Head Chef in Oxford

Situated in North Oxford, Gees is a bustling independently owned restaurant bar & terrace set within a landmark Victorian conservatory on Oxford's Banbury Road. For over 40 years, Gees has remained loyal to its traditions of providing quality food and service in the most beautiful restaurant in the city. Open every day of the year for brunch, lunch, and dinner, Gees kitchen produces a seasonal menu of cross-town-for dishes using the best ingredients, simply prepared and expertly cooked.

Following an ambitious expansion and refurbishment in 2022, Gees more than doubled in capacity with the addition of Gees Gallery, an adjacent private dining space for up to 50 guests, and Secret Garden, a covered and heated private terrace for up to 60 diners. A brand-new top-of-the-range kitchen now caters for over 200 guests throughout its dining spaces. This is an unmissable opportunity for an ambitious, competent, and energetic Head Chef to successfully lead this high-volume, fast-paced all-day operation.

Key Attributes & Expectations

• A natural leader who will lead by example and encourage a culture of respect and teamwork.
• Influence, enthuse, and develop a team of 15 chefs to achieve consistency and excellence.
• Proven competence in ordering stock, food cost control, rota management, and managing payroll costs.
• Hold and maintain an up-to-date knowledge of current Health & Safety, Fire Safety, and Food Hygiene legislation.
• Create exciting, quality-led dishes using seasonal ingredients that are well-balanced, costed accurately, and visually stunning.
• Maintain attention to detail, integrity, and quality of all menu items using recipe specifications and agreed presentation standards.

In return, we offer the successful applicant an OTE of up to £70,000 per annum depending on experience, including non-contractual service charge (tronc).

Head Chef Benefits

• Meals on duty
• 50% discount on food within our restaurants
• Up to £700 recruitment incentive
• Membership to our Employee Assistance Programme with Hospitality Action
• Pension scheme
• Opportunities to develop within our Company
• Uniform provided
• Complimentary Managers meal within one of our restaurants every six months
• 28 days holiday inclusive of bank holidays per annum
• A paid day off on your birthday
• Team awards and prizes
• Hospitality Rewards: offering discounted gym membership, high-street and online shopping discounts, discounted vouchers, a cashback card, and 24/7 online GP service

Gees is part of The Oxford Collection; a small privately owned group of two luxury 5* hotels and apartments and three restaurants that consists of the Old Bank Hotel, the Old Parsonage Hotel, 36 St Giles, Parsonage Grill, Gees Restaurant & Bar, and Quod Restaurant & Bar. Having recently undergone a complete refurbishment programme, we have 80 bedrooms across three iconic properties in central Oxford with unrivalled views across the city's beautiful skyline. We offer support, training, and development opportunities to help your career flourish. We believe that investment in each and every one of our collectives is key to the success of our business and the happiness of our customers. As a member of our team, we are looking for an exceptional candidate who shares these values.

Interviews will take place in Oxford as part of the recruitment process. Eligibility to work within the UK must be proven, and two references should be available on request.

Required Experience & Key Skills

• Culinary Experience
• Food Handling
• Restaurant Experience
• Kitchen Management Experience
• Food Preparation Experience
• Kitchen Experience
• Food Industry
• Cooking
• Cost Control
• Baking
• Sanitation
• Leadership Experience

Employment Type: Full-Time

Experience: years

Vacancy: 1