Kitchen Lead

Eastlands Venue Services Limited; Manchester; On-site; GBP 36,000 - 48,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Private Medical Insurance (Vitality)

Group Life Assurance

Birthday Day Off

Complimentary Meals on Shift

Employee Assistance Programme & Wellbe

Company Pension Scheme

Generous Holiday Allowance

Career Development Opportunities

Job summary

Eastlands Venue Services Limited is recruiting a Kitchen Lead for The Residency at Etihad Stadium. You will drive culinary excellence, lead the kitchen during service and work with the Chef Manager to ensure consistent, high-quality plates.

You’ll mentor junior chefs, support menu development and actively participate in guest interactions to deliver a memorable dining journey in a premium stadium setting.

Qualifications

• Proven experience leading a team in premium or Michelin-starred environments.
• Ability to deliver Michelin-inspired dishes with consistency.
• Strong knowledge of food safety, allergen, and hygiene legislation.

Responsibilities

• Lead the brigade during preparation and service, maintaining exceptional standards.
• Coach and develop junior chefs, providing feedback and guidance.
• Support menu development, tastings and seasonal changes.
• Present dishes to guests and enhance the overall dining experience.

Skills

Team leadership

Brigade leadership

Culinary excellence

Food safety & hygiene

Guest interaction

Presentation skills

Education

NVQ Level 3 or equivalent

Formal culinary qualification

Food safety qualification Level 3

Job description

Kitchen Lead

Department: Culinary

Employment Type: Permanent

Location: Etihad Stadium

Reporting To: Chef Manager

Description

The Kitchen Lead is responsible for driving culinary excellence within The Residency, ensuring every dish meets the exceptional standards expected of a Michelin-inspired dining experience.

Working alongside the Chef Manager, you'll lead the kitchen during service, support the development of the brigade and maintain absolute consistency across every plate.

Whilst your primary focus is kitchen leadership, The Residency operates without traditional boundaries between kitchen and front of house. Every chef plays an active role in the guest experience, presenting dishes, sharing the story behind the menu and creating memorable moments throughout service.

This is an opportunity to be part of a unique concept where exceptional cooking and genuine hospitality come together.

Day to Day Responsibilities

Kitchen Leadership

• Lead the brigade during preparation and service, ensuring exceptional standards are maintained at all times.
• Support the Chef Manager in organising daily operations and service delivery.
• Coach, mentor and develop junior chefs, providing guidance and constructive feedback.
• Lead by example, promoting a collaborative, professional and high-performing kitchen culture.

Culinary Excellence

• Prepare and deliver dishes to Michelin-inspired standards with exceptional consistency and precision.
• Ensure every plate meets agreed presentation, quality and flavour standards.
• Support menu development, tastings and seasonal menu changes.
• Monitor quality throughout service and respond quickly to any issues.

Guest Experience

• Present dishes directly to guests with confidence and professionalism.
• Explain ingredients, techniques and the inspiration behind each course.
• Create engaging guest interactions that enhance the overall dining experience.
• Work seamlessly with the Service Lead to deliver an exceptional end-to-end guest journey.

Operational Excellence

• Support stock control, ordering and inventory management.
• Minimise waste and contribute to achieving GP targets.
• Ensure compliance with food safety, allergen and hygiene legislation.
• Maintain a clean, organised and efficient kitchen environment.
• Support the Chef Manager with training, onboarding and performance development.

Skills, Knowledge & Expertise

Essential

• Proven experience as a Sous Chef, Junior Sous Chef or Senior Chef de Partie within a premium restaurant, luxury hotel, Michelin-starred or Rosette environment.
• Experience leading a team during busy services.
• Exceptional culinary skills with meticulous attention to detail and presentation.
• Passion for delivering world‑class food and hospitality.
• Confidence presenting dishes and interacting directly with guests.
• Strong coaching and people development skills.
• Excellent organisational and time management skills.
• Ability to remain calm and decisive in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong knowledge of food safety, hygiene and allergen legislation.
• Flexibility to work evenings, weekends and event days.

Desirable

• Experience within Michelin-starred or multi‑Rosette kitchens.
• Experience working in chef's table, open kitchen or immersive dining concepts.
• Experience supporting menu development and seasonal menu planning.
• Knowledge of stock management, ordering and GP control.
• Formal culinary qualification (NVQ Level 3 or equivalent).
• Level 3 Food Safety qualification.
• Experience working alongside a Chef Patron or Executive Chef in a high-performance kitchen.
• Experience training and mentoring developing chefs.

Why Join Us?

• Private Medical Insurance (Vitality) – including Virtual GP access and rewards
• Group Life Assurance – 4x salary paid to your nominated beneficiary
• Birthday Day Off – an extra day to celebrate
• Complimentary Meals on Shift – breakfast, lunch, fruit and hot drinks
• Employee Assistance Programme & Wellbeing Platform – including counselling support
• Company Pension Scheme
• Generous Holiday Allowance – plus bank holidays
• Career Development Opportunities – with progression across the campus