Kitchen Team Leader

Watchhouse Coffee House Holding Limited.; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 21,000 - 23,000; Full time

Job summary

WatchHouse Coffee House Holding Limited. is recruiting a Kitchen Team Leader to supervise the central kitchen, ensuring high-quality food production and a calm, professional workplace for the CPU team.

You will work closely with senior food leadership to uphold exceptional standards, deliver operational excellence, and develop the CPU team for WatchHouse Houses across shifts.

Qualifications

• Leadership experience in high-volume or premium food environments.
• Strong food preparation and cooking experience.
• Solid understanding of Food Hygiene and Health & Safety standards.
• Effective communication and teamwork across shifts.

Responsibilities

• Support the Kitchen Manager in motivating and guiding the CPU team to maintain a positive, professional environment.
• Lead on shift, reinforcing standards and ways of working.
• Assist onboarding and day-to-day training of team members and escalate complex people matters.
• Be first point of contact for minor day-to-day issues and escalate as needed.
• Ensure food production meets WatchHouse standards of quality, consistency, and presentation.

Skills

Hands-on leadership

Food preparation

Cooking experience

Communication

Hygiene & safety

Job description

Salary: Up to £15 per hour + approx. £2 per hour in Tronc

The Role

An Kitchen Team Leader is ahands-on leader who brings the WatchHouse Core Values to life in our centralkitchen environment. This role supports the smooth, efficient, and high-qualityproduction of food across the business, while creating a calm, professional,and motivating workplace for the CPU team.

Working closely with senior foodleadership, the Kitchen Team Leader plays a key role in maintaining exceptionalfood standards, operational excellence, and team development. They lead fromthe front, balancing people leadership with operational delivery, ensuring theCPU consistently supports our Houses with quality, consistency, and care.

At WatchHouse, we are committedto developing our leaders. If you bring the drive, accountability, and passionfor food and people, we’ll support your growth every step of the way.

Key Responsibilities

People& Team Support

• Supportthe Kitchen Manager in motivating and guiding the CPU team, helping tomaintain a positive, professional, and inclusive working environment.
• Leadby example on shift, reinforcing expected behaviours, standards, and waysof working.
• Supportonboarding and day-to-day training of team members, flagging developmentneeds or concerns to the Kitchen Manager.
• Act asa first point of contact for minor day-to-day issues during shifts,escalating more complex people matters to the Kitchen Manager.
• Encourageclear communication and teamwork across shifts.

Operations& Production

• Supportthe smooth day-to-day running of the Kitchen, ensuring food productionmeets WatchHouse standards of quality, consistency, and presentation.
• Workhands-on alongside the kitchen team to deliver daily productionrequirements for WatchHouse Houses.
• Monitorproduction output on shift, ensuring recipes and specifications arefollowed accurately.
• Assistwith receiving, checking, and putting away deliveries, reporting anyissues or discrepancies.
• Supportthe accurate preparation and fulfilment of production orders from Houses.
• Helpmaintain appropriate prep levels to meet business needs.

Stock &Admin Support

• Assistwith daily ordering and stock checks, following guidance from the KitchenManager.
• Supportstock control and waste reporting, highlighting any concerns or trends.

Standards,Compliance & Safety

• Followand reinforce all Food Hygiene, Health & Safety, and company policiesat all times.
• Supportthe Kitchen Manager in maintaining cleanliness, food safety standards, andadherence to cleaning schedules.
• Maintainhigh personal standards of hygiene, uniform, and professionalism.
• Supportaudits, inspections, and due diligence processes when required.
Communicateclearly and respectfully with Kitchen team members and wider businessteams.
• Supportstrong working relationships between the Kitchen and House teams.
• Escalateissues promptly and constructively, offering solutions where possible.

What We’re Looking For

• A hands-on leader who thrives in afar-paced, high-volume production environment.
• Strong food preparation and cookingexperience within a premium or quality-led food business.
• A calm, organised approach with strongplanning, time management, and attention to detail.
• Confident communicator who leads withempathy, clarity, and accountability.
• Solid understanding of Food Hygiene andHealth & Safety standards.
• Flexible, reliable, and adaptable, with agenuine team-first mindset.
• Aligned with WatchHouse Core Values: Passion,Empathy, Diligence, and Can Do.

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