Kitchen Manager

Trading Post – Eastbourne; Eastbourne; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 42,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Free coffee on shift

50% discount on food

Discounts on beans

Beachfront Leisure discounts

Birthday gift card

Mental health support

Company pension

Performance bonus

Leadership development

Career progression

Job summary

Trading Post Coffee Roasters in Eastbourne is seeking a Kitchen Manager / Head Chef to lead the heart of the kitchen, ensuring quality, consistency and teamwork. You’ll develop your team, maintain food safety standards and deliver outstanding dishes that reflect the Trading Post brand.

You’ll also build a positive kitchen culture, plan rotas, manage costs and work closely with the General Manager to support commercial performance and guest experience.

Qualifications

• Experience leading a busy kitchen.
• Strong people management skills.
• Excellent knowledge of food safety and HACCP.
• Ability to plan and lead a busy operation.
• Experience in fresh-food hospitality is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead and inspire your kitchen team throughout every service.
• Prepare and oversee delivery of high-quality food.
• Coach, train and develop chefs and kitchen staff.
• Plan rotas and manage labour effectively.
• Manage stock, ordering and supplier deliveries.
• Ensure food safety, cleanliness and hygiene standards.
• Collaborate with the General Manager on commercial goals.
• Maintain a positive, organised kitchen culture.

Skills

Kitchen leadership

People management

Food safety HACCP

Menu development

Communication

Organisational skills

Education

Level 3 Food Safety qualification

Job description

Join the Team at Trading Post Coffee Roasters

At Trading Post Coffee Roasters, coffee is at the heart of everything we do.

As an independent, specialty coffee company, we’re passionate about sourcing, roasting and serving exceptional coffee whilst creating memorable experiences for every guest. Alongside our specialty coffee, our kitchens play a vital role in delivering fresh, high-quality food that keeps customers coming back.

We believe great food starts with great people, which is why we invest in developing our teams through training, coaching and genuine opportunities to grow.

If you’re an experienced kitchen leader who enjoys developing people, maintaining exceptional standards and creating consistently great food, we’d love to hear from you.

What We Offer

Joining Trading Post means becoming part of a team that values quality, hospitality and continuous learning.

We offer:

• Free coffee and food whilst on shift
• 50% employee discount on food and drink at every Trading Post Coffee House
• Discounts on our specialty coffee beans and retail products
• Discounts across Beachfront Leisure venues
• Birthday Gift Card for every team member
• Free access to mental health and financial wellbeing support
• Company pension scheme
• Performance-related bonus scheme
• Ongoing leadership and culinary development
• Clear internal career progression opportunities

We believe great people deserve great opportunities. That’s why we invest in developing our teams and creating careers, not just jobs.

About the Role

As Kitchen Manager / Head Chef, you’ll lead the heart of our kitchen operation.

You’ll be responsible for creating an environment where quality, consistency and teamwork thrive. From developing your team and maintaining food safety standards to managing stock and delivering exceptional dishes, you’ll ensure every plate leaving the kitchen reflects the quality Trading Post is known for.

This role is about much more than cooking. It’s about leading people, building an engaged kitchen team and creating a culture where everyone takes pride in delivering outstanding food.

A Day in the Life

As Kitchen Manager / Head Chef, you’ll:

• Lead and inspire your kitchen team throughout every service.
• Prepare and oversee the delivery of consistently high-quality food.
• Coach, train and develop chefs and kitchen team members.
• Plan rotas and manage labour effectively to support the needs of the business.
• Manage stock levels, ordering and supplier deliveries to minimise waste and maximise efficiency.
• Ensure food safety, cleanliness and hygiene standards are maintained at all times.
• Monitor food quality, presentation and consistency across every service.
• Work closely with the General Manager to support commercial performance and achieve business objectives.
• Create a positive, organised and supportive kitchen culture where people enjoy coming to work.

What Success Looks Like

In this role, you’ll:

• Lead a motivated, well-organised and high-performing kitchen team.
• Deliver consistently exceptional food that exceeds customer expectations.
• Maintain outstanding food hygiene and health & safety standards.
• Develop your team through regular coaching, feedback and support.
• Manage food costs, stock and labour efficiently while maintaining quality.
• Build a kitchen culture based on teamwork, accountability and continuous improvement.
• Ensure every service runs smoothly, even during busy trading periods.
• Be recognised as a trusted leader who supports both your team and the wider Coffee House.

Who We're Looking For

You’ll thrive in this role if you:

• Have previous experience leading a busy kitchen.
• Enjoy developing and motivating people.
• Lead with confidence, professionalism and integrity.
• Stay calm and organised under pressure.
• Take pride in delivering consistently high standards.
• Have excellent communication and organisational skills.
• Take ownership of challenges and actively look for solutions.
• Are passionate about fresh food and exceptional hospitality.

Previous experience

We’re looking for someone with:

• Experience as a Head Chef, Kitchen Manager or Senior Sous Chef.
• Strong people management and coaching skills.
• Excellent knowledge of food safety, HACCP and kitchen compliance.
• Experience managing food costs, stock control and labour.
• The ability to plan, prioritise and lead a busy kitchen operation.

Bonus points if you have:

• Experience working in a fresh-food environment.
• Experience supporting menu development or seasonal changes.
• Level 3 Food Safety qualification.
• A passion for developing future kitchen leaders.

Career Development

At Trading Post, we believe our leaders should continue learning throughout their careers.

As Kitchen Manager / Head Chef, you’ll continue developing your leadership, operational and commercial skills through structured coaching, leadership development and ongoing support.

Whether your ambition is to lead larger operations, mentor future chefs or contribute to wider food development across the business, we’ll help you build the experience and confidence to achieve your goals.

Our Culture

We’re proud of the culture we’ve built.

We’re passionate about coffee, but we’re equally passionate about people.

We work hard, support one another, celebrate success and believe that every team member contributes to creating exceptional experiences for our guests.

As Kitchen Manager / Head Chef, you’ll help shape that culture by building a kitchen where people feel supported, challenged and inspired to do their best work every day.

We’re looking for leaders who set high standards whilst creating an environment built on trust, teamwork and continuous development.

Applicants must have the legal right to work in the UK.

Trading Post Coffee Roasters is proud to be an equal opportunities employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive workplace where everyone feels welcomed, respected and able to thrive. We want every candidate to have the best possible experience, so if there’s anything we can do to support you during the recruitment or interview process, please let us know.