Restaurant Head Chef in Bishopton

About Us

JA Mar Hall Golf & Spa Resort is a peaceful countryside retreat and soulful escape, your haven of Scottish charm, spa indulgence, and championship golf. Recently, Mar Hall proudly joined JA Resorts & Hotels, a heritage hospitality brand with award‑winning properties across Dubai, the Maldives and Scotland. This exciting new chapter brings global expertise, world‑class standards, and new opportunities for our teams.

As part of the JA family, you’ll be connected to an international network of talent, innovation, and career development, all while helping us honour the warm, authentic spirit that makes Mar Hall truly special. Set within 240 acres of woodland on the banks of the River Clyde, our resort features elegant bedrooms and suites, a championship golf course, a luxury spa and wellness experience, and exceptional dining shaped by creativity and Scottish provenance.

Role Overview

At Mar Hall, we are continuing our journey towards becoming one of Scotland’s leading luxury resort destinations. Following a significant refurbishment and with continued investment planned across the resort, we are seeking an ambitious and highly skilled Restaurant Head Chef to lead the culinary direction of our restaurant and Gallery dining offering. This is an exciting opportunity for a chef leader who wants to make their mark on a luxury destination.

Reporting to the Executive Chef, you will take ownership of the day‑to‑day operation, standards, menu execution, and culinary identity of both the restaurant and Gallery food offering. You will play a key role in elevating the guest experience, developing your team, and helping shape a food offering aligned with the resort’s luxury aspirations and progression towards Forbes Travel Guide standards. This role requires a hands‑on leader who is visible within the kitchen, passionate about quality, and capable of inspiring a team to consistently deliver exceptional food and service standards.

Key Responsibilities of the Restaurant Head Chef will include:

• Culinary Leadership
  • Lead the day‑to‑day operation of the restaurant and Gallery kitchen teams
  • Take ownership of food quality, consistency, presentation, and execution
  • Work closely with the Executive Chef to develop and evolve menus that reflect the identity and ambitions of the resort
  • Drive creativity, innovation, and continuous improvement throughout the food offering
  • Ensure dishes are executed to the highest standard at all times
• Restaurant & Gallery Development
  • Play a leading role in defining the future culinary direction of the restaurant and Gallery dining experience
  • Develop offerings that enhance the overall guest journey and complement the resort’s luxury positioning
  • Monitor guest feedback and market trends to continually improve the dining experience
  • Support the development of seasonal menus and special dining experiences
• