At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead a dynamic kitchen team and create innovative menus across three unique venues.
- Company: Join Axiom Hospitality at Hotel Indigo London Clerkenwell, a vibrant and creative environment.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive salary, discounts, free meals, gym membership, and 28+ days holiday.
- Other info: Opportunities for career growth and a commitment to sustainability and community impact.
- Why this job: Shape a unique culinary experience in one of London's most exciting neighbourhoods.
- Qualifications: Proven kitchen leadership experience and strong menu engineering skills required.
The predicted salary is between 55000 - 60000 € per year.
Hotel Indigo London Clerkenwell is looking for a dynamic and commercially minded Head Chef to lead the culinary vision across three exciting food and drink destinations — all connected by one carefully crafted menu concept, while working alongside an experienced Executive Chef.
Located in the heart of Clerkenwell, one of London's most creative and design-led neighbourhoods, our hotel combines contemporary style with strong local character. The property features 168 beautifully designed guestrooms alongside three unique hospitality spaces:
- The Hat & Feathers – our iconic Grade II listed pub, rooted in British heritage and neighbourhood energy
- Sabini Bar & Lounge – a relaxed, stylish social space for cocktails, small plates, and all-day dining
- Wilderness Restaurant – our signature restaurant concept delivering elevated dining with personality and flair
This is a rare opportunity for a Head Chef to help shape a food offering that flows seamlessly across all three venues through one versatile, innovative menu — designed to maximise creativity, consistency, operational efficiency, and guest appeal.
The Role: As Head Chef, you will work closely with both the General Manager and Executive Chef to bring our food identity to life across the entire hotel operation. You'll lead the kitchen brigade with passion and energy, creating dishes that can adapt effortlessly between premium dining, relaxed lounge service, and classic pub experiences — without compromising on quality or individuality.
We are looking for someone who understands how to:
- Create a strong, commercially successful menu strategy across multiple outlets
- Deliver consistency while allowing each venue to retain its own personality
- Work collaboratively with the Executive Chef on concept development, menu innovation, and standards
- Lead, develop, and inspire a high-performing kitchen team
- Balance creativity with operational efficiency and GP targets
- Build a food destination that becomes known within Clerkenwell's vibrant hospitality scene
What We're Looking For: You'll be:
- A passionate and confident kitchen leader
- Experienced in multi-outlet or lifestyle hotel operations
- Strong in menu engineering and kitchen organisation
- Comfortable collaborating within a senior culinary leadership structure
- Calm under pressure with excellent people management skills
- Hands-on, proactive, and highly collaborative
- Focused on quality, standards, and guest experience at every level
Most importantly, you'll bring originality, energy, and vision.
What We Offer:
- £55,000 – £60,000 per annum
- Permanent, full-time contract (40 hours per week)
- The opportunity to help shape and launch a unique multi-concept food offering
- Creative support and mentorship from an experienced Executive Chef
- Career development within a growing hospitality group
- A chance to build something truly special in one of London's most exciting neighbourhoods
If you're ready to lead a kitchen that combines heritage pub culture, contemporary lounge dining, and destination restaurant experiences under one innovative food vision — we'd love to hear from you.
You must have the right to work in the UK to be eligible for this role. Documented evidence of eligibility will be required from all candidates prior to commencing employment.
Having these core skills will put you one step further to joining Axiom Hospitality and Hotel Indigo London Clerkenwell.
Benefits:
- Worldwide IHG employee hotel discounts, saving you up to 75% on stays across thousands of IHG properties globally.
- Exclusive Axiom Hospitality colleague discounts, including hotel rates across all Axiom properties and up to 50% off food & beverage.
- Complimentary gym membership at a nearby local gym, just a short walk from the hotel, making it easy to stay active.
- Discounts across retail, restaurants, events and more through our dedicated rewards & benefits portal.
- Free meals provided during every shift, keeping you fuelled and ready throughout your working day.
- Uniform provided at no cost, so you can start your role looking the part from day one.
- Access to Wagestream financial wellbeing platform, giving you instant access to your earned pay when you need it.
- Employee Assistance Line, offering confidential support for your mental health and overall wellbeing.
- 28 days holiday (including bank holidays), increasing with service up to 33 days.
