Head Chef – London

COREcruitment; Greater London; On-site; GBP 52,000 - 55,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Full ownership of a new kitchen

Pre-opening involvement ahead of a 202

Job summary

Ruth Wagstaff Recruitment Ltd is recruiting a Head Chef to open a new gastropub and upstairs chop house at King’s Cross, leading the kitchen from day one and shaping the seasonal menu. You’ll build a brigade, manage GP and costs, and ensure top food safety standards ahead of a Spring 2027 opening.

The package offers £52,000–£55,000 with full ownership of the kitchen. Interviews are taking place now with a view to starting before Christmas, ensuring a smooth pre-opening and a strong launch for

Qualifications

• An established Head Chef, or a strong Sous Chef ready to step up to a Head Chef role.
• A solid fresh food background, ideally from quality gastropubs, chop houses, grills or restaurants.
• Opening or pre-opening experience is a real advantage.
• A hands‑on leader who can build, train and keep a team.
• Commercially aware, with a good understanding of GP and kitchen costs.

Responsibilities

• Lead the full kitchen operation across the downstairs pub and the upstairs chop house.
• Write and develop seasonal menus built on fresh British produce, cooked from scratch.
• Play a key part in the pre-opening, including kitchen set-up, suppliers, systems and launch menus.
• Recruit, train and develop a new brigade, and build a strong kitchen culture from the start.
• Run busy services across a 7-day operation, including a strong Sunday lunch trade.
• Manage GP, food costs, labour, ordering and stock control.
• Keep food safety, health and safety and allergen standards at the highest level.

Job description

Head Chef – New Opening Gastropub and Chop House – King’s Cross £55,000

A rare chance for a Head Chef to open a fresh food-led pub and upstairs chop house from scratch in King’s Cross.

An exciting new opening near King’s Cross is looking for a Head Chef to lead the kitchen from day one. The site will run a fresh food-led pub downstairs and a chop house restaurant upstairs, built on seasonal British produce, proper cooking and everything made in house.

The venue opens in Spring 2027. The ideal start is before Christmas, so the Head Chef can be part of the pre-opening, shaping the menus, building the brigade and setting the standards before the doors open.

The Head Chef role

• Lead the full kitchen operation across the downstairs pub and the upstairs chop house.
• Write and develop seasonal menus built on fresh British produce, cooked from scratch.
• Play a key part in the pre-opening, including kitchen set-up, suppliers, systems and launch menus.
• Recruit, train and develop a new brigade, and build a strong kitchen culture from the start.
• Run busy services across a 7-day operation, including a strong Sunday lunch trade.
• Manage GP, food costs, labour, ordering and stock control.
• Keep food safety, health and safety and allergen standards at the highest level.

About you

• An established Head Chef, or a strong Sous Chef ready to step up to a Head Chef role.
• A solid fresh food background, ideally from quality gastropubs, chop houses, grills or restaurants.
• Confident with butchery, grilling and cooking prime cuts.
• Opening or pre-opening experience is a real advantage.
• A hands‑on leader who can build, train and keep a team.
• Commercially aware, with a good understanding of GP and kitchen costs.

The package

• £52,000-£55,000
• Full ownership of a new kitchen and the chance to shape the food offer from launch.
• Pre-opening involvement ahead of a Spring 2027 opening.
• Interviews taking place now, with a view to starting before Christmas.

Job Tenure:

Permanent