Head Chef

Gees Restaurant & Bar; Oxford; On-site; GBP 59,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A renowned restaurant in Oxford is looking for an ambitious and energetic Head Chef to lead their kitchen team in a high-volume, fast-paced environment. This role involves managing experienced chefs, maintaining food quality and safety standards, and overseeing stock and payroll costs. The restaurant offers a competitive salary with benefits including discounts and holiday allowances. Ideal candidates will have proven culinary skills, experience in kitchen management, and a passion for delivering exceptional food.

Benefits

Meals on duty

50% discount on food

Up to £700 recruitment incentive

Employee Assistance Programme Membership

Pension scheme

Opportunities to develop within the Company

Uniform provided

Complimentary Managers meal every six months

28 days holiday including bank holidays

Paid day off on birthday

Team awards and prizes

Hospitality Rewards including discounted gym memberships

Qualifications

• Proven competence in managing kitchen staff and food costs.
• Up-to-date knowledge of Health & Safety and Food Hygiene legislation.
• Experience in delivering high-quality culinary dishes.

Responsibilities

• Lead a team of 15 chefs to ensure kitchen efficiency and excellence.
• Maintain quality and visual appeal of all menu items.
• Manage stock ordering and payroll costs effectively.

Skills

Culinary Experience

Food Handling

Kitchen Management Experience

Cost Control

Leadership Experience

Job description

Situated in North Oxford Gees is a bustling independently owned restaurant bar & terrace set within a landmark Victorian conservatory on Oxfords Banbury Road. For over 40 years Gees has remained loyal to its traditions of providing quality food and service in the most beautiful restaurant in the city. Open every day of the year for brunch lunch and dinner Gees kitchen produces a seasonal menu of cross-town-for dishes using the best ingredients simply prepared and expertly cooked.

Following an ambitious expansion and refurbishment in 2022 Gees more than doubled in capacity with the addition of Gees Gallery an adjacent private dining space for up to 50 guests and Secret Garden a covered and heated private terrace for up to 60 diners. A brand-new top-of-the-rangekitchen now caters for over 200 guests throughout its dining spaces.

This is an unmissable opportunity for an ambitious competent and energetic Head Chef to successfully lead this high-volume fast-paced all-day operation.

Key Attributes & Expectations

A natural leader you will lead by example and encourage a culture of respect and teamwork. You will influence enthuse and develop a team of 15 chefs to achieve consistency and excellence supporting our small company ethos to nurture and cultivate our teams to progress within the business.

We expect to see proven competence by way of ordering stock and food cost control as well as rota management and managing payroll costs. You will be expected to hold and maintain an up-to-date knowledge of current Health & Safety Fire Safety and Food Hygiene legislation.

You will be fully equipped to create exciting quality-led dishes using seasonal ingredients which are well-balanced costed accurately and visually stunning. You will maintain attention to detail integrity and quality of all menu items using recipe specifications and agreed presentation standards.

In return we offer the successful applicant an OTE of up to 70000 per annum depending on experience including non-contractual service charge (tronc).

Head Chef Benefits

• Meals on duty
• 50% discount on food within our restaurants
• Up to 700 recruitment incentive
• Membership to our Employee Assistance Programme with Hospitality Action
• Pension scheme
• Opportunities to develop within our Company
• Uniform provided
• Complimentary Managers meal within one of our restaurants every six months
• 28 days holiday inclusive of bank holidays per annum
• A paid day off on your birthday
• Team awards and prizes
• Hospitality Rewards : offering discounted gym membership high-street and online shopping discounts discounted vouchers a cashback card and 24 / 7 online GP service

Gees is part of The Oxford Collection; a small privately owned group of two luxury 5* hotels and apartments three restaurants that consists of the Old Bank Hotel the Old Parsonage Hotel 36 St Giles Parsonage Grill Gees Restaurant & Bar and Quod Restaurant & Bar. Having recently undergone a complete refurbishment programme we have 80 bedrooms across three iconic properties in central Oxford with unrivalled views across the citys beautiful skyline.

We offer support training and development opportunities to help your career flourish. We believe that investment in each and every one of our collectives is key to the success of our business and the happiness of our customers. As a member of our team we are looking for an exceptional candidate who shares these values.

Interviews will take place in Oxford and as part of the recruitment process. Eligibility to work within the UK must be proven and two references should be available on request.

Required Experience

IC

Key Skills

• Culinary Experience
• Food Handling
• Restaurant Experience
• Kitchen Management Experience
• Food Preparation Experience
• Kitchen Experience
• Food Industry
• Cooking
• Cost Control
• Baking
• Sanitation
• Leadership Experience

Employment Type: Full-Time

Experience: years

Vacancy: 1