Head Chef

L'ETO Support Office; Greater London; On-site; GBP 55,000 - 65,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

KPI-based bonus

Company discounts and benefits

Job summary

L’ETO is seeking an experienced Head Chef for its Berkeley Square, Mayfair concept. You will own the kitchen, lead the team, and drive opening readiness while delivering exceptional food quality and strong financial performance.

You will oversee menu development, supplier coordination, food safety and compliance, and ensure guest satisfaction with high standards and consistent execution.

Qualifications

• Proven experience as Head Chef or senior kitchen leader in premium hospitality.
• Strong leadership to recruit, develop and retain a high-performing team.
• Excellent culinary knowledge with focus on consistency, presentation and detail.

Responsibilities

• Take full ownership of kitchen operations and pre-opening launch.
• Lead and train the kitchen team, manage rosters and performance.
• Develop and execute menu items, recipes and allergen information.
• Own food cost, GP, labour, stock and waste; hit KPI targets.
• Ensure food safety, hygiene, audits and compliance.

Skills

Leadership

Culinary excellence

Menu development

Cost control

Food safety

Team management

Operations management

Pre-opening experience

Education

Head Chef or senior kitchen leadership

Tools

Food cost systems

Kitchen SOPs

Job description

Job Title: Head Chef

Company: L’ETO

Location: Berkeley Square, Mayfair, London

Job Type: Full-Time

Job Overview

We are looking for an experienced Head Chef to take full ownership of the kitchen at our new

Berkeley Square concept in Mayfair.

The Head Chef will play a key role in the opening and ongoing success of the restaurant, leading the

kitchen team, delivering exceptional food quality and consistency, and ensuring strong operational

and financial performance.

The role includes kitchen set-up and opening readiness, recruitment and development of the kitchen

team, menu execution and development, food cost and labour control, stock and waste management,

supplier coordination, food safety and compliance.

Key Responsibilities

1. Kitchen Leadership & Ownership

• Take full responsibility for all kitchen operations
• Lead the kitchen through pre-opening, launch and ongoing day-to-day operations.
• Ensure consistently high standards of food preparation, presentation, taste and portion control.
• Establish and maintain clear kitchen systems, procedures and standards.
• Take ownership of kitchen performance and proactively resolve operational challenges.

2. Team Leadership & Development

• Recruit, lead, mentor and develop the kitchen team.
• Build a strong kitchen culture focused on quality, accountability, teamwork and performance.
• Deliver structured training on dishes, kitchen systems, food safety and operational procedures.
• Manage kitchen rotas and staffing levels effectively in line with business requirements and targets.
• Support team development, succession planning, performance management and retention.

3. Menu Execution & Development

• Ensure every dish is executed consistently and in accordance with recipes, presentation and quality standards.
• Contribute to new dishes, seasonal menu development and improvements to the food offering.
• Lead tastings, recipe implementation and kitchen training for new menu items.
• Maintain accurate recipes, specifications, portion controls and allergen information.

4. Commercial & Operational Performance

• Take ownership of food cost, gross profit (GP), labour cost, stock control and waste reduction.
• Deliver agreed kitchen budgets, margins and operational KPIs.
• Manage ordering and stock levels effectively while maintaining product availability and quality.
• Monitor yields, portion control and wastage, implementing corrective action where required.
• Maintain kitchen equipment to a high standard and coordinate maintenance requirements.

5. Food Safety & Compliance

• Ensure full compliance with food hygiene, allergen, health & safety and local authority requirements.
• Maintain exceptional internal and external hygiene and audit standards.
• Ensure all kitchen records, checks and documentation are completed accurately and consistently.
• Identify and resolve any compliance or food safety concerns immediately.

6. Brand & Guest Experience

• Protect and deliver the brand through exceptional food quality, consistency and presentation.
• Drive guest satisfaction and respond constructively to food-related feedback.
• Maintain a strong understanding of the Berkeley Square guest profile and ensure the kitchen operation supports the expected level of quality and service.

7. Collaboration

• Work closely with the General Manager and restaurant management team to deliver the commercial and operational objectives of Berkeley Square.
• Collaborate with Operations and other support functions where required.
• Work closely with the Central Production Kitchen where relevant to ensure product quality, availability and consistency.

8. Reporting & Administration

• Maintain accurate kitchen reporting, including food cost, labour, stock, wastage and other agreed KPIs.
• Support budgeting, forecasting and operational planning for the kitchen.
• Ensure all kitchen administration is accurate, timely and compliant with company standards.

Qualifications & Skills

• Proven experience as a Head Chef or senior kitchen leader in a high-volume, quality-led restaurant or premium hospitality environment.
• Strong leadership skills with the ability to recruit, build, motivate and develop a high-performing kitchen team.
• Excellent culinary knowledge with a strong focus on consistency, presentation and detail.
• Strong commercial acumen with hands-on experience managing food cost, GP, labour, stock and waste.
• Confident managing a busy kitchen operation and maintaining standards under pressure.
• Excellent understanding of food hygiene, allergens, health & safety and kitchen compliance.
• Strong organisational, communication and problem-solving skills.
• Pre-opening or new restaurant opening experience is highly desirable.
• Passionate about hospitality, quality, innovation and delivering an exceptional guest experience.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Product quality and consistency.
• Food cost and gross profit performance.
• Kitchen labour cost.
• Food sales performance.
• Guest satisfaction and food-related feedback.
• Food wastage and stock control.
• Food hygiene, health & safety and compliance audit results.
• Kitchen team performance, training and retention.

Package

• Salary: £55,000 - £65,000 per annum.
• KPI-based bonus.
• Company discounts and benefits.