Head Chef

The Leicester Arms Country Inn; Sevenoaks; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 55,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Lead your own kitchen

Menu development

Bonus program

Staff meals and benefits

Kent village setting

Job summary

The Leicester Arms in Penshurst, Kent, is seeking a Head Chef to lead the kitchen of a busy village pub with rooms. You’ll drive food quality, develop seasonal menus, manage GP and labour, and recruit and train a strong brigade.

Join a growing independent pub company and shape our food direction with creativity and high standards. We value hands-on leadership, commercial awareness, and a passion for proper pub food made with local suppliers, ensuring excellent service and memorable dining

Qualifications

• Experience leading a kitchen and managing GP and labour.
• Strong knowledge of seasonal British cooking.
• Experience with food safety and allergen standards.
• Ability to recruit and train a kitchen team.

Responsibilities

• Lead, motivate and develop the kitchen team.
• Deliver consistently high standards across every service.
• Create and develop seasonal menus with the food team.
• Work with local suppliers and British produce.
• Maintain food safety, allergen and health & safety standards.
• Collaborate with General Manager and front-of-house team.

Skills

Head Chef

Pub cooking

Menu development

People management

Food safety

Education

Culinary qualification

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.