Head Chef

Little & Large Pub Company; Penshurst; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 56,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus Program

Staff meals

Career development

Fantastic venue in Kent village

Job summary

The Leicester Arms in Penshurst, Kent, seeks a Head Chef to lead the kitchen and shape the food offer. You’ll manage a kitchen team, develop seasonal menus with local suppliers and work closely with the General Manager and front‑of‑house to deliver excellent dining experiences.

We offer a competitive salary dependent on experience, the chance to lead your own kitchen, and creative input into menus and events across the growing Little & Large Pub Company.

Qualifications

• Experience as Head Chef or senior sous chef ready to step up.
• Passion for pub food and seasonal British cooking.
• Strong organisational skills with GP and labour awareness.
• Ability to recruit, train and retain a kitchen team.

Responsibilities

• Lead, motivate and develop the kitchen team.
• Deliver consistently high standards across services.
• Create and develop seasonal menus with the food team.
• Work with local suppliers and produce.
• Maintain food safety and allergen standards.
• Manage stock, GP and kitchen labour/rotas.
• Recruit and train brigade; manage supplier relationships.
• Collaborate with General Manager and front‑of‑house.
• Drive events, Sunday lunch and seasonal activity.

Skills

Team leadership

Menu development

Stock control

Labour management

Food safety

GP management

Collaboration

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

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

• 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 organized, 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:

Its 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.