Head Chef

Urban Pubs & Bars Ltd.; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 42,000 - 64,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary plus bonus

28 days' holiday

Employee Assistance Programme

Cycle-to-work scheme

Birthday day off

Stream wage access

Staff discounts across venues

Training and progression opportunities

Job summary

Urban Pubs, Bars & Restaurants Ltd in London is seeking an experienced Head Chef to lead kitchens across our modern British pubs, Salt Yard and Bat & Ball venues. You will own the kitchen, build a high-performing team and develop dishes that showcase seasonal ingredients.

This role requires a passion for fresh, high-quality food, strong leadership, and a solid grasp of GP, stock control and waste management.

Qualifications

• Proven experience as a Head Chef in a quality pub/restaurant or high-volume hospitality.
• Strong knowledge of ingredients, seasonality and modern cooking techniques.
• Passion for creating great dishes and delivering high food standards.
• Strong understanding of kitchen financials, GP, ordering, stock control and waste management.
• Leadership and mentoring to grow a high-performing kitchen team.
• Food Hygiene qualifications are essential; kitchen management qualifications are a plus.

Responsibilities

• Run your kitchen like it's yours; build and coach a brilliant kitchen team.
• Keep the food offer exciting, seasonal and relevant while maintaining exceptional standards.
• Own GP, manage ordering and stock, control waste and keep the operation efficient.
• Work with the General Manager to performance across venues and develop your team.
• Lead across a portfolio of venues with freedom to bring ideas, experience and creativity.

Skills

Proven Head Chef experience

Ingredients knowledge

Seasonality

Modern cooking techniques

Kitchen financials (GP)

Ordering & stock control

Waste management

Leadership & mentoring

Communication & organisation

People development

Food Hygiene qualifications

Kitchen management qualifications

Education

Food Hygiene qualifications

Kitchen management qualifications

Job description

Head Chef – Urban Pubs, Bars & Restaurants – Multiple Brands – London

Pubs Salt Yard Restaurants Bat & Ball – Quality, Food & Growth

We're growing, and we're looking for brilliant Head Chefs to join us across our family of venues. From modern British pubs and destination neighbourhood locals, to the food-led world of Salt Yard and the high-energy competitive socialising experience of Bat & Ball, there are plenty of different kitchens to get stuck into.

We're a 100% fresh food business and take real pride in what comes out of our kitchens. Food is at the heart of what we do — from seasonal dishes and quality pub classics to our much-loved Sunday roasts, which are regarded as some of the best in the areas where we operate. Our commitment to food has also been recognised recently, with the group winning Best Food Offering across a 50+ site field, as well as recognition at the Publican Awards 2026.

Each brand has its own personality, but the ambition is the same: great people, great food, brilliant guest experiences and kitchens that perform. We're after Head Chefs who want to take ownership, build teams, develop dishes and make a kitchen their own.

You’ll be the sort of person who…

• Genuinely loves food — you're passionate about ingredients, seasonality, flavour and putting great food on the plate.
• Lives and breathes hospitality. A busy Saturday service, a full restaurant and a team firing on all cylinders gets you excited, not flustered.
• Takes real pride in the details — from a beautifully cooked pub classic and a standout Sunday roast to seasonal small plates, fresh pasta, quality produce and food that people come back for.
• Believes in fresh food and proper cooking. You're proud to work in a 100% fresh food business where quality starts with the ingredients.
• Knows how to run a busy kitchen and can prove it — great food, happy chefs, strong GP and consistently high standards.
• Leads from the front. Your team see you, trust you and want to follow you through a busy service.
• Is commercially minded — understanding that great food needs to taste brilliant, look brilliant and make commercial sense.

What you’ll actually do

Run your kitchen like it's yours. Build, coach and look after a brilliant kitchen team. Keep the food offer exciting, seasonal and relevant while maintaining exceptional standards every day.

Own your kitchen's GP, manage ordering and stock, control waste and keep your operation running efficiently. Work closely with the General Manager to make the whole venue perform, while developing your team and creating food that guests genuinely want to come back for.

Whether you're leading a pub kitchen, a Salt Yard restaurant or a Bat & Ball venue, you'll be the person making the food happen day to day — with the freedom to bring your ideas, experience and creativity to the business.

Where could you fit in?

• Urban Pubs, Bars & Restaurants – modern British pubs, bars and neighbourhood venues built around quality food, drink and genuine hospitality.
• Salt Yard – distinctive Spanish and Italian-inspired restaurants, known for seasonal small plates, charcuterie, wine and a lively London dining experience.
• Bat & Ball – high-energy competitive socialising, combining games and entertainment with food, drinks and big nights out.

What we’re Looking For:

• Put your heart on your sleeve: take ownership, be bold and run the kitchen as if it's your own.
• Stay cool under pressure — calm, composed and unflappable.
• Proven experience as a Head Chef, ideally within a quality pub, restaurant or high-volume hospitality environment.
• Strong knowledge of food, ingredients, seasonality and modern cooking techniques.
• A genuine passion for creating great dishes and delivering consistently high food standards.
• Strong understanding of kitchen financials, GP, ordering, stock control and waste management.
• Strong communication and organisational skills, with an approachable leadership style.
• Superb food quality and service standards.
• Entrepreneurial flair and a genuine passion for people development.
• Love to train, mentor and grow a high-performing kitchen team.
• Food Hygiene qualifications are essential, with relevant kitchen management qualifications a plus.

What’s In It For You

• Competitive salary plus bonus.
• Opportunities across a growing portfolio of pubs, restaurants and competitive socialising venues.
• Join a food-led business with a proven track record, including recent recognition for Best Food Offering across 50+ sites and at the Publican Awards 2026.
• Comprehensive training and ongoing development to accelerate your career.
• Clear paths for progression, with regular openings and opportunities to step up.
• Employee discounts across our pubs, bars and restaurants.
• Strategic autonomy: make meaningful decisions, own your results and be fearless.
• Continuous team trips, management incentives and socials in a warm, family-like culture.
• 28 days' holiday.
• Employee Assistance Programme via Licence Trade Charity.
• Lucrative referral scheme: earn up to £1,000 per successful referral.
• Access to Stream to draw wages as needed.
• Birthday day off on us.
• Cycle-to-work scheme.
• Enhanced maternity/paternity/adoption pay.
• Workplace nursery benefit.
• Length-of-service recognition rewards.

Ready to lead something brilliant?

If you're bold, food-obsessed, people-centric and commercial, with a genuine passion for exceptional hospitality, we'd love to meet you. Tell us what kind of kitchen gets you excited — whether that's a brilliant pub, a standout restaurant or a venue where the competition is part of the experience — and let's find the right opportunity for you.