Head Chef

The Hawthorn by Galway Bay; Galway; On-site; EUR 65,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

The Hawthorn by Galway Bay in Oranmore, County Galway, seeks an ambitious Head Chef to define its culinary identity and lead the kitchen. You will craft seasonal menus featuring exceptional Irish produce, while building a high-performing team and collaborating with local suppliers.

Applicants should bring a strong background in luxury dining, a passion for quality, and a hands-on leadership style. This is a unique opportunity to shape dining experiences at a premier Galway destination.

Qualifications

• Proven Head Chef experience in luxury hospitality.
• Experience in a five‑star hotel, luxury resort, or destination restaurant.
• Strong track record in creative and seasonal menu development.
• Demonstrated experience recruiting, leading and developing kitchen teams.
• Excellent knowledge of HACCP, food safety and legislation.

Responsibilities

• Lead the culinary vision and day to day kitchen operation at Hawthorn by Galway Bay.
• Create and continually develop seasonal, innovative menus reflecting Hawthorn’s identity.
• Champion exceptional local and Irish ingredients with trusted suppliers.
• Recruit, train, and lead a high-performing kitchen team.
• Establish a positive, professional kitchen culture built on excellence and consistency.

Skills

Leadership

Menu development

Irish produce

Education

Culinary qualification

Job description

Hawthorn by Galway Bay is an exciting new luxury hospitality destination in Oranmore, County Galway, created to offer an exceptional experience where outstanding food, genuine Irish hospitality and a strong sense of place come together.

We are creating a new kind of luxury hospitality experience in Galway. One that feels relaxed rather than formal, personal rather than prescribed, and deeply connected to the place we call home.

At the heart of that experience will be food.

We are looking for an ambitious and creativeHead Chef to bring Hawthorn’s culinary vision to life. Someone who understands the importance of exceptional produce, thoughtful cooking and beautiful crafted menus, and who can create food that feels naturally at home in its surroundings.

This is an opportunity to develop a distinctive culinary identity, work with the very best of Galway and Irish produce, and create a kitchen culture that reflects everything Hawthorn stands for.

The Opportunity

This is far more than a traditional Head Chef position. It is an opportunity to:

• Create and define the culinary identity of Hawthorn by Galway Bay.
• Develop a food offering rooted in exceptional Irish produce, seasonality and provenance.
• Build and lead a talented kitchen team from the ground up.
• Develop menus that are creative, contemporary and commercially successful.
• Work with outstanding local suppliers and producers to create a genuine sense of place.
• Shape the dining experience across the property, from everyday service to private dining and special events.
• Put your own stamp on one of County Galway’s most exciting new hospitality destinations.

What You’ll Be Doing

As Head Chef, you will:

• Lead the culinary vision and day to day kitchen operation at Hawthorn by Galway Bay.
• Create and continually develop seasonal, innovative menus that reflect the quality and character of Hawthorn.
• Champion exceptional local and Irish ingredients, working closely with trusted suppliers and producers.
• Develop a distinctive culinary style that complements the property, its setting and its overall guest experience.
• Recruit, train, lead and develop a high-performing kitchen team.
• Establish a positive, professional and collaborative kitchen culture built around excellence, consistency and respect.
• Maintain exceptional standards of food quality, presentation, preparation and service.
• Work closely with the General Manager, Food & Beverage team and wider management team to deliver a seamless guest experience.
• Take full responsibility for food GP, menu costing, purchasing, stock control, labour planning and waste management.
• Develop efficient kitchen systems, procedures and standards from opening onwards.
• Ensure full compliance with HACCP, food safety legislation, health and safety requirements and company standards.
• Lead the kitchen through busy service periods while maintaining composure, quality and consistency.
• Support private dining, weddings, celebrations, corporate events and other bespoke guest experiences.
• Create a culture of continuous improvement, encouraging creativity and development throughout the kitchen.
• Represent Hawthorn’s culinary offering through tastings, supplier relationships, events, collaborations and promotional activity.

Who You Are

You will thrive in this role if you are:

• An ambitious and creative chef with a clear point of view and genuine culinary passion.
• Excited by the opportunity to create a food identity.
• Passionate about exceptional ingredients, Irish produce, seasonality and modern hospitality.
• Experienced in delivering consistently high standards within a luxury hotel, destination restaurant, resort or similarly high-quality environment.
• A natural leader who can inspire, develop and retain a talented kitchen team.
• Calm, organised and decisive, particularly during busy and demanding services.
• Commercially aware, with a strong understanding of kitchen profitability and operational performance.
• Hands on and visible, with the ability to lead by example.
• Collaborative and comfortable working closely with other departments and senior management.
• Detail oriented, while still able to see the bigger picture.
• Excited by the opportunity to build something special in Galway.

Experience and Requirements

• Proven experience as a Head Chef, Executive Head Chef ready to take the next step.
• Experience within a five-star hotel, luxury resort, destination restaurant or similarly high-standard hospitality environment.
• A strong track record in creative and seasonal menu development.
• Demonstrated experience recruiting, leading, training and developing kitchen teams.
• Experience establishing kitchen systems, standards and procedures would be highly advantageous.
• Experience across multiple food offerings, private dining, weddings, events or banqueting would be an advantage.
• Strong knowledge of food GP, menu costing, purchasing, stock management, labour planning and waste control.
• Excellent knowledge of HACCP, food safety and relevant legislation.
• Strong communication, organisational and leadership skills.
• A recognised professional culinary qualification is desirable.

What You’ll Get

• The opportunity to define the culinary identity of Hawthorn by Galway Bay from the beginning.
• Genuine creative freedom and the opportunity to put your own stamp on the food offering.
• A key leadership position within an exciting new luxury hospitality destination.
• The opportunity to build your own kitchen team and establish a culture based on excellence.
• The support of an experienced ownership and senior management team.
• Access to exceptional local and Irish suppliers and producers.
• Significant career development opportunities within a growing Galway-based hospitality group.
• The chance to create a culinary reputation and legacy that you can genuinely be proud of.
• If you are ready to build something exceptional, we would love to hear from you.