Head Chef

Gees Restaurant & Bar; England; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent restaurant in Oxford is looking for an experienced Head Chef to lead its high-volume kitchen and manage a team of over 15 chefs. The ideal candidate will have proven leadership skills, a strong knowledge of food cost control, and the creativity to design seasonal menus. This role requires maintaining high standards of quality and safety while ensuring efficiency in kitchen operations. The restaurant offers great benefits, including meals on duty, a generous discount, and opportunities for professional development.

Benefits

Meals on duty

50% discount on food

Up to £700 recruitment incentive

Employee Assistance Programme membership

Pension scheme

Opportunities for development

Uniform provided

Complimentary meal every six months

28 days holiday

Paid day off on birthday

Team awards and prizes

Discounted gym membership and shopping

Qualifications

• Proven competence in leading a kitchen team.
• Ability to manage stock and food costs effectively.
• Knowledge of current health, fire safety, and hygiene regulations.

Responsibilities

• Lead a team of 15+ chefs in a high-volume kitchen.
• Maintain quality and integrity of dishes.
• Create seasonal menus using fresh ingredients.

Skills

Leadership

Teamwork

Food cost control

Health & Safety knowledge

Creativity in dish preparation

Job description

Situated in North Oxford, Gees is a bustling, independently owned restaurant, bar & terrace set within a landmark Victorian conservatory on Oxford’s Banbury Road. For over 40 years Gees has remained loyal to its traditions of providing quality food and service in the most beautiful restaurant in the city. Open every day of the year for brunch, lunch and dinner, Gees' kitchen produces a seasonal menu of ‘cross-town-for’ dishes using the best ingredients, simply prepared and expertly cooked.

Following an ambitious expansion and refurbishment in 2022, Gees more than doubled in capacity with the addition of Gees Gallery, an adjacent private dining space for up to 50 guests, and Secret Garden, a covered and heated private terrace for up to 60 diners. A brand-new top-of-the-rangekitchen now caters for over 200 guests throughout its dining spaces.

This is an unmissable opportunity for an ambitious, competent and energetic Head Chef to successfully lead this high-volume, fast-paced, all-day operation.

Key Attributes & Expectations

A natural leader, you will lead by example and encourage a culture of respect and teamwork. You will influence, enthuse and develop a team of 15+ chefs to achieve consistency and excellence, supporting our small company ethos to nurture and cultivate our teams to progress within the business.

We expect to see proven competence by way of ordering, stock and food cost control, as well as rota management and managing payroll costs. You will be expected to hold and maintain an up-to-date knowledge of current Health & Safety, Fire Safety and Food Hygiene legislation.

You will be fully equipped to create exciting, quality-led dishes using seasonal ingredients which are well-balanced, costed accurately and visually stunning. You will maintain attention to detail, integrity and quality of all menu items using recipe specifications and agreed presentation standards.

Head Chef Benefits

• Meals on duty
• 50% discount on food within our restaurants
• Up to £700 recruitment incentive
• Membership to our Employee Assistance Programme with Hospitality Action
• Pension scheme
• Opportunities to develop within our Company
• Uniform provided
• Complimentary ‘Manager’s meal’ within one of our restaurants every six months
• 28 days holiday inclusive of bank holidays per annum
• A paid day off on your birthday
• Team awards and prizes
• Hospitality Rewards: offering discounted gym membership, high-street and online shopping discounts, discounted vouchers, a cashback card, and 24/7 online GP service

Gees is part of 'The Oxford Collection'; a small, privately owned group of two luxury 5* hotels and apartments, three restaurants that consists of the Old Bank Hotel, the Old Parsonage Hotel, 36 St Giles, Parsonage Grill, Gees Restaurant & Bar, and Quod Restaurant & Bar. Having recently undergone a complete refurbishment programme, we have 80 bedrooms across three iconic properties in central Oxford, with unrivalled views across the city’s beautiful skyline.

We offer support, training, and development opportunities to help your career flourish. We believe that investment in each and every one of our ‘collectives’ is key to the success of our business and the happiness of our customers. As a member of our team, we are looking for an exceptional candidate who shares these values.

Interviews will take place in Oxford and as part of the recruitment process. Eligibility to work within the UK must be proven and two references should be available on request.