At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead and inspire culinary teams across multiple locations, ensuring exceptional food quality and operational excellence.
- Company: Join Big Easy, a renowned brand known for authentic American BBQ and vibrant dining experiences.
- Benefits: Enjoy a competitive salary, bonus, and benefits while shaping the future of our culinary direction.
- Other info: Flexible role with opportunities for travel and professional growth.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in a dynamic hospitality environment and develop future culinary leaders.
- Qualifications: Proven experience in multi-site kitchen leadership and strong commercial awareness required.
The predicted salary is between 50000 - 65000 £ per year.
Big Easy is one of the UK's most recognised hospitality brands, known for authentic American BBQ, premium seafood, vibrant restaurants and exceptional guest experiences. We are looking for an experienced and commercially minded Executive Head Chef to lead our culinary operation and support our restaurants across multiple locations. This is a senior leadership role for a passionate food professional who combines culinary excellence with strong business acumen, people leadership and operational expertise. You will play a key role in maintaining exceptional standards, developing kitchen teams and driving performance across the business.
The Role
- You will oversee kitchen operations across multiple sites, ensuring consistency, quality, profitability and compliance throughout the business.
- You will work closely with Head Chefs, General Managers and senior leadership to drive performance, support business growth and maintain the highest culinary standards.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead, develop and inspire Head Chefs and kitchen management teams across multiple locations.
- Ensure exceptional food quality, consistency and presentation across all restaurants.
- Drive food cost, labour cost and productivity performance.
- Support operational projects, menu development and business growth initiatives.
- Build strong succession plans and develop future culinary talent.
- Conduct regular site visits, coaching sessions and operational audits.
- Ensure compliance with food safety, health and safety and company standards.
- Work collaboratively with Operations, Finance, Marketing and People teams to achieve business objectives.
- Analyse kitchen performance and identify opportunities to improve profitability and efficiency.
- Drive continuous improvement and innovation while protecting the integrity of the Big Easy brand.
About You
- Proven experience as an Executive Head Chef, Executive Chef, Group Head Chef or Senior Multi-Site Head Chef.
- Strong background in high-volume restaurants, premium casual dining, BBQ, grill, smokehouse, steakhouse or seafood operations.
- Experience leading multiple kitchens and large culinary teams.
- Strong commercial awareness with a solid understanding of food cost control, labour management and P&L performance.
- Experience implementing standards, training programmes and operational improvements.
- Exceptional leadership, coaching and people development skills.
- Strong organisational, planning and project management skills.
- Flexible and willing to travel between locations as required.
- Passion for hospitality, innovation and delivering exceptional guest experiences.
Why Join Big Easy?
- Lead the culinary direction of an established hospitality brand.
- Work directly with senior leadership and influence business performance.
- Shape menus, standards, training and food innovation across multiple locations.
- Develop and mentor future culinary leaders.
- Competitive salary, bonus and benefits package.
- Genuine opportunity to make a significant impact within a growing business.
If you are an ambitious culinary leader looking for your next challenge within a dynamic hospitality business, we would love to hear from you.
Executive Head Chef in London employer: Big Easy Restaurants Limited
Big Easy Restaurants is an exceptional employer that offers a vibrant work culture and a genuine opportunity for culinary professionals to lead and innovate within a well-established brand. With competitive salaries, bonuses, and a strong focus on employee development, you will have the chance to mentor future culinary leaders while driving performance across multiple locations. Join us to make a significant impact in a dynamic environment where your passion for hospitality and excellence can truly shine.
Contact Details:
Big Easy Restaurants Limited Recruitment Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Executive Head Chef in London
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to fellow chefs, restaurant owners, and industry contacts. Attend culinary events or local food festivals to make connections that could lead to your next big opportunity.
✨Tip Number 2
Showcase your skills! Create a portfolio of your best dishes and culinary achievements. Consider hosting a tasting event or pop-up to demonstrate your talent and passion for food.
✨Tip Number 3
Be proactive! Don’t just wait for job postings. Reach out directly to restaurants you admire and express your interest in working with them. A personal touch can go a long way!
✨Tip Number 4
Apply through our website! We’re always on the lookout for passionate culinary leaders. By applying directly, you’ll ensure your application gets the attention it deserves.
We think you need these skills to ace Executive Head Chef in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for Food:When writing your application, let your love for culinary arts shine through! Share your experiences and what drives you in the kitchen. We want to see that you're not just about the food, but also about creating memorable guest experiences.
Highlight Your Leadership Skills:As an Executive Head Chef, you'll be leading teams across multiple sites. Make sure to showcase your leadership style and any successful projects you've led. We’re looking for someone who can inspire and develop others, so don’t hold back!
Be Specific About Your Experience:Tailor your application to reflect your experience in high-volume restaurants and your understanding of food cost control. We want to know how your background aligns with our needs, so include specific examples that demonstrate your expertise.
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply directly through our website for a smoother process. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you don’t miss out on any important updates from our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Big Easy Restaurants Limited
✨Know Your Culinary Numbers
Brush up on your food cost control and P&L performance knowledge. Be ready to discuss how you've managed budgets in previous roles and share specific examples of how you improved profitability in your kitchens.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Style
Prepare to talk about your experience leading and developing kitchen teams. Think of examples where you've inspired your team or implemented training programmes that made a difference. This role is all about people leadership, so let your passion shine through!
✨Demonstrate Operational Excellence
Be ready to discuss how you've ensured consistency and quality across multiple locations. Share your strategies for conducting operational audits and how you've driven continuous improvement in your previous roles.
✨Align with Big Easy's Vision
Research Big Easy's brand and culinary direction. Be prepared to discuss how your vision aligns with theirs and how you can contribute to their growth and innovation. Show them you're not just a fit for the role, but also for their culture!
