Head Chef

Marston's PLC; Ferndown; On-site; Full time

Job summary

A leading pub management company in Ferndown is seeking a Head Chef to lead a motivated kitchen team. The ideal candidate has experience in kitchen management, ensuring food hygiene standards and quality service. This role offers flexible hours, performance-related bonuses, and career development opportunities. Passion for food and team leadership are key traits we look for. Come and join us to create memorable experiences for our guests.

Benefits

30% off at all pubs, restaurants, and hotels

Performance-related bonus

Access to well-being support

Privileged accommodation

Professional development programs

Pension scheme

Private healthcare options

Qualifications

• Experience in a Kitchen Manager/Head Chef role or ready to step up from Sous/Second Chef.
• Passion for food and kitchen management.

Responsibilities

• Ensure all food and hygiene standards are consistently met.
• Maintain clear communication with your kitchen and wider pub team.
• Achieve the highest standards for food quality and speed of service.

Skills

Team management

Food hygiene standards

Positive attitude

Communication skills

Job description

Lead a team to success in our kitchen. You'll be responsible for raising the bar and setting the standards across your kitchen. Playing a key part in the pub management team, you'll strive to create memorable experiences that leave our guests wanting to come back for more. Our kitchen is where it's at: As well as having a passion for food, you'll jump at the opportunity to grow, develop and retain a motivated kitchen team in one of our pubs across the country. As a Head Chef: You'll have experience in a similar Kitchen Manager/Head Chef role or be ready to step up from a Sous/Second Chef position.

Responsibilities

• Ensure all food and hygiene standards are consistently met
• Have a positive attitude and the ability to create a buzz in your kitchen
• Achieve the highest standards, ensuring the business is safe and that food quality and speed of service targets are met
• Maintain clear communication with your kitchen and wider pub team
• Take pride in the meals that you and your team produce

What comes next is up to you: Whether you'd like to progress your skills further in the Head Chef role or explore wider opportunities across our pub, hotels and pub support centre we have a range of career pathways to suit all.

What you get from us

• A performance related bonus
• 30% off at all our pubs, restaurants, and hotels
• A reliable hours contract, to give you the security you deserve
• Flexible and part time hours available to work around your family or higher education
• Exciting range of high street, online discounts and cashback offers
• Scope to build your career and progress through our Chef Development Programme including access to our innovative app‑based training
• Access to Licensed Trade Charity for financial, mental, and emotional well‑being support

Come as you are. Personality counts for more than anything else here. We'll accept you and celebrate you for being you. We can't wait to see what we can make happen together. Marston's could be the making of you.

Benefits and Compensation

• From £13.50 45hrs per week
• Performance related bonus
• Reliable hours contract (or salaried in certain sites)
• Privilege card discount
• Marston's Rewards
• Pure Drop, The benefits Wellbeing
• We offer professional wellbeing support to our pub and pub support centre teams including support from the Licenced Trade Charity.
• Accommodation: The majority of our pub General Manager roles include optional on‑site accommodation.
• Award winning Named as one of the UK's Top 100 employers and #1 in the pub sector for 2025, in the Financial Times UK's Best Employers list.
• Bonus: Our pub management, operations and sales roles offer performance related bonus schemes. For our support centre teams, we offer a discretionary company bonus scheme.
• Competitive salaries Opportunity to earn a great wage whilst having fun at work.
• Long service: We reward loyalty with awards for key anniversary milestones.
• Food and drink: Our privilege card gives our people 30% discount off food and drink in our pubs. As well as access to our £4.50 refuel at work meal deal whilst on shift.
• Pension scheme: All our salaried roles offer membership to a company contributory pension scheme. Hourly paid roles offer auto enrolment schemes.
• Private healthcare Some of our roles offer access to a private healthcare scheme.
• High street discount: An exciting range of high street, online discounts and cash back offers are available for all.
• Employee discount: All of our employees receive a 30% discount on Marston's food and hotel stays.
• Training and development: We're passionate about growing our own talent through an extensive apprenticeship offer, dedicated L&D teams, and award winning e-learning platforms.