to lead from the front. You will be passionate about quality,
commercially aware and committed to developing a kitchen team that takes pride
in every plate.

You will
have:

• At least one year’s experience
  as a Head Chef or Kitchen Manager or in a comparable kitchen leadership
  role
• Excellent culinary and
  presentation skills
• Experience of leading a busy,
  high-volume kitchen
• A genuine passion for food,
  particularly quality meat and steak
• Strong leadership,
  communication and interpersonal skills
• The ability to lead calmly and
  inspire your team during busy services
• A proactive, hands‑on approach
  to kitchen management
• Excellent organisational and
  planning skills
• A strong understanding of food
  margins, stock control and waste management
• The ability to train, coach
  and develop chefs and Kitchen Porters
• A collaborative approach and a
  strong team mentality
• The right to work in the UK

Your
responsibilities

As Head
Chef, you will take ownership of the day‑to‑day kitchen operation, including:

• Leading the preparation and
  delivery of consistently high‑quality food
• Protecting and enhancing The
  Kings Arms’ reputation for quality
• Managing a fast‑paced kitchen
  efficiently during high‑volume services
• Leading, training, coaching
  and mentoring the kitchen team
• Creating effective rotas and
  cleaning schedules
• Managing ordering, stock
  control, food margins and waste
• Ensuring dishes are prepared
  quickly, accurately and to specification
• Maintaining an exceptionally
  clean, safe and organised kitchen
• Ensuring full compliance with
  food safety, allergen and dietary requirements
• Working closely with the wider
  management team to drive the continued success of the business

Ready to
take the lead?

The Kings
Arms is already busy — and we are only getting busier.

This is a
demanding but hugely rewarding opportunity for a high‑calibre Kitchen Manager
who thrives under pressure, leads by example and refuses to compromise on food
quality or standards.

A
five‑star food hygiene mindset is essential. Clean, safe and legal comes before
everything — every shift, every day.

If you
have the experience, passion and determination to make your mark at The Kings
Arms in Berkhamsted, we want to hear from you.