Head Chef in Brecon

Location: The Castle of Brecon Hotel, Castle Square, Brecon, Powys, LD3 9DB

About Us

Nestled within the ancient ruins of an 11th-century Norman fortress, The Castle of Brecon Hotel is the oldest hotel in Wales and a proud member of the Coaching Inn Group. With 42 individually designed bedrooms, breathtaking views across the Brecon Beacons National Park and the River Usk, and a reputation for warm Welsh hospitality, we offer guests an unforgettable dining and hospitality experience. Our menus celebrate the very best of Modern British and Welsh cuisine, using locally sourced ingredients wherever possible.

The Role

As Head Chef, you will take full ownership of the kitchen, leading a brigade of 9 chefs in a fast-paced hotel environment. You'll be responsible for developing inspiring seasonal menus, maintaining exceptional food quality, and creating a positive, high-performing kitchen culture. This is a hands-on leadership role for a creative chef with a passion for fresh, locally sourced food and proven experience managing busy hotel kitchens.

What We're Looking For

• Proven experience as a Head Chef within a busy hotel or high-volume hospitality environment.
• A strong background in creating and leading your own menus, with a flair for Modern British cuisine and seasonal ingredients.
• Experience leading, motivating and developing a brigade of 9 chefs or more.
• A passion for coaching, mentoring and training kitchen teams to achieve consistently high standards.
• Strong commercial awareness, including food cost control, stock management and labour planning.
• Excellent knowledge of food safety, HACCP and health & safety legislation.
• Calm under pressure with exceptional organisational and leadership skills.
• A full UK driving licence and access to transport is preferred, as the hotel's location requires reliable travel.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead, inspire and manage a brigade of 9 chefs.
• Create, develop and implement seasonal menus that showcase local Welsh produce.
• Train, mentor and develop the kitchen team, encouraging progression and excellence.
• Maintain exceptional food quality, consistency and presentation across all services.
• Manage kitchen operations including ordering, stock control, GP, food costs and labour budgets.
• Ensure full compliance with food hygiene, HACCP and health & safety standards.
• Work closely with the senior management team to deliver an outstanding guest experience.
• Foster a positive, supportive and collaborative kitchen culture.

What We Offer

• Work-life balance – We genuinely believe in creating a healthy work-life balance and work together as a team to promote flexibility wherever possible.
• Weekly tips – 100% of gratuities are distributed to our teams every week through our TipJar Tronc scheme.
• Performance bonus – Opportunity to earn up to 20% of your annual salary through our Head Chef bonus scheme.
• Private Healthcare – Helping you take care of your health and wellbeing.
• Life Insurance – Providing additional peace of mind for you and your family.
• Annual Health & Wellbeing Grant – Supporting your physical and mental wellbeing.
• 6 weeks' holiday – Giving you plenty of time to rest and recharge.
• Food & Accommodation Discounts – Enjoy up to 50% off food across all Coaching Inn Group hotels and 50% off accommodation.
• £1 Annual Stay – Experience one of our hotels with our exclusive annual £1 stay benefit.
• Award-winning Career Development – Access industry-leading training and development programmes to help you grow your career.
• Employee Assistance Programme – Confidential support and wellbeing resources whenever you need them.

Join us at The Castle of Brecon Hotel and become part of a passionate, family-oriented team where you'll have the opportunity to lead, inspire, and make your mark in one of Wales' most historic hotels.