Senior Head Chef

Senior Head Chef

City of Westminster Full-Time 43200 - 72000 £ / year (est.) No home office possible
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At a Glance

  • Tasks: Lead kitchen operations across multiple casual dining outlets, ensuring top-notch service and food quality.
  • Company: Join Harrods, the UK's premier luxury retail destination with a passion for exceptional dining experiences.
  • Benefits: Enjoy competitive salary, sociable hours, 33 days leave, and up to 33% in-store discounts.
  • Why this job: Be part of a supportive team in an iconic setting, driving culinary innovation and excellence.
  • Qualifications: Proven experience in high-end hospitality and strong leadership skills are essential.
  • Other info: We celebrate diversity and encourage applications from all backgrounds; your uniqueness is valued here.

The predicted salary is between 43200 - 72000 £ per year.

time left to apply End Date: August 19, 2025 (20 hours left to apply)

job requisition id VAC- 47711

Senior Head Chef

We are currently looking for a Senior Head Chef to manage a cluster of informal, casual dining outlets as part of our award-winning Restaurants and Kitchens team. Here at Harrods, we currently house more celebrity chefs, exclusive dining brands and unique food halls than any other location in the UK. As a Senior Head Chef, you will be joining a passionate and supportive dining team, all within our iconic Knightsbridge store.

About the Role

As Senior Head Chef, you’ll oversee daily kitchen operations across multiple outlets, ensuring smooth and professional service at all times. You’ll be responsible for setting daily production levels, maintaining food quality and safety, and managing a high-performing team. Your leadership will flex between coaching and directive, also building effective relationships across the wider business with Restaurants, Food Safety, Distribution and HR.

Driving key KPIs in margins, stock control, waste, and labour efficiency are integral to the role of Senior Head Chef, alongside leading menu innovation and delivering a world-class dining experience.

About You

You bring a proven track record in high-end hospitality, having led large, high volume kitchens . You’re as confident with business strategy as you are with culinary excellence, balancing creativity with a commercial mindset to drive profitability and operational success. Your leadership style fosters a culture of mentorship, accountability, and excellence, inspiriting teams to consistently deliver at the highest level.

You’ll also have:

  • Proficiency in overseeing kitchen operations across multiple outlets
  • Strong organisational, interpersonal, and time-management skills
  • Good PC literacy (MS Word & Excel, and SAP)
  • A customer-first mindset at all times
  • Good attention to detail (evidence through paperwork completed, organisation of outlets, and sufficient stock levels)
  • Excellent business acumen – able to drive profitability and shape a path towards continued success

About Us

As the world’s leading luxury retail emporium, we make the impossible possible, and our hospitality offer is evolving and expanding rapidly across our stores. We are a welcoming and close-knit family who are passionate about food and beverage and aim to craft dining experiences that are the highlight of our customers’ visits.

Our Promise to You

Help us make the impossible possible for our customers and we’ll do something remarkable for you. As well as offering a friendly environment to inspire your best work, we provide abundant opportunities and support to build an exceptional career across the varied specialisms of our business.

In return for your hard work as a Senior Head Chef, you’ll receive some great benefits including:

  • Competitive annual salary plus annual bonus
  • Sociable working hours
  • 33 days annual leave (including bank holidays), plus your birthday off
  • Up to 33% in-store discount, plus savings across several high street brands
  • Generous pension
  • Great learning and development opportunities to help further your career

Uniquely You

At Harrods we believe the personality and authenticity of our people sets us apart. We celebrate and invite applications from all cultures, backgrounds, tastes, and experiences and are proud of our culture where people from all walks of life can grow and thrive. What makes you unique makes us exceptional.

While our job adverts outline the ideal qualities, skills, and prior experience for the role, we believe in the potential for growth and value individual strengths. If you do not meet every desired criteria but feel you have the skills and experience to thrive in this role as well as a genuine interest in working for Harrods and you can demonstrate an alignment with our values, we would encourage you to apply.

