Head Chef

Alley Cats; London; On-site; GBP 48,000 - 56,000; Full time

Job summary

A vibrant restaurant in London seeks a talented Head Chef to lead its kitchen. With a commitment to high-quality Italian cuisine, the candidate will manage kitchen operations, oversee staff recruitment, and ensure consistent food quality. The position offers a competitive salary and benefits in a fun, dynamic environment.

Benefits

Competitive annual salary and tronc bonus

Free staff meal on shift

50% discount on food and drinks

People’s Pension scheme after 3 months

Recommend a Friend scheme

Fast-track career progression and training

28 days paid holiday per year

Qualifications

• Experience in pizza-making and managing a high-energy kitchen.
• Strong knowledge of inventory management and food costing.
• Ability to recruit and train staff effectively.

Responsibilities

• Lead daily kitchen operations and oversee staff training.
• Conduct weekly stock takes and manage kitchen costs.
• Ensure high-quality food standards and maintain EHO regulations.

Skills

Pizza-making

Staff recruitment

Inventory management

Food costing

HR systems knowledge

Job description

Head Chef – Up to £48,000 inclusive of tronc

About us:

Alley Cats Pizza is a fast-growing restaurant brand celebrated for our New York-style pizzas and vibrant, welcoming atmosphere.

We’re looking for a talented and experienced Head Chef to lead our back-of-house team and oversee daily kitchen operations. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in pizza-making, staff recruitment and training, as well as solid inventory and HR systems knowledge. Experience with food costing is essential for controlling and reporting margins through weekly stock takes.

If you’re passionate about Italian cuisine, thrive in a high-energy kitchen, and love being part of a fun, driven team, we’d love to hear from you!

Head Chef Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Demonstrate a strong commitment to mastering the menu, upholding brand standards, and delivering a high-quality experience.
2. Conduct weekly stock takes, reporting on wastage, top 5 variances, voids, discounts, and other reports as needed.
3. Ensure all new back-of-house team members follow training plans to ensure proper onboarding before starting their roles.
4. Assist with staff recruitment and onboarding procedures.
5. Work with front-of-house management to ensure all new front-of-house staff receive adequate training to maintain food standards.
6. Prepare staff rotas based on forecasted needs, holidays, and other factors to ensure smooth operations.
7. Manage all kitchen costs to achieve financial targets.
8. Oversee all EHO checks conducted daily (e.g., Alert 65) to maintain 5-star EHO standards.
9. Ensure all back-of-house areas and kitchen are properly cleaned and maintained, supporting 5-star EHO standards, COSHH, and HACCP policies; report issues promptly.
10. Maintain good stock rotation, par level management, and food storage to minimize wastage.
11. Oversee receipt of goods and stock control, including invoice collation, price checking, and stock data entry and transfer.
12. Ensure consistency in food quality, presentation, and timing.
13. Potentially support additional new restaurant openings.
14. Attend management and department meetings as required.

Benefits:

• Competitive annual salary and tronc bonus.
• Free staff meal on shift.
• 50% discount on food and drinks.
• People’s Pension scheme contribution after 3 months.
• Recommend a Friend scheme with bonuses per referral.
• Fast-track career progression and CPL training.
• 28 days paid holiday per year, inclusive of Bank Holidays.