At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead a dynamic café team, ensuring exceptional service and wellness-focused offerings.
- Company: Join Healthy Ambitions Ltd, a fast-growing player in the wellness market.
- Benefits: Enjoy complimentary meals, gym access, private medical care, and 28 days annual leave.
- Why this job: Be part of London's premier wellness café and make a real impact on health and fitness.
- Qualifications: 2+ years management experience in premium hospitality and a genuine passion for wellness.
- Other info: Opportunities for career growth as we expand to 30 sites across the UK and Europe.
The predicted salary is between 36000 - 60000 £ per year.
Healthy Ambitions Ltd is building a multi-brand portfolio targeting the £4.7 trillion global wellness market. We operate two distinct brands: Heliix (premium wellness & longevity) and Rejoove (value-conscious fitness). Currently, we run three wellness lounges in partnership with luxury US gym chain Equinox in Kensington, St James's and Bishopsgate, plus a new smoothie bar concept with Fitness First. Our mission is to serve up the world's best food & beverage offering for fitness & wellness enthusiasts. With an ambitious goal of 30 staffed sites across the UK & Europe, we're experiencing exceptional growth. We don’t compromise on quality, we hire exceptional talent, we move fast, and we build relationships based on trust, responsiveness and reliability.
Heliix is London’s premier fitness and longevity café, proudly partnered with Equinox, one of the world’s most prestigious fitness and lifestyle clubs. We specialise in nutritionally rich, premium food and drink designed to fuel performance, recovery, and long-term wellbeing. We’re seeking an experienced, energetic and wellness-driven Café Manager to lead our in-club café team, elevate member experience, and drive operational and commercial success. This isn’t your typical hospitality role - we’re looking for an entrepreneurial operator who thrives in a dynamic, minimal red tape environment where proactive doers go above and beyond. If you’re passionate about health, hospitality and high performance, and you want to grow with a rapidly scaling business, this is your role.
What We Offer
- Complimentary meals during shifts
- Full access to Equinox Gyms
- Private GP & counselling services
- Private medical insurance
- Expert training programme, including nutrition fundamentals
- 28 days annual leave
- Fun, dynamic, high-energy work environment
- Clear career progression opportunities as we scale to 30 sites
- Opportunities to represent Heliix at wellness events and industry activations
About the Role
As Café Manager, you are the driving force of Heliix: overseeing all day-to-day operations, leading and developing your team, maintaining exceptional service standards, and championing our wellness-focused mission. This is an active, site-based leadership role - you’ll be on the floor, not behind a desk. You will run the café with full operational and financial accountability, including P&L management, optimisation of sales, and ensuring exceptional quality across all food, beverage, and wellness-focused offerings. You will also play a key role in implementing nutrition-led initiatives, sustainability projects, and innovative wellness activations across the club. You report directly to the Operations Manager and act as a brand ambassador, living and breathing the Heliix values of nutrition, performance, and wellbeing.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead and inspire Café Assistants and Supervisors
- Train team on nutrition basics, dietary requirements, allergens and wellness-focused service
- Conduct 1-to-1s, probation reviews, and ongoing development
- Foster a positive, motivated, health-focused team culture
- Full responsibility (with guidance and support) for café P&L, margins, wage control, and budgets
- Analyse daily/weekly/monthly performance
- Implement upsell strategies focusing on premium wellness products and supplements
- Deliver monthly P&L and performance reports to Head Office
Operational Excellence
- Manage daily café operations including smoothies, meals and specialty coffee
- Ensure food safety, hygiene and H&S compliance
- Maintain strict allergen procedures and nutritional accuracy on advertised products
- Oversee equipment maintenance and cleanliness standards
- Ensure 100% completion of weekly operational KPIs (Food Alert)
- Maintain stock accuracy, manage ordering and minimise waste
Customer Experience & Wellness Advocacy
- Provide a welcoming, educational and wellness-driven experience for Equinox members
- Offer nutritional guidance and product recommendations
- Resolve member concerns within 24 hours
- Build personal connections with regular members and support their wellness goals
- Promote seasonal detox menus, functional ingredients and wellness campaigns
Brand Representation & Community Engagement
- Act as a wellness brand ambassador for Heliix
- Champion sustainability through waste reduction and eco-friendly practices
We’re looking for someone with 2+ years of management experience in premium hospitality environments (think high-end coffee shops, wellness cafés, boutique restaurants, or luxury hotel F&B - Soho House level quality and service). Essential: You must be genuinely passionate about fitness and wellness. This isn’t negotiable. You live this lifestyle and understand our customers because you ARE our customer.
