Roaming Chef

Hand Picked Hotels; Sevenoaks; On-site; GBP 22,041 - 26,174; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive rate £17 per hour

Service charge share

28 days holiday

Uniform provided

Meals on shift

Onsite parking

Wellbeing support

Pension

Discounts platform

Discounted stays

Annual loyalty awards

Job summary

Hand Picked Hotels is seeking a knowledgeable Roaming Chef with strong leadership to support our central kitchen operations across UK hotels. The role involves delivering exceptional dining experiences, working across various kitchen sections, and ensuring top-quality food presentation.

You will travel as required, support stock control, minimise waste, and contribute to maintaining our high hospitality standards. A valid driving licence and transport are essential for this roaming position.

Qualifications

• Significant experience leading high-performing professional kitchens.
• Advanced culinary or hospitality qualifications.
• Strong leadership and kitchen management skills.

Responsibilities

• Support kitchen team to deliver exceptional dining experiences across multiple hotels.
• Work across kitchen sections; prepare and present high-quality dishes reflecting the hotel’s standards.
• Cover during busy periods, holidays, and staff absences while maintaining hygiene and safety.

Job description

Roaming Chef -Central Support

Location: UK Wide

Salary: Highly Competitive Salary + service charge + excellent colleague benefits

Job Type: Permanent Contract - 5 out of 7

We are currently seeking a knowledgeable and enthusiastic Roaming Chef at Hand Picked Hotels.

Please note that due to the nature of this role, you must have a valid driving licence and transport as travel will be required.

What will the role involve?

As a Relief Chef at Nutfield Priory, you will play a key role in supporting the kitchen team to deliver exceptional dining experiences for our guests. Working across a variety of kitchen sections, you will prepare and present high-quality dishes that reflect the hotel's commitment to excellence, creativity, and seasonal ingredients.

The successful candidate will be adaptable, reliable, and able to thrive in a fast-paced environment, providing cover during busy periods, holidays, and staff absences. You will maintain the highest standards of food preparation, presentation, hygiene, and food safety while working closely with the wider culinary team to ensure smooth kitchen operations.

As a Relief Chef, you will bring a positive attitude, strong culinary skills, and a passion for hospitality. You will support stock control, minimise waste, and contribute to maintaining the outstanding reputation of Nutfield Priory by consistently delivering exceptional food and service to our guests.

What’s in it for you?

• A competitive rate of £17 per hour with incremental pay reviews based on recognition of commitment and performance plus a share of service charge.
• A welcoming, inclusive culture where long-term friendships and diversity are celebrated.
• Ongoing career development with in-house and external training, including apprenticeships and industry-recognised courses.
• 28 days holiday per year including bank holidays, increasing to 33 days including bank holidays with length of service.
• Uniform and meals on shift provided.
• Free onsite parking (where applicable).
• Access to wellbeing support through our Employee Assistance Programme.
• Company pension, enhanced sick pay & Life assurance scheme.
• Online retail discount platform offering thousands of savings with high street retailers and restaurants as well as a health and well-being platform.
• Discounted stays in our hotels and on food, drink, spa treatments & products.
• Annual loyalty awards (like afternoon teas and overnight stays).
• Introduction bonus for new colleague recommendations.
• Colleague of the Month awards, which leads to our annual awards ceremony.
• Regular team gatherings and appreciation events.

Are you Hand Picked?

• We are looking for active and enthusiastic candidates that have a willing attitude and a welcoming and friendly nature. We work as a team to ensure our hotel operates smoothly and our guests are receiving a high-quality, personalised, and magical experience that they remember, recommend and return to time and time again.
• You will have significant experience leading high-performing professional kitchens, ideally supported by advanced culinary or hospitality qualifications. As an Roaming Chef, you will demonstrate exceptional leadership, strategic kitchen management, and a strong commitment to culinary excellence and innovation. You will bring outstanding organisational and operational skills, meticulous attention to detail, and a genuine passion for delivering exceptional food and hospitality experiences while mentoring and developing your team.
• We want people that are passionate, showing the ability to go above and beyond naturally, that take pride in delivering consistently high standards and pay attention to all the details, with a focus on service, excellent and consistency as the everyday.

Who We Are…

Hand Picked Hotels was founded in 2001 by owner and Chairman, Julia Hands MBE, and today still remains a family-owned group which has 21 unique luxury country houses and coastal retreats, each hand picked for their individuality. Architecturally distinctive and quintessentially British, every hotel boasts an extraordinary location from Scotland to the Channel Islands, offering breathtaking views from vast countryside to expansive beaches, to lush woodlands.

Dedicated to creating unique and enchanting stays, curated personalised service runs through the heart of every hotel. Whilst each hotel is individual, each property fulfils the company values of family, individuality, community and care, with a team commitment to aiming higher and delight their guests with magical experiences that offer a true escape from the every day.

Hand Picked Hotels are committed to protecting the environment for a sustainable future, and all of our hotels have received the ‘Green Tourism’ accreditation. A Recognition of our progress in reducing energy use and waste, supporting biodiversity, and sourcing responsibly from local and ethical partners.

Hand Picked Hotels is an Equal Opportunities employer. Candidates must be eligible to live and work in the UK.