Head Chef- Luxury Events Production

Compass Group UK; City Of London; On-site; GBP 51,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading catering company in London is seeking a Head Chef to oversee event culinary operations. The ideal candidate will manage a talented kitchen team, innovating menus for prestigious events while maintaining their high standards. Enjoy a better work-life balance with daytime hours, Monday to Friday, and occasional overtime for evening events.

Benefits

Competitive salary

Training and development opportunities

Free daily lunch

Wellbeing and social events

Employee referral scheme

Enhanced Company pension scheme

Eyecare allowance

Exclusive discounts

Qualifications

• Experience as a Head Chef in five-star hotels or events.
• Strong ability to lead and motivate kitchen teams.
• Expertise in menu innovation and quality maintenance.

Responsibilities

• Lead and motivate a skilled kitchen team.
• Create and execute exceptional menus.
• Ensure financial accountability across operations.
• Build a collaborative team culture.
• Uphold quality, safety, and presentation standards.

Skills

Culinary vision

Leadership

Creativity

Operational discipline

Budget management

Job description

Overview

Head Chef - Luxury Events Production

Location: London with occasional event travel within the city

Salary: £60k

Working pattern: 45 hours per week, Monday to Friday

Team: Lead a talented brigade of eight chefs

At Rocket, we create unforgettable dining experiences for some of the UK’s most prestigious events and venues. For over two decades, our name has been synonymous with creativity, precision and exceptional service — from elegant dinners to large-scale celebrations that leave a lasting impression.

We’re looking for a Head Chef who brings both culinary vision and strong direction. Someone who steers with confidence, accuracy and care — inspiring a flexible, passionate team to deliver consistent excellence. You’ll combine creativity with operational discipline, managing budgets, maintaining quality, and ensuring that every dish reflects Rocket’s uncompromising standards.

You’ll work closely with our Executive Chef and Culinary Director, collaborating on menu innovation and bringing Rocket’s creative vision to life across every event.

This role suits a Head Chef from a five-star hotel or well-known events company — someone who thrives on delivering at scale but is ready for a better work-life balance. Unlike the intensity of a Michelin environment, here you’ll enjoy daytime hours, Monday to Friday, with just two evening events a week and occasional weekends (paid as overtime).

What you’ll do

• Lead and motivate a skilled kitchen team to deliver outstanding food at every event
• Create and execute exceptional menus that balance innovation with precision
• Maintain consistency, efficiency and financial accountability across all operations
• Build a collaborative, flexible team culture where people do their best work
• Uphold the highest standards of quality, safety and presentation

Benefits

• A competitive, trend-setting package
• Training and development opportunities to help you grow and thrive
• Free daily lunch at our Battersea HQ — freshly made in-house using sustainable, seasonal ingredients
• Wellbeing and social events that bring our teams together
• Employee referral scheme
• Enhanced Company pension scheme and Life Assurance to support your future
• Eyecare allowance to help you stay sharp
• Exclusive discounts across thousands of retail partners and brands
• And plenty more perks that make life at Rocket genuinely rewarding.

Equal Opportunities

Whether it is creating diversity in our recipes or building new teams, we care about our people and the opportunities they have at Rocket. We are committed to equality of opportunity across our organisation. At all levels we promote equality, ensuring our people are consistently treated in a fair and equal manner.