Kitchen Manager / Head Chef Kitchen · Draughts Waterloo ·

Draughts London; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 40,000 - 46,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Company pension

Discounted or free food

Employee discount

Job summary

Draughts London seeks an Executive Chef to lead the food offer across our venues, setting standards, building strong kitchen teams and delivering consistent, well-executed, commercially sound food. You will own menu development, margins, food quality and safety; Kitchen Managers handle daily service while you drive structure and improvement.

You’ll uphold food safety, allergen management and Health and Safety standards, supporting teams to follow them consistently.

Qualifications

• Proven leadership of kitchen teams and running kitchens.

Responsibilities

• Own menu development, margins, food quality, compliance and safety.
• Kitchen Managers run day-to-day service; you focus on structure, standards and long-term improvement.
• Lead with strong systems to ensure audit-ready kitchens and safe operations.

Skills

Kitchen leadership

Team development

Cost control

Food safety

Calm under pressure

Organised

Job description

The Role

We are looking for an experienced and confident Executive Chef to lead the food offer across our venues. This role is about setting clear standards, building strong kitchen teams, and delivering food that is consistent, well executed, and commercially sound.

You will provide culinary leadership across sites, owning menu development, margins, food quality, compliance, and safety. Kitchen Managers will run day to day service, while you focus on structure, standards, and continuous improvement.

A key part of the role is ensuring kitchens operate safely and are always audit ready. You will set and uphold food safety, allergen management, and Health and Safety standards, supporting teams to follow them consistently.

This is a hands on leadership role for someone who takes pride in doing the basics exceptionally well and creating kitchens that teams enjoy working in.

You will work closely with the senior leadership team, who will support you in the role and give you the space to focus on food, people, and long term improvement.

What We Are Looking For

You are an experienced leader with a strong track record in running kitchens and developing teams. You are calm under pressure, clear in your expectations, and steady during service.

You care deeply about food safety, cleanliness, and compliance, and understand that strong standards protect both the team and the business. You are commercially aware, pay attention to margins and waste, and make decisions that balance creativity with consistency and simplicity.

You lead with care rather than ego, enjoy coaching others, and believe that great food starts with good systems and well supported people. You are organised, proactive, and always looking for better ways to operate.

What You Get

At Draughts, you will be part of a growing business that values creativity, curiosity, and connection. There is real opportunity to shape the food offer and have a genuine impact on how the kitchens evolve.

You will work alongside passionate people who care about quality and standards. Ideas are welcomed, and the team works hard while enjoying what they do.

And yes, there are always games. Lots of games

Pay: £40,000 - £46,000 OTE

Job Type: Full-time

Benefits:

• Company pension


• Discounted or free food


• Employee discount