Head Chef

Surety Hospitality; Greater London; On-site; GBP 28,000 - 47,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Salary up to £46,500

Bonus

Career development

Sabbatical after 5 years

Additional holiday each year (up to 5)

Happiness Day

Team trips to Naples & beyond

Refer-a-friend bonus

Free food & drinks

Free pizza for you & up to 3 friends

Company parties

Job summary

Pizza Pilgrims in London is seeking a Head Chef to lead Neapolitan pizza service, mentor the kitchen team and drive quality across every guest experience.

You will oversee recruitment, training, safety, stock, launches and maintenance while upholding our values. We offer a generous salary, bonus, extensive holidays, and opportunities to help open new pizzerias.

Join a lively, inclusive culture with perks like Happiness Day, team trips, and free pizza for you and up to 3 friends.

Qualifications

• Leadership and people management abilities.
• Experience recruiting and training kitchen staff.
• Strong knowledge of food safety standards.
• Ability to manage stock and cost controls.
• Menu development and recipe execution.
• Focus on quality control and auditing processes.

Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor kitchen team with strong engagement.
• Oversee recruitment, onboarding and succession planning.
• Ensure health & safety compliance across kitchen operations.
• Manage stock, wastage, and food cost controls.
• Drive successful guest pizza launches and brand quality.
• Oversee kitchen maintenance and equipment upkeep.
• Perform regular food quality audits and reporting.

Skills

Team management

Recruitment & training

Food safety

Inventory control

Menu development

Quality auditing

Job description

At Pizza Pilgrims, we aspire to create an inclusive environment where everyone can be themselves, feel genuinely cared for and have equal opportunities for growth and progression. We are committed to building a diverse team that includes and respects a variety of voices, identities, backgrounds, experiences and perspectives; which creates proper happiness, just like our pizzas do!

We work hard because we think pizza makes people happier.

As a Head Chef, you’ll be a specialist in creating the best Neapolitan Pizza’s, and for every guest to leave with a full belly, and already planning their next visit. You’ll also be accountable for:

• Team Management & engagement.
• Recruitment, training, and succession planning.
• Heath & safety compliance.
• Stock management.
• Successful guest pizza launches.
• Kitchen maintenance management.
• Food quality auditing.
• Reporting.

Whilst skills are important, representing our values is just as important too. These shape our team culture.

• ‘Push Yourself’ because we believe learning new skills and coming out of your comfort zone will help us improve as a team.
• ‘Be Yourself’ means you can bring your own personality to work. Your hair colour is yours, not ours. We think tattoos are cool. And we love hearing about your interests outside of work.
• ‘Respect Others’ because everyone is welcome at Pilgrims and we’re committed to creating an inclusive environment where people feel they belong.
• ‘Enjoy Yourself’ because hospitality is an industry we love, and we want every Pilgrim to create happiness for each other and to have fun at work.

What's in it for you?

• up to £46.500 salary + tronc + bonus.
• 45hr week over 5 days.
• Serious career development - We are opening 4 pizzerias this year & next.
• On top of the standard 28 days holiday, you will get an extra day for every year you work for us (up to 5 Years).
• After 5 years with us, you get a paid 4-week sabbatical on top of your 33 days holiday!

Some of our favourite Pizza Perks include...

• 1 extra day holiday as “Happiness Day’ so you can do something that you love and makes you happy about outside of work.
• Team trips to Naples & beyond to meet suppliers & try new pizzerias
• A tasty bonus every time you refer a friend to join.
• Free food & espresso every day - whole menu available & also deals with other restaurants
• A free after-work drinks (soft, beer or gin)
• 2 huge company-wide parties every year to celebrate Christmas and Ferragosto (We close all the pizzerias for these!)
• Free pizza when you visit any Pizza Pilgrims when you are not at work for you & up to 3 friends.