- 2-3+ years hospitality experience in premium/high-end environments
- 2+ years management experience with proven P&L accountability
- Genuine passion for fitness, wellness and healthy living - you live this lifestyle
- Strong financial acumen and commercial awareness
- Food Safety certification (Level 2 minimum)
- Excellent leadership, communication and customer experience skills
- Proficient with POS and stock management systems
- Ability to work early mornings, evenings and weekends
- Entrepreneurial mindset - proactive, solution-focused, "whatever it takes" mentality
- Calm under pressure, highly motivated, exceptional attention to detail
Work Schedule
This is an active, site-based role with variable hours, including early starts and evenings. Weekend availability is essential. You’ll be on the floor leading your team, not desk-bound.
Ready to Join Us?
If you’re ready to lead London’s most wellness-focused café inside the iconic Equinox clubs, and you want to grow with a rapidly scaling business that’s going places, we’d love to hear from you. Please submit your CV and a brief cover note (250 words max) explaining:
- Why you’re passionate about wellness and how this shows up in your lifestyle
- Your most significant achievement in hospitality management
- What excites you about joining a high-growth, entrepreneurial business
Café Manager – Heliix at Equinox London employer: Heliix
Contact Detail:
Heliix Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Café Manager – Heliix at Equinox London
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with people in the wellness and hospitality scene. Attend events, join local groups, and don’t be shy about reaching out to folks on LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings!
✨Tip Number 2
Show your passion for wellness! When you get the chance to chat with potential employers, share your personal journey with fitness and healthy living. Let them see that you’re not just looking for a job, but that you genuinely care about the mission of Heliix.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for interviews by knowing your stuff! Research Heliix and its offerings, and think about how you can contribute to their goals. Be ready to discuss your management experience and how you can elevate the café experience for members.
✨Tip Number 4
Apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen. Plus, it shows you’re serious about joining the team. Don’t forget to include a brief cover note that highlights your passion for wellness and your achievements in hospitality!
We think you need these skills to ace Café Manager – Heliix at Equinox London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for Wellness: When writing your cover note, make sure to express your genuine passion for wellness. Share how this lifestyle influences your daily routine and connects with our mission at Heliix. We want to see that you live and breathe what we stand for!
Highlight Your Achievements: In your cover note, don’t shy away from showcasing your most significant achievement in hospitality management. We’re looking for someone who can lead and inspire, so tell us about a time you made a real impact in your previous role.
Keep It Concise and Engaging: Remember, you’ve got a 250-word limit for your cover note. Be concise but engaging! Get straight to the point while keeping it lively. We want to feel your energy and enthusiasm through your words.
Apply Through Our Website: Make sure to submit your application through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your CV and cover note directly. Plus, it shows you’re keen on joining our team at Heliix!
How to prepare for a job interview at Heliix
✨Know Your Wellness Stuff
Make sure you brush up on nutrition basics and wellness trends. Since this role is all about promoting a healthy lifestyle, being able to discuss the latest in wellness and how it relates to the café's offerings will show your passion and expertise.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
Prepare examples of how you've successfully led teams in the past. Think about specific situations where you inspired your team or improved service standards. This will demonstrate that you can foster a positive, motivated culture at Heliix.
✨Understand P&L Management
Since you'll be responsible for the café's financials, be ready to discuss your experience with P&L management. Bring examples of how you've optimised sales and managed budgets in previous roles to highlight your financial acumen.
✨Be Ready to Connect
This role is all about building relationships with members. Think of ways you've created personal connections with customers in the past. Be prepared to share how you would engage with Equinox members and support their wellness goals.