Head Chef

British Garden Centres; England; Remote; GBP 30,000 - 45,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Meal discount

Store discount

Discounts for Woodthorpe Leisure Park

Job summary

British Garden Centres in Tarporley is seeking a Head Chef to lead our catering team, creating menus, overseeing stock control and ensuring top kitchen standards. You will manage the kitchen operation, train and motivate staff, and ensure policies and procedures are followed to deliver a first-class culinary service.

You will coach and develop the kitchen team, focus on quality and efficiency, and ensure calm performance under pressure while managing deliveries and food preparation.

Qualifications

• Experience of working in a busy kitchen.
• Creative at making dishes but also able to work to specs.
• Experience of cooking carvery is an advantage.
• Knowledge of HACCP.
• Able to manage multiple orders.
• Coaching and developing a kitchen team.
• Remain calm under pressure and manage time effectively.
• Level 3 basic food hygiene is an advantage.

Responsibilities

• Management duties in the kitchen.
• Coaching the team to maintain high standards.
• Pushing sales and driving customer satisfaction.
• Taking deliveries and stock control.
• Food preparation and cooking to high standards.
• Producing daily specials.
• Prepare, cook, and present food quickly and efficiently.
• Monitor portion size and minimize waste.

Skills

Busy kitchen experience

Menu creativity

Carvery experience

HACCP knowledge

Stock & waste management

Team coaching

Calm under pressure

Time management

Food hygiene level 3

Job description

Location: Tarporley

Contract type: Permanent

Hours: Full Time

Hours: 35 Hours Per Week Including Weekends

We are seeking a Head Chef with flair and enthusiasm to join our existing Catering Team in providing good quality and tasty meals to our guests. You will be ensuring fresh and nutritious meals are served by maintaining the highest standards.

You will have management responsibility for the efficient operation of the kitchen. This includes helping creating menus, food ordering, stock control etc., together with ensuring that all kitchen policies and procedures are up to date and staff are compliant with them. Equally important is the training, motivation and inspiration of the kitchen team to deliver a first‑class culinary service.

Experience in a similar role essential, we would love to hear from you.

What we offer:

• No evening work, split shifts or unsociable hours, year-round business.
• Security of working in a well‑established expanding family business & the associated benefits
• Rate of pay negotiable, dependent upon skills and experience.
• Closed Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year’s Day & Easter Sunday
• 50% meal discount at any BGC restaurant & 20% discount at any BGC store, additionally discount rates available for Woodthorpe Leisure Park.

Skills needed:

• Experience of working in a busy kitchen.
• Creative at making dishes but also able to work to specs.
• Experience of cooking carvery is an advantage.
• Knowledge of HACCP.
• Able to manage multiple orders.
• Professionalism and reliability.
• Remain calm under pressure.
• Good time management.
• Level 3 basic food hygiene is an advantage.
• To be able to coach and develop a team.
• Stock and waste management experience.

Duties include:

• Management duties.
• Coaching team.
• Pushing sales.
• The taking of deliveries.
• Food preparation.
• Producing specials.
• Prepare, cook, and present food quickly and efficiently to a high standard.
• Monitor portion size and waste.

If you have passion, can work equally well as part of a team or independently, are up for a challenge and thrive in a fast‑paced work environment, then we would love you to become part of our work family.

Applications close – Friday 23rd October 2026

Due to the high volume of applications, if your application is successful, someone from the management team will be