Head Chef

The Leicester Arms Country Inn; Penshurst; On-site; GBP 36,000 - 48,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus Program

Staff meals

Company benefits

Creative input into menus

Job summary

The Leicester Arms in Penshurst, Kent is seeking an ambitious Head Chef to lead the kitchen of our busy village pub with rooms. You will manage from the front, develop the brigade and deliver consistently excellent food.

You will create seasonal menus using British produce, work with local suppliers, maintain high food safety standards and drive the pub's food reputation in the area. Join a growing independent pub company and enjoy the opportunity to shape menus, lead a team and progress within

Qualifications

• Experience as Head Chef or Senior Sous Chef ready to step up.
• Loves pub food and seasonal British cooking.
• Organised, commercially aware and able to manage GP and labour.
• Able to recruit, train and retain a strong kitchen team.
• Leads from the front with high standards and consistency.
• Works with kitchen and front-of-house teams.
• Keeps a clean, organised and professional kitchen.
• Genuinely cares about food, people and hospitality.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop the kitchen team.
• Deliver consistently high standards across every service.
• Create and develop seasonal menus with the wider food team.
• Work with great British produce and local suppliers.
• Maintain strong food GP and stock control.
• Manage kitchen labour and rotas.
• Oversee ordering, stock management and supplier relationships.
• Recruit, train and develop the kitchen brigade.
• Maintain food safety, allergen and health & safety standards.
• Work closely with the General Manager and front-of-house team.
• Develop the pub's food reputation within Penshurst and the surrounding area.
• Drive specials, events, Sunday lunch and seasonal food activity.

Skills

Head Chef experience

Menu development

Team leadership

Pub cooking

Stock control & GP

Job description

We're looking for an ambitious, hands-on Head Chef to lead the kitchen at The Leicester Arms, our beautiful country pub with rooms in the heart of Penshurst, Kent.

The Leicester Arms is part of Little & Large Pub Company, an independent hospitality group focused on great pubs, brilliant food and warm, genuine hospitality.

Following a major refurbishment, The Leicester Arms combines a busy village pub, restaurant, private dining and 11 individually designed bedrooms. We're now looking for a Head Chef who can take real ownership of the kitchen and help us continue to develop the food offer.

The Role

This is a hands-on Head Chef position. We're looking for someone who wants to be in the kitchen, leading from the front, developing their team and delivering consistently excellent food.

You'll be responsible for:

• Leading, motivating and developing the kitchen team
• Delivering consistently high standards across every service
• Creating and developing seasonal menus alongside the wider food team
• Working with great British produce and quality local suppliers
• Maintaining strong food GP and effective stock control
• Managing kitchen labour and rotas
• Ordering, stock management and supplier relationships
• Recruitment, training and development of the brigade
• Maintaining excellent food safety, allergen and health & safety standards
• Working closely with the General Manager and front-of-house team
• Developing the pub's food reputation within Penshurst and the surrounding area
• Driving specials, events, Sunday lunch and seasonal food activity

About You

We're looking for someone who:

• Has experience as a Head Chef or a strong Senior Sous Chef ready to step up
• Loves proper pub food and seasonal British cooking
• Is organised, commercially aware and comfortable managing GP and labour
• Enjoys developing menus and bringing new ideas to the table
• Can recruit, train and retain a strong kitchen team
• Leads from the front and sets high standards
• Understands that consistency is just as important as creativity
• Works collaboratively with both kitchen and front-of-house teams
• Takes pride in running a clean, organised and professional kitchen

Most importantly, we're looking for someone who genuinely cares about food, people and hospitality.

What We Offer

• Competitive salary dependent on experience
• The opportunity to lead and develop your own kitchen
• Creative input into menus and future food direction
• Bonus Program
• Opportunities to develop within a growing independent pub company
• Staff food and company benefits
• A fantastic venue in one of Kent's most beautiful villages
  

About Little & Large

We are an independent collection of pubs built around a simple philosophy:

It's the little things that make the large difference.

We believe great hospitality comes from brilliant people, quality ingredients, attention to detail and creating places that our teams and local communities can be proud of.

If you're looking for a Head Chef role where you can genuinely make your mark, we'd love to hear from you.