Head Chef - Riverside East, Peppermint Bars & Events

Medirest Signature; London; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading hospitality venue in London is seeking an experienced Head Chef to manage kitchen operations, create seasonal menus, and lead a kitchen team. The successful candidate will oversee food quality and safety while delivering exceptional dining experiences. This role offers a competitive salary and excellent benefits, including 28 days holiday and paid overtime.

Benefits

28 days holiday

Paid overtime

Wellbeing tools

Private healthcare plan

Employee discounts

Enhanced parental leave

Access to events and festivals

Qualifications

• Proven experience as a Head Chef or Senior Sous in a similar venue.
• Strong leadership skills to manage multiple kitchen formats.
• Passion for seasonal, high-quality food.

Responsibilities

• Lead the café kitchen and manage operations.
• Coordinate with event teams for high-volume service.
• Deliver high-standard meals for various events.

Skills

Organisational skills

Leadership skills

Creativity in menu development

Experience with high-volume service

Knowledge of food safety compliance

Job description

Head Chef - Riverside East, Peppermint Bars & Events | Full-Time / Permanent

Up to £60,000 + excellent benefits including 28 days holiday, paid overtime, healthcare, wellbeing support, access to some of the UK's best events & festivals, and more.

We're looking for a talented and driven Head Chef to lead our kitchen team, evolve our menus, and deliver operational excellence across all our F&B touchpoints. You'll be responsible for the day-to-day management of our kitchen operations, menu development, team leadership, food safety, and delivering an exceptional and consistent food offer across all parts of the venue. From a busy weekend brunch service to large-scale canapé and bowl food events, as Head Chef you'll take pride in delivering food that's creative, seasonal, and high quality.

Riverside East is a vibrant hospitality venue in the heart of Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. Our food offering includes a popular brunch café with Sunday roasts in the cooler months, two street food units serving smash burgers and handmade pizza, and a bespoke catering arm delivering exceptional food for private and corporate events across two flexible event spaces.

Who we are

Peppermint is a multi-award-winning events business, founded in 2003 by Alex Brooke and Adam Hempenstall - passionate in providing first-class bars and drinks-led solutions to the UK's greatest events & venues. Today, Peppermint services over 50 events and venues every year and has developed long-standing relationships with the likes of AEG, IMG, Brand Events and Live Nation. Events include BST Hyde Park, Camp Bestival, Mighty Hoopla, Hyde Park Winter Wonderland, All Points East, Lytham, Rewind festivals and many more.

Head Chef - the role

Cafe Operations

• Lead the café kitchen, serving a high-quality brunch menu and seasonal Sunday roasts
• Manage GP%, portion control, and kitchen costings
• Oversee prep and service, ensuring consistency, quality, and pace

Street Food (Match Days & Events)

• As Head Chef of Riverside East you will manage and prep for smash burger and pizza kiosks in the Yard
• Coordinate with event teams to meet high-volume demand during peak period

Event Catering

• Deliver high-standard canapé, bowl food, and plated meals for sit-down events (up to 120 guests) and standing receptions (up to 225 guests)
• Develop and execute bespoke BBQ menus and outdoor catering for private hire and corporate functions
• Liaise with clients as needed to tailor menus and support bespoke event delivery

Team & Operations

• Lead, train, and develop the kitchen team
• Maintain a strong food safety and hygiene culture (achieving/maintaining 5* rating)
• Collaborate with the GM and FOH team to ensure smooth service and communication across departments
• Manage rotas, recruitment, and labour budgets for the kitchen
• Oversee stock control, ordering, and supplier relationships

What we're looking for

• Proven experience as a Head Chef or Senior Sous in a similar multi-outlet venue
• Strong organisational and leadership skills - able to run multiple kitchen formats simultaneously
• Experience with high-volume service, especially for events or match days
• Passion for seasonal, quality food and creative menu development
• Knowledge of allergens, HACCP, and food safety compliance
• Ability to thrive under pressure and remain calm and solution-focused
• A collaborative and positive attitude - a real team player

What you'll get in return

• 28 days holiday
• Overtime paid
• Birthday day off
• Access to employee discounts, wellbeing tools and private healthcare plan through Medicash
• Company Sick pay
• Enhanced Parental Leave
• Access to some of the UK's best events, festivals & sports venues

Why join us?

Peppermint has recently partnered with Levy UK and supports venues with premium F&B experiences - including The O2, Wembley Arena, Dreamland (Margate), The Piece Hall (Halifax) and the Johan Cruff Arena in Amsterdam. Peppermint operates the hugely popular Between The Bridges venues on the Southbank and has just opened a brand new venue in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park called Riverside East. Peppermint's success has been driven by its relentless passion for its people, innovation and sustainable practices - with 20 years' operational experience - it's a powerful combination.

Levy UK & Ireland is part of Compass Group, the world's largest catering company, and a vibrant leader in hospitality.

We believe in celebrating individuality and building inclusive teams where everyone feels they belong. Our diverse team fuels creativity, innovation, and excellence.

We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and welcome candidates from all backgrounds to join us in creating a supportive, empowering workplace where everyone can thrive.

Together, we create unforgettable experiences - and shape the future of hospitality.