Head Chef

ValorHospitality; Exeter; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 62,000; Full time

Job summary

Valor Hospitality is seeking a Head Chef for voco Zeal Exeter Science Park. You will lead a branded kitchen, delivering consistent menus across breakfast, dining, room service and events while owning food cost and margins.

Ideal candidates have Head Chef or strong Sous Chef experience in a hotel or branded operation, with a proven ability to hit payroll targets and uphold brand standards. Level 3 Food Safety certification or willingness to obtain is preferred.

Qualifications

• Experience as Head Chef or strong Sous Chef ready to step up, preferably in a hotel or branded operation.
• Proven track record of hitting food cost and payroll targets.
• Comfort working to brand specs and standards, and the pride to execute them well.
• Level 3 Food Safety certification or willingness to achieve it.
• A calm, hands-on leadership style that motivates teams.

Responsibilities

• Deliver menus consistently across breakfast, restaurant, bar, room service and meetings.
• Own food cost and margins through smart ordering, stock control and waste reduction.
• Manage kitchen payroll: build rotas, control hours and hit labour targets.
• Maintain food safety, allergen management and health and safety to audit-ready standards.
• Lead, train and develop the kitchen team and collaborate with hotel leadership.

Skills

People management

Brand standards

Cost control

Allergen awareness

Education

Level 3 Food Safety

Job description

Love running a great kitchen as much as you love cooking? This one’s for you.

voco Zeal Exeter Science Park is a 142-bedroom, four-star IHG hotel and the UK’s first net zero carbon hotel. It’s modern, it’s busy, and it’s run by people who genuinely care about getting things right. We’re looking for a Head Chef to lead our kitchen and make it the best-run kitchen in the area.

What the role really looks like

This isn’t about reinventing the menu every week. It’s about taking a strong branded menu and delivering it brilliantly, every service, every time. You’ll be the person who makes the kitchen tick: the standards, the numbers and the team.

You’ll:

Deliver our menus consistently across breakfast, the restaurant, the bar, room service and meetings

Own your food cost and margin, through smart ordering, stock control, portion control and keeping waste low

Manage kitchen payroll: build rotas that match the business, control hours and hit your labour targets

Keep food safety, allergen management and health and safety spotless and audit-ready

Lead, train and develop your team so they feel supported, confident and proud of what they serve

Work closely with the General Manager and F&B team as a key part of the hotel’s leadership

What you’ll bring

Experience as a Head Chef, or a strong Sous Chef ready to step up, ideally in a hotel or branded operation

A proven track record of hitting food cost and payroll targets

Comfort working to brand specs and standards, and the pride to execute them well

Level 3 Food Safety (or willingness to achieve it) and solid allergen knowledge

A calm, hands-on leadership style that people want to work for

What's in it for you?

Look at some of the available at Valor

We're an equal opportunities employer, and we welcome applications from all suitably qualified candidates, regardless of race, sex, disability, religion or belief, sexual orientation or age. At Valor Hospitality, we actively welcome applications from candidates of all diverse backgrounds.

Every application is carefully reviewed against the relevant skills and experience for the role, and we'll be in touch if you're a good match and have been selected for interview.

Please note that employment is subject to proof of eligibility to work in the UK

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