Head Chef

Nirvana Spa & Leisure Ltd; Sindlesham; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

A luxury spa and leisure establishment in Sindlesham is seeking a Head Chef. The candidate will oversee kitchen operations, manage a team of over 25, and create innovative menus tailored to customer preferences. Passion for food and a strong leadership presence are essential. The role offers competitive salary and benefits, with opportunities for development in a growing business.

Benefits

Life Assurance (4 x Annual Salary)

Medical Cash plan

Occupational sick pay

Complimentary guest passes

Employee referral scheme

Qualifications

• Must have experience in a fast-paced kitchen environment.
• Desire to maintain high standards in food preparation.
• Available for varied shifts, including evenings and weekends.

Responsibilities

• Oversee daily kitchen operations.
• Control food preparation and quality.
• Design high-quality, innovative menus.

Skills

Passion for food

Experience running a kitchen

Organizational skills

Team player

Creativity in menu design

Education

Level 3 food hygiene certificate

Job description

Nirvana Spa is a luxury, one of a kind establishment with excellence at the heart of all that we do. Our aim is to provide a journey to our customers that leaves them feeling relaxed, rejuvenated and totally looked after through our service and use of our exceptional facilities.

Our facilities boast a beautiful spa restaurant and an elegant, year-round garden pergola, each with a relaxed ambiance and stunning pool views. Our experienced chefs use top quality, locally sourced produce to create innovative new dishes. We prioritise good health and great flavours, whilst catering for a wide range of tastes and appetites including vegan and free‑from options.

Overview of the role :

The Head Chef will be responsible for overseeing the smooth operation of our busy kitchens with daily covers in excess of 500. Being the first in command and leading a team of over 25 chefs and kitchen porters, you will be passionate about delivering great food and service with a drive to exceed expectations.

What you’ll do :

Key responsibilities of this role will include :

• Oversee the daily operation of the staff and the kitchens
• Control and direct the food preparation process and any other related activities
• Approve quality of any dishes that leave the kitchen
• Design innovative, high quality menus that are regularly reviewed and amended
• To drive profit through correct menu costings, training of staff and recording of wastage
• Plan orders of equipment or ingredients according to identified shortages
• Ensure all team members have a high standard of personal grooming in line with regulations
• Work with the Head of Food & Beverage in relation to hiring, managing and training kitchen staff
• Comply with Health & Safety regulations and safety standards
• Encourage a positive climate of cooperation and respect between co‑workers from all departments
• Responsible for the kitchen rota in line with the agreed hours, adapting to business levels ensuring maximum productivity
• To reward ‘star performers’ in line with agreed practices

Who you’ll be :

• Extremely passionate about food
• Have experience running a kitchen and working at a fast pace
• Organised and have the desire to achieve high standards
• A team player who is positive, motivating and approachable
• Imagination and enthusiasm for designing new menus that are both creative and profitable
• A level 3 food hygiene certificate is desirable
• Available to work a rota with a range of shifts including daytime, evenings, weekends and bank holidays

What we’ll offer you :

This is a fantastic time to join us as we are expanding our successful business. We offer a competitive salary and benefits package which includes :

• You’ll benefit from predictable working patterns
• We are dedicated to the development of our chefs; we invest in comprehensive training plans and offer fantastic career progression pathways.
• We offer great salaries and generous benefits and rewards including :

Full Membership to Nirvana Spa and Pulse 8

• Life Assurance (4 x Annual Salary)
• Medical Cash plan
• Thrive Mental Health App
• Complimentary guest passes
• Discounts on selected products
• Company sick pay
• Recognition & reward company days out
• Paid breaks
• Employee Referral Scheme
• upon successful completion of probationary period)

Equal Opportunities

Nirvana Spa and Leisure Ltd recognises that discrimination in the workplace in any form is unacceptable and in most cases unlawful. We have therefore adopted an Equal Opportunities Policy to ensure that all job applicants and employees are treated fairly and without favour or prejudice. We are committed to applying this policy throughout all areas of employment, recruitment and selection, training, development and promotion. In all situations, people will be judged solely on merit or ability.

We will ensure that no job applicant or employee receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of race, colour, nationality, ethnic, or national origin, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, disability, political opinion / affiliation, age, religion or belief. Our application form will be as simple and straight forward as possible and we will not ask for unnecessary information. Interview questions will be related to the requirements of the job and we will not seek irrelevant qualifications. Applicants will be short listed / selected solely on the basis of capability.