Head Chef

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

Benefits offered by this job

Company discounts

Development opportunities

Bonus scheme

Job summary

L’ETO Group is seeking a Head Chef to lead kitchen operations across our London locations, driving food quality, consistency, and brand standards. You will develop menus, manage suppliers, train staff, and ensure regulatory compliance to deliver culinary excellence.

The role requires strong leadership, cost awareness, and the ability to scale menu ideas across sites while maintaining profitability and guest satisfaction.

Qualifications

• Leadership experience in a high-volume kitchen.
• Culinary expertise in cafe/bakery or casual dining operations.
• Strong stock management, cost control, and supplier coordination.
• Ability to coach and develop kitchen teams at varying levels of experience.
• Excellent interpersonal and organisational communication across teams and senior management.

Responsibilities

• Oversee kitchen operations across locations.
• Audit food quality, kitchen standards, and compliance.
• Maintain consistency in food preparation, presentation, and portions.

Skills

Leadership

Culinary Expertise

Operational Control

Training & Development

Communication

Adaptability

Team motivation

Job description

Description

About L’ETO Group:

L’ETO is a renowned brand known for delivering exceptional culinary experiences through our chain of cafes and restaurants. We pride ourselves on offering high-quality products and creating memorable experiences for our customers. Our commitment to excellence and innovation has positioned us as a leader in the food and beverage industry.

Job Overview:

As the Head Chef, you will take full responsibility for kitchen operations across locations. Your role is to lead and inspire kitchen team, drive food quality and consistency, develop new menu offerings in line with brand standards, and ensure the smooth day-to-day operation, ensuring that culinary excellence and operational efficiency are consistently delivered.

This role includes developing food menus, managing supplier relationships, training kitchen staff, ensuring compliance with licensing and safety regulations, and driving profitability through strategic menu planning.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Kitchen Oversight:

• Supervise and support kitchen operations
• To audit food quality, kitchen standards, and compliance.
• Ensure each site maintains consistent food preparation, presentation, and portion control according to brand standards.

2. Team Leadership & Development:

• Lead, mentor, and develop kitchen team.
• Drive team training on new dishes, kitchen systems, health & safety, and operational procedures.

• Motivate teams to maintain high morale, performance, and retention.
• Identify areas for improvement and update training content accordingly.

3. Menu Execution & Innovation:

• Collaborate on new menu ideas and seasonal offers to keep the offering fresh and competitive.
• Ensure new menu items are correctly implemented across all sites with proper training and understanding.
• Tailor menu items to suit local market and each location needs while preserving brand consistency.

4. Operational Excellence:

• Monitor food cost control, stock management, and waste reduction.
• Meet agreed GP (Gross Profit) margins and operational targets.
• Maintain kitchen equipment standards and oversee maintenance requirements.

5. Food Safety & Compliance:

• Enforce food hygiene, allergen, and health & safety regulations.
• Lead kitchen audits and resolve any non-compliance issues proactively.
• operate in full compliance with local authority and company standards.

6. Brand & Guest Experience:

• Maintain a strong brand identity across all food offerings.
• Drive guest satisfaction through food innovation, presentation, and service excellence.

7. Collaboration:

• Work closely with operations, HR, and quality assurance teams to align training initiatives with organisational goals.
• Act as a liaison between management and staff to identify training needs and resolve challenges.
• Work closely with the Central Production Kitchen team to ensure feedback and quality of food is always exceptional

8. Reporting & administration:

• Maintain and generate reports for management.
• Manage the training budget effectively.

Qualifications and Skills

• Leadership:Experience overseeing kitchen in a high-volume environment.
• Culinary Expertise:Strong background in café, bakery, or casual dining operations.
• Operational Control:Skilled in stock management, cost control, and supplier coordination.

• Training & Development:Ability to coach and upskill kitchen teams at varying levels of experience.
• Communication:Excellent interpersonal and organisational communication across teams and senior management.

• Adaptability:Comfortable handling the pace and demands of a dynamic city-wide role.
• Excellent leadership, training, and communication skills.
• Strong commercial acumen and ability to manage budgets and margins.
• Passionate about hospitality, quality, and innovation.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Product quality and consistency
• Food sales growth (%) and food cost as a % of sales
• Labour cost
• Guest satisfaction scores on food
• Food wastage levels
• Compliance audit scores (exceptional internal and external hygiene standards)

Package

• Company discounts and perks
• Development opportunities within a growing brand
• Salary: £55000 - £65000 (formed of £30000 + TRONC)
• Up to 10% KPI Based Bonus Scheme

Compensation: Competitive salary