Head Chef

The ACC Liverpool Group; Liverpool; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A premier event venue in Liverpool is seeking a Culinary Operations Leader to innovate and ensure high-quality culinary delivery across its venues. The role requires expertise in developing cost-effective systems, managing kitchen teams, and ensuring compliance with safety standards. The ideal candidate will have a background in opening new hospitality operations and a passion for driving culinary creativity and excellence. This position offers significant responsibility in a dynamic environment, contributing to exceptional guest experiences.

Benefits

Enhanced holiday scheme

Excellent pension scheme

Premium health care policy

Free onsite parking

Employee reward platform

Qualifications

• Experience opening new hospitality operations in large venues.
• Ability to transition from outsourced to in-house catering models.
• Proven track record in developing operational frameworks.

Responsibilities

• Lead menu development and culinary innovation.
• Ensure food quality and presentation meet brand standards.
• Manage and mentor kitchen teams to deliver exceptional service.

Skills

Team building

Menu development

Cost-effective procurement

Regulatory compliance

Job description

Overview

The ACC Liverpool Group operates the city's waterfront event campus – the interconnected M&S Bank Arena, ACC Liverpool, and Exhibition Centre Liverpool - as well as ticketing agency Ticket Quarter and the Pullman Liverpool Hotel. Playing a leading role in shining a spotlight on Liverpool, we have successfully staged a wide array of national and international events, from shows and conventions, business gatherings to exhibitions, developing our offer over the last decade to that of a world-class provider of venue and event services.

Company Benefits

We are an award-winning, world-class venue where our people are at the heart of everything that we do. Recognition and reward are of huge importance to us at the ACC Liverpool Group, and just some of the benefits staff can enjoy include :

• An enhanced holiday scheme which increases with length of service.
• An excellent pension scheme is available.
• Access to a premium health care policy, which includes an employee assistant line, contributions towards a wide range of medical costs, such as dental and optical and staff discounts.
• Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption leave schemes.
• An excellent occupational sick pay scheme.
• Free onsite parking right in the heart of the city centre.
• Employee Reward Platform.
• A dedicated wellbeing strategy to support staff when at work.
• 25 Qualified Mental Health First Aiders on site.

The ACC Liverpool Group is a place where you can truly make a difference. Some of the wonderful things ACC Liverpool Group have achieved / continue to work towards :

• Disability Confident Employer
• Member of the Fair Employment Charter
• Real Living Wage employer
• Social value impact plan - last year we contributed over £6.4m
• Green Meeting’s Gold Standard
• Sustainability Strategy
• Positively influencing biodiversity – in the grounds of our campus, we have 3 beehives
• Carbon Neutral Campus
• Accessibility Strategy
• AccessAble Guide

Role Overview

The successful candidate will lead the culinary strategy and delivery across ACC Liverpool’s Sports and Entertainment culinary operations, ensuring innovation, consistency and compliance while delivering exceptional guest experiences. This role provides leadership, vision and operational excellence across all kitchen teams, embedding a “One Team” culture and aligning culinary delivery with commercial objectives.

The ideal candidate will have experience of :

• Opening new hospitality operations in arenas, stadiums or large venues.
• Building systems, teams, menus and workflows from the ground up within established organisations.
• Transitioning from outsourced to in-house catering models.
• Designing and implementing operational frameworks.
• Developing cost-effective procurement and supplier relationships.
• Specifying and commissioning equipment, planning kitchen layouts and ensuring regulatory compliance.

Main duties include :

• Leading menu development and culinary innovation across retail and hospitality services.
• Ensuring food quality, presentation and consistency meet brand standards.
• Managing and mentoring Sous Chefs and kitchen teams.
• Overseeing stock control, menu costing, portion control and waste reduction.
• Ensuring compliance with all relevant legislation including Health & Safety, Food Safety, Allergen Management, COSHH, Environmental Health and Fire Safety.
• Collaborating with F&B leadership to align culinary delivery with operational and commercial goals.
• Driving efficiency to achieve labour and food cost targets.
• Acting on guest feedback to continuously improve standards.
• Maintaining supplier relationships and supporting event delivery.
• Support event planning and execution, ensuring seamless integration of culinary services.

What we value

• Leads kitchen teams with professionalism, positivity and accountability.
• Delivers high-quality food consistently at scale.
• Remains calm, organised and solutions-focused under pressure.
• Champions a guest-first mindset and adapts to diverse audiences.
• Drives creativity and menu innovation while meeting commercial targets.
• Communicates effectively across departments.
• Maintains rigorous food safety, HACCP, Allergen Management Hygiene, compliance standards.
• Demonstrates strong cost control, planning and operational discipline.

In addition to the above, the candidate will need to be enthusiastic, like minded and complement our experienced and talented team. If you have drive, passion, ambition and wish to play a part in The ACC Liverpool Group’s continuing success story this could be just the job for you.

Please note, we may close this vacancy before the stated closing date if we receive sufficient applications for the position. Therefore, if you are interested in this position, please submit your application form as soon as possible.

Closing Date : 16 January 2026

Interview Date : TBC

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion

The ACC Liverpool Group know the value of having a diverse and representative team across our organisation. We promote equal opportunities and are committed to having an inclusive work force where everybody feels respected, are treated fairly and diversity is celebrated. As such we strongly encourage and welcome applications from suitably qualified candidates from all members of the community regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, race, religion, belief, or sexual orientation