Find a job 
Featured Companies 
Featured Universities 
For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead and innovate culinary operations at a historic venue, creating diverse menus for visitors.
- Company: Join Restaurant Associates, a premium hospitality provider with iconic venues across the UK.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive salary, free meals, staff parking, and access to events.
- Why this job: Make a meaningful impact in a dynamic environment while showcasing your culinary creativity.
- Qualifications: 3+ years as a Head Chef in high-volume settings; strong leadership and organisational skills.
- Other info: Be part of a supportive culture focused on sustainability and professional growth.
The predicted salary is between 36000 - 54000 £ per year.
Location: Hatfield House
Salary: Up to £45,000 per annum + paid overtime
Contract: Full-Time 40-hour contract, Permanent, 5 out of 7 days with occasional evenings for events
Are you an experienced Head Chef who is looking for a new challenge, and wanting to work in an environment that offers variety? Are you keen to utilise your current experience at a historic visitor attraction that allows you to be a culinary creative? We're looking for a Head Chef to lead and manage the culinary operation at Hatfield House, with a strong focus on delivering a high-quality food offer for a diverse visitor audience.
About the Role:
As Head Chef at Hatfield House, you will be joining this renowned historic visitor attraction to lead and develop the on-site culinary offering. This role is responsible for the food provision across a multi-outlet catering operation, based within the Coach House Kitchen Restaurant, Riding School Events, and Old Palace Events. The catering operation includes a combination of visitor dining and large-scale events, requiring a Head Chef with strong experience in high-volume, high-quality food delivery. You will oversee kitchen teams across all areas, ensuring consistent standards, efficient operations, and full compliance with food safety requirements, while maintaining a strong commercial focus. Success in this role will be reflected in positive visitor feedback, well-run kitchens, and effective collaboration with the client. The Head Chef will play an important role in ensuring the catering offer enhances the overall visitor experience and supports the continued success of Hatfield House.
What We Offer:
- 20 days holiday + bank holidays
- Free staff parking
- Free staff meals whilst working on site
- Free access to Hatfield House and discounted events
- Compass reward scheme
- A supportive, values-driven culture within cohesive teams
- Opportunities for growth and development within a national business
- A chance to make a meaningful impact in a continuously growing sector
Key Responsibilities:
- Menu Development & Innovation - Create and adapt menus that appeal to a broad visitor base, including family-friendly options, dietary requirements, and seasonal specials.
- Operational Excellence - Oversee all kitchen operations, ensuring compliance with food safety legislation, company policies, and contractual obligations.
- Leadership & Team Development - Recruit, train, and inspire a motivated kitchen team, fostering a positive and professional working culture.
- Cost Control & Profitability - Manage budgets, control wastage, and achieve GP targets without compromising quality.
- Collaboration - Work closely with front-of-house teams, site management, and the client to deliver a consistent and memorable food experience.
- Event Catering - Plan and deliver high-quality catering for large-scale events across the venue, ensuring operational efficiency and visitor satisfaction.
The Ideal Candidate:
- Minimum 3 years' experience as a Head Chef in high-volume, high-quality environments, including both restaurant and events catering.
- Experience within visitor attractions and contract catering is highly desirable.
- Strong leadership and communication skills with the ability to lead by example.
- Excellent organisational skills, especially during peak periods.
- Sound knowledge of food trends, allergens, and dietary requirements.
- Demonstrated ability to achieve financial targets while maintaining high quality.
- Good IT and Microsoft Office skills.
- Passionate about food and hospitality with a strong customer focus.
- Adaptable and resilient in a fast-paced, ever-changing environment.
- Creative, commercially aware, and results driven.
- Committed to sustainability and responsible sourcing.
About Us:
Restaurant Associates is a leading premium hospitality provider with an ethos drawn from our history of fine and high-quality dining in London and New York. Within our venues team, we provide catering and hospitality services to some of the most iconic visitor attractions and destinations in the UK including the Imperial War Museum London, Glyndebourne Opera House, Knebworth House, Design Museum, Whipsnade Zoo and many more. Within these amazing venues we operate a host of bespoke cafés and restaurants, as well as delivering private events ranging from small meetings to large-scale ground events of up to 1000 people. We pride ourselves on being an inclusive, diverse, fun, and dynamic place to work with opportunities to collaborate with a wide range of teams plus a commitment to putting our people first. Restaurant Associates is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes applications from candidates of all backgrounds. As a business, we are committed to sustainability led practices and are proud to have achieved 3 stars with the Sustainable Restaurant Association's Food Made Good Programme.
Head Chef in Hatfield employer: Compass Group
Contact Detail:
Compass Group Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Head Chef in Hatfield
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to fellow chefs, industry contacts, or even friends who might know someone at Hatfield House. A personal connection can make all the difference in landing that interview.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your culinary creativity! Prepare a unique dish or menu idea that reflects your style and aligns with the diverse audience at Hatfield House. Bring it up during your chat to impress them!
✨Tip Number 3
Be ready to discuss your leadership skills! Think of examples where you’ve successfully managed a kitchen team or handled high-pressure situations. They’ll want to see how you can inspire and lead at Hatfield House.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to check our website for any updates or additional roles! Applying through our site not only keeps you in the loop but also shows your commitment to joining our team at Restaurant Associates.
We think you need these skills to ace Head Chef in Hatfield
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Culinary Creativity: When writing your application, let your passion for food shine through! Share examples of how you've developed innovative menus or tackled culinary challenges in the past. We want to see your unique flair!
Highlight Your Leadership Skills: As a Head Chef, you'll be leading a team, so make sure to emphasise your experience in training and inspiring kitchen staff. Tell us about how you've fostered a positive working culture and managed high-pressure situations.
Be Specific About Your Experience: We’re looking for someone with solid experience in high-volume environments. Be clear about your previous roles, especially in visitor attractions or events catering, and how you’ve maintained quality under pressure.
Apply Through Our Website: To make sure your application gets the attention it deserves, apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to see your application and get you on board for this exciting opportunity!
How to prepare for a job interview at Compass Group
✨Know Your Menu Inside Out
As a Head Chef, you'll need to showcase your culinary creativity. Make sure you’re familiar with the types of dishes you’d want to create for a diverse audience. Prepare to discuss how you would adapt menus for dietary requirements and seasonal specials.
✨Demonstrate Leadership Skills
This role requires strong leadership and team development. Be ready to share examples of how you've successfully recruited, trained, and inspired kitchen teams in the past. Highlight your ability to foster a positive working culture, especially during busy periods.
✨Showcase Your Operational Excellence
Discuss your experience in managing kitchen operations while ensuring compliance with food safety legislation. Be prepared to talk about how you maintain high standards and efficiency, even during peak times, and how you handle cost control without compromising quality.
✨Emphasise Collaboration and Communication
Collaboration is key in this role. Share examples of how you've worked closely with front-of-house teams and management to deliver memorable dining experiences. Highlight your communication skills and how they contribute to a well-run kitchen and positive visitor feedback.
