Head Chef: Menu Innovation, Team Leadership, Cost Control

ISS Facility Services UK; Greater London; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 54,000; Full time

Job summary

ISS is seeking a highly experienced Head Chef to take full responsibility for the culinary leadership, commercial performance, and operational delivery of the kitchen and food offer. This role is accountable for menu strategy, recipe development, food quality, service standards, food safety, team leadership, and cost control, ensuring a consistently high-quality dining experience.

Reporting to the Catering Manager, you will lead the catering team across FOH, BOH and Hospitality, drive continuous

Qualifications

• Experience as a Head Chef or in an equivalent leadership role within a high-volume commercial catering operation.
• Experience in a high-volume, commercially driven catering environment, preferably within B&I or a similarly complex operation.
• Proven ability to lead kitchen teams, manage performance, and deliver strong business results in a fast-paced environment.
• Demonstrable experience of managing budgets, food costs, labour costs, and overall kitchen profitability.
• Strong knowledge of food safety, health & safety, and statutory compliance requirements.
• Experience of menu innovation, recipe development, and maintaining high culinary standards.
• Excellent communication, planning, organisational, and leadership skills.
• Creative, customer-focused, commercially aware, and motivated to deliver continuous improvement.
• Experience of team development, succession planning, and mentoring future talent.

Responsibilities

• Lead the planning, development, and delivery of menus, recipes, and food production standards.
• Drive culinary innovation through seasonal menus, trend-led dishes, and high-quality food presentation.
• Oversee the day-to-day kitchen operation, ensuring efficient preparation, production, and service delivery.
• Maintain full compliance with food safety, hygiene, health & safety, fire safety, and company HSEQ standards.
• Take ownership of kitchen financial performance, including food costs, labour costs, stock control, wastage, and budget management.
• Manage supplier relationships, purchasing decisions, and stock usage to maximise value and minimise waste.
• Lead, coach, develop, and performance manage the kitchen team, creating a high-performance culture.
• Build strong relationships with clients, customers, and stakeholders, supporting events, food activations, and continuous innovation.

Job description

ISS is seeking a highly experienced Head Chef to take full responsibility for the culinary leadership, commercial performance, and operational delivery of the kitchen and food offer. This role is accountable for menu strategy, recipe development, food quality, service standards, food safety, team leadership, and cost control, ensuring a consistently high-quality dining experience.

Reporting to the Catering Manager, you will lead the catering team across FOH, BOH and Hospitality, drive continuous