Head Chef: Lead a Fast-Paced Kitchen & Develop Your Team

Loungers plc; Tendring; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 54,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus

Overtime pay

Meal on shift

Discount on food

Job summary

Loungers plc is hiring a full-time Head Chef to lead the Martello Lounge kitchen. This role suits an experienced hospitality head chef, kitchen manager, or senior sous chef who loves real cooking and building strong teams.

You'll own the kitchen from opening to close, recruit and coach your team, ensure high food standards, and drive KPIs such as quality and wait times. Benefits include bonus, overtime, paid overtime, and in-house progression training.

Qualifications

• Natural people leader with ability to build and coach kitchen teams.
• Chef who cares about fresh, high-quality ingredients and consistent standards.
• Experienced kitchen leader capable of managing service and performance.

Responsibilities

• Take full ownership of the kitchen at Martello Lounge, leading every shift.
• Recruit, develop and coach kitchen staff across all levels.
• Know menu specs and processes to maintain dish quality and consistency.
• Own site-level action plan with GM on wait times, standards, ordering and cleaning.
• Deliver on KPIs: food quality, wait times, wastage, food safety and GP.
• Schedule fair rotas aligned with sales and bookings.
• Collaborate with front-of-house to build a true one-team culture.

Skills

Natural people leader

Cook who cares

Kitchen leader

Commercially minded

Experienced and adaptable

Job description

Loungers plc is hiring a full-time Head Chef to lead the Martello Lounge kitchen. This role suits an experienced hospitality head chef, kitchen manager, or senior sous chef who loves real cooking and building strong teams.

You'll own the kitchen from opening to close, recruit and coach your team, ensure high food standards, and drive KPIs such as quality and wait times. Benefits include bonus, overtime, paid overtime, and in-house progression training.