- Yearly complimentary Axiom Xcape stayover, awarded after one year of service as a special thank you.
- Refer a friend scheme, with referral bonuses starting from £250 per successful hire.
- A growing team with real progression opportunities, supported by ongoing training, development, and promotion pathways.
- Length of service rewards, recognising loyalty at 1, 3, 5, 10, 20 years and beyond.
At Axiom Hospitality, we thrive on differences and believe it is critical to our success as a fast-growing hospitality company with global aspirations. We are proud to be an equal-opportunity workplace that seeks to recruit, develop, and retain the most talented people from various backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. We, therefore, encourage applications from all genders, races, religions, ages, and sexual orientations, as well as parents, veterans, people living with disabilities, and any other groups that could bring diverse perspectives to our business.
At Axiom Hospitality, we are making efforts to reduce our carbon, energy, water and waste footprint. We strive to be ethical in all we do and want to be a thriving, sustainable and responsible business for our people, our communities and our planet. Working closely with our Hotel Owners, we are committed to the journey to sustainability. In addition, we are working to reduce our hotels' impact on the environment through internationally recognised eco-label certification.
Our hotels strive to be active members of their local communities by giving back where they can. Supporting local charities is important to our teams, from volunteering at soup kitchens to collecting donations and fundraising. Our hotels aim to leave a positive impact on their neighbourhoods.
Head Chef employer: Hotel Indigo London Clerkenwell
At Hotel Indigo London Clerkenwell, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer, offering a vibrant work culture that fosters creativity and collaboration. As a Head Chef, you'll have the unique opportunity to shape a multi-concept food offering in one of London's most dynamic neighbourhoods, supported by an experienced Executive Chef and a commitment to your professional growth. With competitive salary packages, extensive employee benefits, and a focus on sustainability and community engagement, we are dedicated to creating a rewarding and meaningful workplace for all our team members.
Contact Detail:
Hotel Indigo London Clerkenwell Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Head Chef
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with people in the industry. Attend culinary events, join local chef groups, or even hit up social media platforms to engage with fellow chefs. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings!
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! Consider hosting a pop-up event or a tasting session to showcase your culinary creations. This not only gets your name out there but also gives potential employers a taste of what you can bring to their kitchen.
✨Tip Number 3
Be proactive! Don’t just wait for job postings to appear. Reach out directly to restaurants or hotels you admire, like Hotel Indigo London Clerkenwell. A well-timed email expressing your interest can set you apart from the crowd.
✨Tip Number 4
Keep learning and adapting! Stay updated on culinary trends and techniques. Whether it’s through online courses or workshops, showing that you’re committed to growth can make you a more attractive candidate when applying through our website.
We think you need these skills to ace Head Chef
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion:When writing your application, let your passion for food and hospitality shine through. We want to see your enthusiasm for creating memorable dining experiences that reflect our unique culinary vision.
Tailor Your CV:Make sure your CV highlights your experience in multi-outlet operations and menu engineering. We’re looking for someone who can balance creativity with operational efficiency, so showcase those skills!
Be Authentic:Don’t be afraid to show your personality in your application. We value originality and energy, so let us know what makes you unique and how you can contribute to our vibrant kitchen culture.
Apply Through Our Website:For the best chance of success, make sure to apply directly through our website. This way, we can easily track your application and get back to you quicker. We can’t wait to hear from you!
How to prepare for a job interview at Hotel Indigo London Clerkenwell
✨Know Your Menu Inside Out
Before the interview, make sure you’re familiar with the culinary vision and menu concepts of the hotel. Think about how you can contribute to creating a strong, commercially successful menu strategy that flows seamlessly across all three venues.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Style
Be prepared to discuss your experience in leading kitchen teams. Share specific examples of how you've inspired and developed your team in previous roles, especially in high-pressure environments. This will demonstrate your ability to manage and motivate a diverse kitchen brigade.
✨Emphasise Collaboration Skills
Since the role involves working closely with the Executive Chef and General Manager, highlight your collaborative experiences. Talk about how you’ve successfully partnered with others in the past to innovate menus or improve kitchen operations.
✨Bring Your Creativity to the Table
Prepare to discuss your approach to menu engineering and how you balance creativity with operational efficiency. Think of unique ideas that could enhance the dining experience at each venue while maintaining quality and consistency.
