Hospitality Head Chef

Restaurant Associates UK; Greater London; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 62,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension

Career development

Digital GP

Travel discounts

Shopping discounts

Cinema tickets

Cash rewards

Wellness classes

Friends & family discounts

Job summary

Restaurant Associates in London is seeking a Head Chef to lead a high-profile corporate hospitality operation in St Paul’s. This role oversees a busy kitchen serving breakfast, à la carte dining and events for up to 250 guests, with a talented team of 9 chefs and a focus on seasonal, restaurant-quality food.

You will own menu development, food quality and cost control while inspiring a hands-on kitchen culture in a fast-paced environment.

Qualifications

• Proven experience as a Head Chef in premium corporate hospitality, hotels, or contract catering.
• Strong leadership, menu development and commercial management skills.
• Experience delivering high-volume dining with fine dining or Michelin-star background advantageous.
• Hands-on approach and ability to inspire a fast-paced team.
• Excellent attention to detail and passion for seasonal food.

Responsibilities

• Lead the kitchen operation, ensuring exceptional food quality, consistency and presentation.
• Develop seasonal menus, oversee menu costing and drive culinary innovation.
• Manage, motivate and develop the kitchen team.
• Take ownership of food purchasing, stock control, labour costs and waste.
• Maintain high standards of food safety, hygiene and compliance.
• Collaborate with the Executive Chef to deliver outstanding dining experiences.
• Drive continuous improvement across food quality, efficiency and commercial performance.

Job description

Head Chef | St Paul’s, London

Ready to make your mark in a high-profile culinary environment? Join us as Head Chef and lead an exciting hospitality operation where creativity, quality and outstanding food are at the heart of everything we do.

Working hours: Monday–Friday, 7:00am–3:30pm (40 hours per week), with additional overtime available and weekends off!

The opportunity

We’re looking for an ambitious, passionate Head Chef to lead a high-profile corporate hospitality operation in the heart of St Paul’s, London.

This is an exciting opportunity to take ownership of a busy, premium food operation, delivering exceptional food and service while leading and developing a talented team of 9 chefs.

The operation includes 30 private hospitality rooms, breakfast and à la carte dining, seasonal hot and cold buffets, conference and events catering for up to 250 guests, and a rooftop terrace. You’ll have the opportunity to showcase your creativity, develop innovative menus and deliver restaurant-quality food at scale.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the kitchen operation, ensuring exceptional food quality, consistency and presentation.
• Develop seasonal menus, oversee menu costing and drive culinary innovation.
• Manage, motivate and develop the kitchen team, building a positive, high-performing culture.
• Take ownership of food purchasing, stock control, labour costs and waste management.
• Maintain the highest standards of food safety, hygiene and compliance.
• Work closely with the Executive Chef and wider hospitality team to deliver an outstanding dining experiences.
• Drive continuous improvement across food quality, operational efficiency and commercial performance.

About You

• Proven experience as a Head Chef within premium corporate hospitality, high-end hotels, restaurants or contract catering.
• Ideally, two to three years’ experience at Head Chef level, or an ambitious Senior Sous Chef ready to step up.
• Experience delivering high-volume food to exceptional standards, with a fine dining or Michelin-starred background advantageous.
• Strong leadership, menu development and commercial management skills.
• Excellent attention to detail, creativity and a passion for seasonal food.
• A hands-on approach with the ability to inspire a team and thrive in a fast-paced environment.

Why join us?

• Lead a prestigious, high-profile corporate hospitality operation.
• Work with an established and talented culinary team.
• Enjoy a Monday–Friday working pattern.
• Make your mark through menu innovation and culinary excellence.
• Access opportunities for career development and progression within the business.

If you’re passionate about food, thrive on leading teams and want to deliver exceptional hospitality in a high-profile London setting, we’d love to hear from you.

Benefits

We ensure you’re rewarded for all your hard work, which is why we offer a comprehensive benefits package which includes but is not limited to:

• Contributory pension scheme
• Grow your career with our Career Pathways and MyLearning programmes
• Quick access for you and your immediate family to a Digital GP, and wider healthcare benefits
• Exclusive travel discounts with TUI, Expedia, Booking.com and many more
• Save money on your food shop with discounts on Tesco, Sainsbury's, Morrisons and many more
• Up to 44% off cinema tickets to enjoy your favourite blockbuster
• Receive cash rewards every time you spend and use them on a wide range of brands
• Un-wind with us with free wellness, mindfulness and exercise classes
• You can share all discounts and offers with your friends and families

About Us

Restaurant Associates provides brilliant hospitality through our food, drink and services. We work with our partners and collaborate with our clients to achieve great things together. Every day, our teams of passionate hospitality professionals strive for excellence in delivering employee dining and hospitality to some of the UK's leading workplace as well as inspiring exceptional experiences in iconic cultural and heritage destinations.

Job Reference: com/0910/G77101/52838897/SU #RA Group

Compass Group UK&I is committed to fostering an environment where every individual can truly be themselves at work and has equal opportunities to advance in their careers. We strive to build a culture that respects and celebrates the unique talents, beliefs, backgrounds, and abilities of all our team members. We want our colleagues to feel valued, empowered to reach their full potential, and to thrive - because diversity is our strength!