If you want to know more about our people and our culture, search #TogetherHarrods on LinkedIn, Facebook or follow us on Instagram @togetherharrods

Additional Information:

Time Type:

Permanent

Department:

Restaurants (Faye Morris)

About Us

As one of the world’s most prestigious brands, and a highly sought-after employer within luxury retail, we aim to provide a working environment in which we can exceed both our customers’ expectations and the expectations of each other.

To maintain our high standards, we invest as heavily in our people as we do in our products and store. As well as offering an unforgettable experience for our customers, we offer an exciting, challenging and motivating environment for our employees. We demonstrate how we value our team through an extensive pay and benefits package, as well as through a number of programmes that reward and recognise employees for exceptional performance.

Our employees can also accelerate their careers through opportunities to work with talented people, development training, and chances to raise their profile in the luxury retail sector.

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Senior Head Chef employer: Harrods

At Harrods, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer, offering a vibrant and supportive work culture that fosters creativity and excellence. As a Senior Head Chef in our iconic Knightsbridge location, you will enjoy competitive salaries, generous benefits including 33 days of annual leave, and unique opportunities for professional growth within the luxury retail sector. Join our passionate team and help us craft unforgettable dining experiences while advancing your career in a prestigious environment.
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Contact Detail:

Harrods Recruiting Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫

We think this is how you could land Senior Head Chef

✨Tip Number 1

Network with professionals in the high-end hospitality industry. Attend culinary events or workshops where you can meet chefs and restaurant managers who might provide insights or even referrals for the Senior Head Chef position.

✨Tip Number 2

Showcase your leadership skills by sharing examples of how you've successfully managed kitchen teams in the past. Highlight any specific achievements related to team performance, menu innovation, or operational efficiency that align with the role's requirements.

✨Tip Number 3

Familiarise yourself with Harrods' dining concepts and their unique offerings. Understanding their brand and customer expectations will help you articulate how your experience and vision can contribute to their success during interviews.

✨Tip Number 4

Prepare to discuss key performance indicators (KPIs) relevant to the role. Be ready to explain how you've driven profitability and efficiency in previous positions, as this will demonstrate your business acumen and strategic thinking.

We think you need these skills to ace Senior Head Chef

Culinary Excellence
Leadership Skills
Kitchen Operations Management
Menu Innovation
Food Safety Standards
Stock Control
Cost Management
Interpersonal Skills
Time Management
Attention to Detail
Business Acumen
Customer Service Orientation
Team Mentorship
PC Literacy (MS Word & Excel, SAP)

Some tips for your application 🫡

Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV highlights your experience in high-end hospitality and kitchen management. Focus on your leadership skills, ability to oversee multiple outlets, and any relevant achievements that demonstrate your culinary excellence and business acumen.

Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: In your cover letter, express your passion for the role and the company. Mention specific experiences that align with the job description, such as managing high-volume kitchens or driving profitability through innovative menu development.

Showcase Your Leadership Style: Emphasise your leadership style in both your CV and cover letter. Discuss how you foster a culture of mentorship and accountability within your teams, and provide examples of how you've inspired others to achieve excellence.

Highlight Relevant Skills: Ensure you mention your proficiency in MS Word, Excel, and SAP, as well as your strong organisational and time-management skills. These are crucial for the Senior Head Chef role and will help set you apart from other candidates.

How to prepare for a job interview at Harrods

✨Showcase Your Culinary Expertise

Be prepared to discuss your previous experience in high-end kitchens. Highlight specific dishes you've created and how they contributed to the success of the restaurant. This will demonstrate your culinary skills and creativity.

✨Emphasise Leadership Skills

As a Senior Head Chef, your leadership style is crucial. Share examples of how you've mentored and developed your team in past roles. Discuss how you balance coaching with directive leadership to drive performance.

✨Understand Business Acumen

Familiarise yourself with key performance indicators (KPIs) relevant to kitchen operations, such as margins and stock control. Be ready to discuss how you've successfully managed these aspects in previous positions to drive profitability.

✨Demonstrate a Customer-First Mindset

Harrods values a customer-first approach. Prepare to share instances where you've gone above and beyond to enhance the dining experience for guests. This will show that you align with their values and understand the importance of customer satisfaction.

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