Head Chef

Windmill, Clapham; Greater London; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A popular London pub is seeking a Head Chef to lead a talented kitchen team. This role offers the opportunity to create and develop seasonal menus using local ingredients. The ideal candidate will have experience in a similar role and a passion for quality food service, leading the team to deliver outstanding culinary experiences. Benefits include full autonomy in menu creation, access to apprenticeship schemes, culinary masterclasses, and generous discounts in affiliated venues. Join a vibrant kitchen that values creativity and teamwork.

Benefits

Free meals

Discounts at Young's Pubs

Enhanced Company Pension Scheme

28 Days Holiday

Access to culinary masterclasses

Qualifications

• Experience as a Head Chef or Sous Chef with a focus on quality food service.
• Ability to manage kitchen staff and adhere to health and safety regulations.
• Skills in designing and delivering innovative dishes for menus.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop kitchen staff while maintaining service excellence.
• Create and cost fresh seasonal menus across various revenue streams.
• Drive sales growth through collaboration with kitchen and front of house teams.

Skills

Leadership and team inspiration

Excellent communication skills

Creativity in menu development

Planning and organisational skills

Hands-on team player

Job description

About us :

The Windmill is a famous pub, restaurant & 42-bedroom boutique hotel situated on Clapham Common, we're a very dog-friendly business (so liking dogs is a must for any applicant) our pub dog Monty can be found sat in a bar stool most days.

We're always busy and looking for people that can deliver great customer service with big smiles even when the place is packed. We serve a range of beers cocktails and the best in modern British seasonal food including steaks sourced locally from Ginger Pig butchers.

Being a Head Chef at Young's :

The Windmill is a flagship Young's kitchen with annual food sales of £1.7million with peak weeks of £50k food, the busiest Sunday sales in the estate, volume experience is essential but also still being able to deliver quality.

We believe every pub should be different. This means that you'll be writing your own recipes that match the food vision of your business using fresh seasonal ingredients. The food vision could be all about showcasing local produce, country pub classics, seafood, small plates and sharers, dry-aged meat - each pub is different and its up to you as head chef to put your own creative stamp on that vision. We work with fresh, seasonal produce, so the menu should constantly evolve to showcase these fantastic ingredients when they are at their best. Premium fresh food crafted by skilled chefs in Premium Pubs.

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.