Hospitality Head Chef

Houston & Hawkes; England; On-site; GBP 41,000 - 50,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Birthday off every year

Overtime paid at time and a half

Free meals on duty

Contributory pension scheme

Life assurance at 2x salary

Job summary

Houston & Hawkes in Central London is seeking a Hospitality Head Chef to take full creative and operational ownership of a premium, client-facing kitchen. You will lead a small team, delivering formal dining, elegant buffets and bespoke events, with a focus on refined seasonal menus and immaculate presentation.

This senior role emphasizes leadership, high standards of service, and a Monday–Friday pattern to balance culinary excellence with a premium corporate environment.

Qualifications

• Proven experience as Hospitality Head Chef or senior sous chef ready to lead
• Strong background in formal fine dining essential
• Experience in premium corporate hospitality, five-star hotel or high-end restaurant desirable
• Passion for beautifully executed, refined food
• Excellent classical and modern cooking skills
• Creativity with attention to detail and presentation
• Calm, confident and organised leadership
• Ability to lead a small team and deliver consistently high standards
• Strong commercial awareness and ability to manage food cost
• Meticulous standards around food safety, allergens and compliance

Responsibilities

• Take full creative and operational ownership of this boutique hospitality kitchen
• Lead a small, high-quality kitchen team with exceptional standards at the heart of every service
• Deliver formal fine dining, elegant buffets and beautifully presented canapé events
• Prepare premium hospitality including working lunches, private dining and bespoke client requests
• Design and evolve refined seasonal menus with focus on quality, creativity and presentation
• Maintain exceptional consistency across every service
• Manage stock, food cost, ordering and kitchen operations with efficiency and accuracy
• Build trusted relationships with clients and stakeholders, understanding and anticipating their needs
• Work closely with front-of-house to deliver seamless hospitality experiences
• Maintain highest standards of food safety, allergen management, hygiene and compliance

Skills

Head Chef experience

Fine dining

Premium hospitality

Refined cuisine

Classical & modern cooking

Creativity & presentation

Leadership

Team leadership

Food cost awareness

Food safety & allergens

Job description

HOSPITALITY HEAD CHEF

Houston & Hawkes | Central London | £45,000 per annum | Monday to Friday

A rare and refined opportunity for an accomplished Hospitality Head Chef to lead a prestigious boutique hospitality kitchen in the heart of Central London, with your creativity, precision and standards centre stage

Houston & Hawkes is seeking a talented Hospitality Head Chef to take full ownership of a small, premium client site, delivering exceptional food across formal dining, elegant buffets, canapé events and bespoke hospitality. This is a focused, high-standard operation where quality, presentation and guest experience are everything.

You will design refined seasonal menus, lead with confidence and create something genuinely special within an exclusive corporate environment. This is the kind of role where your touch is felt in every plate, every service and every guest experience, while the Monday to Friday working pattern offers an exceptional balance alongside a senior culinary role.

If you are passionate about fine dining, take pride in polished, elegant food and want to lead a kitchen that truly reflects your standards, this is the opportunity for you.

THE ROLE

• Take full creative and operational ownership of this boutique hospitality kitchen
• Lead a small, high-quality kitchen team with exceptional standards at the heart of every service
• Deliver formal fine dining, elegant buffets and beautifully presented canapé events
• Prepare premium hospitality including working lunches, private dining and bespoke client requests
• Design and evolve refined seasonal menus with a focus on quality, creativity and presentation
• Maintain exceptional consistency across every service
• Manage stock, food cost, ordering and kitchen operations with efficiency and accuracy
• Build trusted relationships with clients and stakeholders, understanding and anticipating their needs
• Work closely with the front-of-house team to deliver seamless hospitality experiences
• Maintain the highest standards of food safety, allergen management, hygiene and compliance

WHAT YOU'LL BRING

• Proven experience as a Hospitality Head Chef or an exceptional Senior Sous Chef ready to take the next step
• A strong background in formal fine dining is essential
• Experience within premium corporate hospitality, five-star hotels or high-end restaurants is highly desirable
• A genuine passion for beautifully executed, refined food
• Excellent classical and modern cooking skills
• Creativity with a sophisticated eye for detail and presentation
• Calm, confident and organised leadership
• The ability to lead a small team and deliver consistently exceptional standards
• Strong commercial awareness and confidence managing food cost and kitchen performance
• Meticulous standards across food safety, allergens and compliance

WHY JOIN HOUSTON & HAWKES?

• £45,000 per annum
• Monday to Friday working pattern
• Overtime paid at time and a half
• Birthday off every year
• Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption leave
• Free meals on duty
• Contributory pension scheme
• Life assurance at 2x salary
• Employee Assistance Programme
• CODE Hospitality membership
• Exclusive masterclasses with award-winning chef Sally Abé
• Foodie Socials bringing our teams together to share inspiration, new techniques and culinary ideas
• Ongoing learning, development and genuine career progression
• Summer Awards Party celebrating our people and achievements
• An unforgettable Christmas Party at one of London's outstanding venues

ABOUT HOUSTON & HAWKES

Houston & Hawkes is an award-winning independent caterer creating exceptional food and hospitality experiences across some of the UK's most prestigious workplaces.

We're a Certified B Corp, recipient of the King's Award for Enterprise in Sustainable Development 2026 and proud to be ranked No. 14 in The Caterer's Best Places to Work in Hospitality. We believe exceptional food starts with exceptional people, which is why we give talented chefs the trust, support and creative freedom to do their very best work.

If you're ready to take ownership of an exceptional kitchen and create hospitality that people remember, we'd love to hear from you.