Multi-Site Executive Chef

Maki & Ramen; Slough; On-site; GBP 36,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

MAKI & RAMEN is seeking a high-calibre Multi-Site Executive Chef to lead culinary operations across London and the South. You will drive food quality, consistency, and commercial performance, working with Head Chefs and senior teams to roll out menus and establish robust kitchen systems.

Travel across sites is required, with a focus on expanding the group’s kitchen leadership and openings. This is a hands-on, leadership role that balances culinary ambition with business results.

Qualifications

• At least 2 years' experience in a senior multi-site culinary role within a restaurant group or established chain.
• Proven responsibility for multiple high-volume kitchens.
• Strong experience leading and developing Head Chefs and senior kitchen teams.
• Excellent commercial understanding of food cost, GP, labour, waste, stock and kitchen profitability.
• Experience supporting new restaurant openings would be highly advantageous.
• Hands-on leadership style with ability to move between strategy and on-ground support.
• Willingness to travel regularly between sites.

Responsibilities

• Lead food and kitchen performance across multiple restaurants.
• Coach, challenge and develop Head Chefs and senior kitchen teams.
• Drive consistency in food quality, recipes, presentation, portioning and execution.
• Manage food cost, GP, labour, stock, ordering and waste across portfolio.
• Identify underperforming kitchens and implement practical improvement plans.
• Develop and test new dishes and roll menus out across sites.
• Establish kitchen systems, SOPs, and standards across the group.
• Support recruitment, training and succession planning for kitchen leadership.
• Maintain excellent food safety, allergen, hygiene and H&S standards.
• Support openings from mobilisation through to launch and stabilisation.
• Spend time in restaurants observing service and operations.
• Collaborate with leadership on growth and menu strategy.

Skills

Multi-site culinary leadership

Head Chefs leadership

Food cost management

Menu development

Food safety & H&S

Job description

Welcome to MAKI & RAMEN!

Thank you for your interest in the role. For more information, please see below.

Job Role

Multi-Site Executive Chef – Full Time - Sites in London & South

Location

London & South (with flexibility to travel to other sites like Southampton and Birmingham)

Pay

OTE up to 60k

Maki & Ramen is growing, and we're looking for an experienced multi-site culinary leader to take ownership of food and kitchen performance across our restaurants in London and the South.

This isn't a role for someone who wants to stay in one kitchen.

You'll be out in our restaurants, working alongside Head Chefs and their teams to drive food quality, consistency and commercial performance. You'll help us strengthen existing sites, develop our kitchen leaders, introduce new menus and support new restaurant openings as we continue to grow across the UK.

We're particularly interested in speaking with experienced Multi-Site Executive Chefs, Group Executive Chefs, Regional Executive Chefs, Operations Chefs, Area Chefs, Group Chefs and Culinary Directors who enjoy being close to the operation and know how to balance great food with great commercial performance.

The role

You'll take overall responsibility for culinary operations across a portfolio of restaurants, primarily across London and the South, with occasional travel to other locations including Southampton and Birmingham.

You'll work closely with our Head Executive Chef and senior leadership team, while directly supporting and developing Head Chefs across the business.

Your focus will include:

• Leading food and kitchen performance across multiple restaurants
• Coaching, challenging and developing Head Chefs and senior kitchen teams
• Driving consistency in food quality, recipes, presentation, portioning and execution
• Managing food cost, GP, labour, stock, ordering and waste across your portfolio
• Identifying underperforming kitchens and putting practical improvement plans in place
• Developing and testing new dishes and successfully rolling menus out across multiple sites
• Establishing practical kitchen systems, SOPs and standards that work consistently across the group
• Supporting recruitment, training and succession planning for kitchen leadership
• Maintaining excellent food safety, allergen, hygiene and H&S standards
• Supporting new restaurant openings from mobilisation through to launch and stabilisation
• Regularly spending time in restaurants — observing service, supporting teams and understanding what's happening on the ground
• Working with senior leadership on growth, menu strategy and continuous operational improvement

What we're looking for

The most important thing is that you've already operated successfully across multiple restaurant kitchens.

You'll ideally bring:

• At least 2 years' experience in a senior multi-site culinary role within a restaurant group or established chain
• Proven responsibility for multiple high-volume kitchens, rather than simply experience working within a multi-site company
• Strong experience leading and developing Head Chefs and senior kitchen teams
• Excellent commercial understanding of food cost, GP, labour, waste, stock and kitchen profitability
• The ability to maintain food quality and consistency while managing the commercial realities of multiple restaurants
• Strong menu development, recipe specification and multi-site implementation experience
• Experience improving kitchen performance and addressing underperforming sites
• Strong food safety, compliance and operational knowledge
• Experience supporting new restaurant openings would be highly advantageous
• A hands-on leadership style — someone comfortable moving between strategy, coaching and being present in restaurants when teams need support
• Flexibility to travel regularly between sites

Experience with Japanese, ramen, sushi or wider Asian cuisine is a strong advantage, but it isn't essential. We're equally interested in accomplished multi-site culinary leaders from other high-volume restaurant concepts who are excited by our food and keen to learn.

Why Maki & Ramen?

What began in Scotland has grown into a multi-city restaurant business, and we're continuing to expand.

This role gives you the opportunity to have a genuine influence over how our kitchens operate as we grow — developing people, strengthening standards, shaping menus, supporting openings and helping us build the next stage of Maki & Ramen.

We're looking for someone who brings experience, but also energy, adaptability and a willingness to get involved. Someone who can challenge constructively, build strong relationships with Head Chefs and balance culinary ambition with commercial reality.

Salary

OTE up to £60,000

Location

London & South, with travel between restaurants

If you've built your career leading kitchens and are ready to take responsibility for food performance across a growing restaurant group, we'd love to hear from you.