Head Chef / Kitchen Manager

Village Hotels - Edinburgh; City of Edinburgh; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 62,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health & Wellness Membership

Mental health days

Employee Assistance Programme

Discounted stays from £35

50% off at Pub & Grill

30% off Starbucks

Salary drawdown via Wagestream

High Street discounts

Electric car scheme

Your birthday off guaranteed

Job summary

Village Hotels - Edinburgh is seeking a Head Chef and Kitchen Manager to own the kitchen, recruit, mentor and inspire the brigade, and actively drive the commercial strategy while protecting the bottom line. You will oversee menus featuring burgers, steaks, fish and chips, sandwiches and more, delivering relaxed all-day dining with quality ingredients.

You will lead from the front, coach your team, manage wage costs and stock to target par levels, and ensure rigorous food safety and EHO

Qualifications

• Leadership and team management capabilities.

Responsibilities

• Own the kitchen and drive the commercial strategy.
• Recruit, mentor and inspire the brigade to deliver great food.
• Ensure dishes meet company specifications with precision and consistency.
• Protect the bottom line through cost control, wage management and stock control.
• Maintain food safety standards and comply with EHO directives.

Job description

The Role Outline: Your Shift at a Glance

Can you cook up a storm? It is our talented Chefs who are responsible for delivering mouth-watering menus filled with our customers' favourites, including juicy burgers, skewers, steaks, fish and chips, sandwiches, wraps, and more. We are all about relaxed all-day dining done well and with quality ingredients. As our Head Chef and Kitchen Manager, you own your kitchen. You will recruit, mentor, and inspire your brigade to deliver good food done great, while actively driving the commercial strategy and protecting your bottom line.

Why Village?

We do hospitality differently. No ego, no drama. We back our teams to take ownership and grow their careers. We show up to make a genuine difference, caring deeply about our impact on guests, the community, and each other.

Your Shift: What You’ll Actually Be Doing

We trust you to handle:

• The Food: Delivering mouth-watering menus. You will ensure dishes are cooked to exact company specifications, safely and consistently, because relaxed dining still requires absolute precision.
• The Brigade: Leading from the front. You will coach and motivate your team, replacing hiring guesswork with quantifiable application velocity metrics to recruit a resilient, high-performing kitchen staff.
• The Commercial Engine: Protecting the Gross Profit. You will review wage costs using TnA and manage stock to precise par levels to hit your financial targets.
• The Standards: Owning the audit. You will drive an absolute obsession with food safety and ensure strict EHO directives are met without compromise.

How We Succeed Together

We do not micromanage. We believe in Ownership & Integrity, giving you the autonomy to make decisions on the fly and run your kitchen your way.

Selling Our Benefits

• Health: Complimentary Health & Wellness Membership for you and a friend (worth £1,500), mental health days, and an Employee Assistance Programme.
• Stays & Food: Discounted stays from £35, 50% off at the Pub & Grill, and 30% off Starbucks.
• Extras: Salary drawdown via Wagestream, High Street discounts, Electric car scheme, and your birthday off guaranteed.

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