Head Chef

Young's Pubs; Greater London; On-site; GBP 48,000 - 62,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Apprenticeship Scheme and Development

Culinary masterclasses

Regular Chef Forums

Free meals

20% discount in Young's Pubs

30% discount on overnight stays

Share save Scheme

Enhanced Company Pension Scheme

28 Days Holiday per year

Job summary

Smiths of Smithfield, a prime London kitchen operation, seeks a Head Chef Designate to join and develop within a structured pathway. The role offers hands-on leadership across a multi-floor, multi-kitchen environment, with the goal of running your own kitchen in Young's portfolio.

You will train in leadership, menu delivery, and stock management, then assume responsibility for delivering high food standards, cost control, and team growth in a fast-paced Central London setting.

Qualifications

• This role requires proven experience leading and developing a kitchen team.
• Ability to design and deliver fresh, seasonal menus with commercial focus.
• Demonstrated excellence in food safety, GP control and labour planning.

Responsibilities

• Inspire and lead the kitchen team while developing, costed menus and daily specials.
• Oversee GP control, stock management and labour scheduling to maximise profitability.
• Maintain high standards of food quality and health and safety compliance.
• Collaborate with front of house to drive growth and exceptional service.

Skills

Team leadership

Menu development

Food safety

Cost control

Communication

Job description

About Smiths Of Smithfield

Located in the heart of Farringdon, directly opposite the historic Smithfield Market,

Smiths of Smithfield is a unique four-floor hospitality venue combining restaurants, bars, private dining and events under one roof. Each floor has its own identity and kitchen, from the premium The Grill and seafood-led No.3 Rooftop, to our private dining and events spaces and the lively Ground Floor Bar. With multiple kitchens and a wide variety of service styles, Smiths offers chefs the opportunity to work within a large, diverse and fast-paced Central London operation.

Head Chef Designate

We are looking for an ambitious and driven Head Chef Designate to join the Smiths of Smithfield kitchen team as part of a structured development opportunity within the wider Young's estate.

The successful candidate will spend their first three months working and training at Smiths of Smithfield, gaining experience within a large, multi-faceted Central London kitchen operation before taking on their own pub as Head Chef.

The three-month placement is designed to provide a strong foundation in the key skills required to successfully lead a Young's kitchen. Working alongside experienced senior chefs, you will develop your knowledge and confidence across kitchen leadership, menu delivery, team development, food safety, stock management, GP control, ordering, labour management and commercial performance.

You will be expected to be hands-on throughout the programme, becoming fully immersed in the day-to-day operation while developing the leadership and organisational skills required to run your own kitchen.

Your Next Step

At the end of the three-month development period, you will take on your own kitchen within the Young's estate, with responsibility for leading your team, delivering consistently high food standards and managing the overall kitchen operation.

This is an opportunity for a chef who is ready to make the transition into their first Head Chef role, but wants the support, training and experience of a larger operation before taking that next step.

We are looking for someone who is passionate about food, commercially aware, organised and confident leading a team, with the ambition to build a successful career within Young's.

Smiths of Smithfield provides the platform; the goal is to leave the programme ready to run your own kitchen.

What we offer our Head Chefs:

• Head Chefs get to have full autonomy to create your own menus and specials
• Access to our Apprenticeship Scheme and Development Programmes
• Access to regular culinary masterclasses covering topics such as Game, Butchery and Shellfish
• Access to inspirational food trips with our top quality suppliers
• Regular Chef Forums with other Head Chefs to inspire and develop
• Free meals
• 20% discount in all Young's Pubs and 30% discount on overnight stays in our Pubs with Rooms
• Share save Scheme
• Enhanced Company Pension Scheme
• 28 Days Holiday per year

What we look for in a Head Chef:

This role requires someone that can inspire a team, to bring out the potential and lead by example whilst being able to develop, cost and produce fresh seasonal menus for the variety of revenue streams within the business.

• Have experience championing excellent service through quality food either as a Head Chef or in the position of Sous Chef
• Demonstrate a passion for leading and developing a team
• Be an active hands-on team player with excellent communication skills
• Be responsible and able to manage the kitchen staff rota, training and all health and safety effectively at all times
• Be able to demonstrate your creativity and ability to design and deliver new dishes for our menus and daily specials
• Demonstrate great planning and organisational skills, necessary to maintain effective controls with regard to both GP and labour
• Have a pro-active approach to driving sales and delivering growth, through engagement with both kitchen and front of house teams

Skills

Menu Development

Food Safety

Food Preparation