head chef

wagamama; Hereford; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 52,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Up to £8,000 annual bonus

£200 a month to spend at wagamama

Private medical insurance

50% off wagamama outside of work

Free meals on shift

Fresh chef whites every shift

Early access to earned pay

26 weeks full pay + 13 weeks half pay—

First access to new menus

30% off at other brands

Pension scheme

Holiday

Training

Cycle to work scheme

Retail + leisure discounts

Discounted gym memberships

Long service awards

Job summary

wagamama is seeking a head chef to run a fast-paced kitchen, lead and develop the team, and deliver bowls you can be proud of. This role rewards leadership, creativity, and a Kaizen mindset in a high-energy environment.

You’ll benefit from a supportive culture, substantial bonus opportunities, and staff perks designed to keep the team energised and motivated.

Qualifications

• lead a team in a fast-paced kitchen to deliver quality bowls
• commitment to Kaizen mindset and continuous improvement
• manage a high-energy service with pride in the guest experience

Responsibilities

• lead the team, smash service, and make sure every bowl is something to be proud of
• creating a place where your team feels safe, seen, and proud to show up
• keeping quality sky-high. every bowl, every time
• coaching your team to grow in confidence and skill
• staying cool under pressure and being fast on your feet
• making your kitchen a place where people want to work and guests can taste the pride
• thinking with a kaizen mindset. constantly spotting the little ways we can do things better, then making them happen

Job description

head chef | full time

head chef | full timeat wagamama, food is life. our kitchens are all about fresh food, fast-paced, and full of real people making real food. no microwaves, no shortcuts, just big energy and bigger flavours. as head chef, you’ll run the kitchen like it’s your own. lead the team, smash service, and make sure every bowl is something to be proud of

What You’ll Be Doing

• creating a place where your team feels safe, seen, and proud to show up
• keeping quality sky-high. every bowl, every time
• coaching your team to grow in confidence and skill
• staying cool under pressure and being fast on your feet
• making your kitchen a place where people want to work and guests can taste the pride
• thinking with a kaizen mindset. constantly spotting the little ways we can do things better, then making them happen

you’ll love this role if you...

• are ready to learn, lead + level up
• thrve in a fresh kitchen with no microwaves
• take real pride in your food and your team
• want to push for better. from prep to bowl
• believe kitchens should be places of connection, creativity + good vibes

What You’ll Get

• a culture that supports your growth, wellbeing + individuality
• up to £8,000 annual bonus
• £200 a month to spend at wagamama outside of work
• private medical insurance
• 50% off wagamama outside of work
• free meals on shift
• fresh dry-cleaned chef whites, every shift
• early access to earned pay with wagestream
• 26 weeks full pay + 13 weeks half pay for new parents
• first access to our new menus
• 30% off at our other brands (brunning & price pubs, barburrito + more)

in addition to this, we offer benefits such as: pension scheme, holiday, training, cycle to work scheme, retail + leisure discounts, discounted gym memberships + long service awards

we’re proud to be a disability confident employer. no matter where you’re from or who you are, you’ve got a seat at our bench