Head Chef

National Trust; Haywards Heath; On-site; GBP 28,000 - 34,000; Full time

Job summary

Join the National Trust as a Head Chef at Nymans, where you'll lead kitchen operations for multiple cafes and create delicious seasonal menus. Enjoy benefits like a substantial pension scheme, discounts, and up to 32 days of holiday. Be part of a team that values inclusivity and excellence in food and service.

Benefits

Pension scheme up to 10%

Free entry to National Trust places

Rental deposit loan scheme

Season ticket loan

Employee discounts

Holiday allowance up to 32 days

Flexible working

Employee assistance programme

Free parking

Qualifications

• Experienced as a professional chef with a passion for food.
• Confident in following recipes and batch-cooking.
• Aware of health and safety compliance.

Responsibilities

• Manage day-to-day operations of kitchen and multiple outlets.
• Develop menus using local produce, adapting to seasons.
• Guide and support kitchen team to ensure great service.

Skills

Cooking

Team Leadership

Health and Safety Compliance

Menu Development

Budget Management

Education

Professional Chef Experience

Job description

Are you looking to develop your career in food and drink? Did you know that the National Trust, Europe's largest conservation charity, is also renowned for its food and hospitality? We run 185 cafes all over England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and we'd love you to join us.

We’re looking for a Head Chef to join us. Because we are in a rural area, please think about how you’d be able to get here for work, before applying for the job.

Benefits:We want to help you look after the things that matter to you, such as saving for your future, getting a discount on your weekly shop, or encouraging you to find a work-life balance. Please read our package, below, to see what benefits we offer you.

Hours:37.5 hours. 5 shifts per week including most weekends. No split shifts or evenings

Salary: £28,509 to £34,000 dependent on experience

Duration: Permanent

Interview date: From the 23 July 2025

What it's like to work hereThe Head Chef at Nymans takes a key role in running our friendly and very busy Food & Beverage department. Reporting into the Senior F&B Manager you will be responsible for the day-to-day management of two large modern café kitchens, and two additional smaller outlets. Our two main cafes offer a vibrant selection of brunch and lunch dishes, most of which are prepared daily on site, as well as our renowned National Trust bakery sections preparing fresh scones and cakes all year round. You will guide and develop our existing team of chefs, cooks and kitchen assistants building on their strengths and providing opportunities for up and coming talent. You will maintain and extremely safe environment for our visitors and staff, and you will work with our F&B and property management team to continue to grow the business over the coming years.

Nymans is one of the busiest properties in the National Trust and we attract a wide range of visitors all year round. Our menu’s reflect what is great about the seasons and we operate as sustainably as possible whist meeting the needs our visitors. It’s inspiring to work in such a beautiful setting with the added benefit of not working in the evenings or having to do split shifts. We look forward to welcoming the successful candidate to the Nymans team.

To find out more about what it’s like to work in a food and beverage team for the National Trust,

What you'll be doing

As Head Chef, your main focus will be within the kitchens. But you’ll also work closely with the Food and Beverage management team to develop delicious menus using local produce, adapting to the seasons and working within the framework of our ‘National Trust Cookbook’.

You’ll look for new ways to increase income and meet financial targets through managing stock and waste. You’ll be preparing food from scratch using fresh seasonal ingredients. You’ll be confident in baking cakes, brownies and sausage rolls as well as making soups, stews and more.

You’ll support and manage the team, guided by the Trust’s values, empowering them to give the best possible service to visitors and helping to build a great place to work.

We’ll give you an induction that fits the job, and training in allergens and food safety, plus any mentoring needed to help you in your role. You can sign up for further professional training and development if you wish.

You can view the full role profile for this role in the document attached. You don't need to have all of the knowledge, skills and experience listed in the role profile; this is just to provide a full picture of what’s possible in this role.

Who we're looking for

We’d love to hear from you if you’re:

•Experienced as a professional chef, with a passion for food and a friendly and positive attitude.

•Confident about following recipes and batch-cooking, and willing to learn.

•Aware of health and safety compliance.

•Happy leading a team, and able to set personal objectives and give feedback to help improve performance.

•Aware of budgets such as increasing income and controlling costs.

The package

The National Trust has the motto ‘For everyone, for ever’ at its heart. We’re working hard to create an inclusive culture, where everyone feels they belong. It’s important that our people reflect and represent the diversity of the communities and audiences we serve. We welcome and value difference, so when we say we’re for everyone, we want everyone to be welcome in our teams too.

•Substantial pension scheme of up to 10% basic salary

•Free entry to National Trust places for you, a guest and your children (under 18)

•Rental deposit loan scheme

•Season ticket loan

•EV car lease scheme

•Perks at work discounts such as gym memberships, shopping discount codes, cinema discounts

•Holiday allowance up to 32 days relating to length of service, plus holiday purchase scheme, subject to meeting minimum criteria.

•Flexible working whenever possible

•Employee assistance programme

•Free parking at most Trust places