Head Chef

Oxygenhouse; Exeter; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company in sustainable kitchens seeks an exceptional Head Chef to innovate and inspire with plant-forward dishes. You will lead a team, ensuring that sustainability is at the heart of kitchen operations while creating a healthier food future for all.

Benefits

Enhanced parental leave

Contributory pension (matched up to 5%)

Group life assurance

Employee assistance programme

Green travel incentive

Cycle to work scheme

Electric car scheme and charging

25 days’ holiday, rising to 30 days

Qualifications

• Experience managing teams across multiple sites or outlets.
• Solid understanding of the climate crisis and food’s role in it.
• Wealth of ideas for plant-forward dishes.

Responsibilities

• Lead a team across multiple outlets.
• Craft seasonal, plant-forward dishes with sustainability embedded.
• Shape kitchen strategy using data.

Skills

Leadership

Creativity

Communication

Analytical Mindset

Job description

Term: Permanent.40 hours a week over 5 days.

Closing Date: 30th June 2025 at 9:00am

Are you driven to create food that’s better for people and the planet?

At Oxygen House, we run planet-positive kitchens that serve vibrant, organic, nourishing food—designed to inspire conscious living and sustainable change. Our mission is to prove that great cooking can go hand-in-hand with environmental care.

We’re looking for an exceptional Head Chef to shape the future of our food programme alongside our Head of Food.

This is no ordinary role. You'll lead a team across multiple outlets, crafting seasonal, plant-forward dishes with sustainability embedded at every level—from sourcing and prep to culture and operations. Together, we aim to set a new standard for how kitchens can (and should) operate—with people and the planet at their heart.

You Are:

An inspiring, motivating leader who brings out the best in others

Curious, thoughtful, and unafraid to challenge outdated systems

Passionate about food’s power to support health and sustainability

A creative, confident cook with a flair for organic, plant-focused dishes

Process-driven, with an exceptional eye for detail

A clear communicator and natural collaborator

You Have:

A solid understanding of the climate crisis and food’s role in it

An analytical mindset and the ability to use data to guide kitchen strategy

Experience managing teams across multiple sites or outlets

A wealth of ideas for plant-forward dishes across diverse kitchen styles

Why Join Us?
Because you want more than a job—you want to lead a kitchen that matters. At Oxygen House, sustainability isn’t an afterthought. It’s the foundation. This is your opportunity to innovate, inspire, and shape a better food future through everything you cook and lead.

Family and Finance Benefits - Enhanced parental leave, Contributory pension (matched up to 5%), Group life assurance, Employee assistance programme

Green Benefits - Green travel incentive, Cycle to work scheme, Electric car scheme and charging

️ Annual Leave - 25 days’ holiday, rising by 1 day per year to a maximum of 30 days

To apply, click on the apply button at the top of the page and follow the application form. You will need to prepare a plant-forward, autumn-inspired 3/3/3 lunch menu (three starters, three mains, three desserts) that shows us your creativity and values.

If you have any questions, require a different method of application, or there's any way we can support you in our recruitment process then please contact us – [e-mail]

Oxygen House is an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons regardless of their race, sex, disability, religion/belief, sexual orientation, or age. https://www.oxygenhousegroup.com