Head Chef

Pub & Kitchen - Bra_201; Liss Forest; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 48,000; Full time

Job summary

Greene King is seeking a Head Chef / Kitchen Manager to take day-to-day control of the kitchen, delivering consistent high standards across every service and driving the commercial performance of the pub. You’ll lead hands-on, coach a busy team, manage stock, costings and food safety, and work closely with the General Manager and front-of-house to deliver a superb customer experience.

This role blends kitchen leadership with business acumen in a bustling pub environment, offering career

Qualifications

• Prior experience as Head Chef or Kitchen Manager in a busy pub or restaurant.
• Hands-on leadership and front-line management.
• Strong people-management and communication.
• Experience with food safety, allergen management.
• Experience controlling stock, waste and kitchen costs.
• Ability to lead during busy services.
• Commercial awareness and contribution to GP.

Responsibilities

• Lead, motivate and develop the kitchen team to deliver their best.
• Own food quality, presentation and consistency across every service.
• Keep kitchen organized, efficient and ready for busy periods.
• Manage stock, ordering and waste to help control costs and support strong GP performance.
• Maintain excellent food safety, hygiene and allergen standards.
• Plan rotas and manage kitchen resources to meet customer demand.
• Coach and train team members, helping them build their skills and confidence.
• Work closely with the General Manager and front-of-house team to deliver a great customer experience.
• Identify opportunities to improve the food offer, grow sales and drive business performance.
• Create a positive kitchen culture where the team feels supported, motivated and proud of what they deliver.

Skills

Leadership skills

People management

Communication

Food safety

Stock management

Cost control

Calm under pressure

Team development

FOH collaboration

Attention to detail

Job description

Job Description

What's the opportunity?

As Head Chef / Kitchen Manager, you'll be at the heart of the business, responsible for the day-to-day running of the kitchen and ensuring every dish meets our standards.

You'll combine hands-on kitchen leadership with the commercial know-how needed to deliver a successful food operation.

You'll be responsible for:

• Leading, motivating and developing the kitchen team to deliver their best.

• Taking ownership of food quality, presentation and consistency across every service.

• Keeping the kitchen organised, efficient and ready for busy periods.

• Managing stock, ordering and waste to help control costs and support strong GP performance.

• Maintaining excellent food safety, hygiene and allergen standards.

• Planning rotas and managing kitchen resources to meet customer demand.

• Coaching and training team members, helping them build their skills and confidence.

• Working closely with the General Manager and front-of-house team to deliver a great customer experience.

• Identifying opportunities to improve the food offer, grow sales and drive business performance.

• Creating a positive kitchen culture where the team feels supported, motivated and proud of what they deliver.

Qualifications

What we're looking for

We're looking for someone who knows their way around a busy kitchen and has the leadership skills to bring a team together.

You'll ideally have:

• Previous experience as a Kitchen Manager, Head Chef, Sous Chef or in a similar senior kitchen role.

• Experience working in a busy pub, restaurant or high-volume kitchen.

• A hands-on approach and the confidence to lead from the front.

• Strong people-management and communication skills.

• A passion for great food and consistently high standards.

• A good understanding of food safety, hygiene and allergen management.

• Experience managing stock, waste, labour and kitchen costs.

• Commercial awareness and an understanding of how the kitchen contributes to the success of the wider business.

• The ability to stay calm, organized and positive during busy services.

• A genuine interest in developing people and helping them progress.

Additional Information

And there's plenty in it for you...

At Greene King, we're passionate about helping our people build careers they're proud of.

you'll have access to:

• Career development opportunities across Greene King and our family of brands.

• Training and development at every level, including apprenticeships.

• 33% employee discount and 15% for loved ones across our brands.

• 50% employee discount and 25% for loved ones at Greene King Inns.

• Free Employee Assistance Programme.

• Enhanced family-friendly maternity and paternity support.

• Menopause Friendly Employer.

• Refer a Friend scheme – up to £1,500.

• Wagestream.

• Retail discounts, including savings with Superdrug and Three Mobile.

Greene King is the country's leading pub company and brewer. With over 220 years of history and a 39,000-strong team, we're on a mission to pour happiness into lives and become the pride of great British hospitality.

CREATING PLACES WHERE PEOPLE FEEL WELCOME, SAFE AND THAT THEY BELONG

We aim to embed inclusion into every decision we make – across our people, customers, communities, suppliers, and operations. We want to create a culture where everyone feels welcome, valued, and able to thrive.

Bring your passion. Lead the kitchen. Make The Testwood yours.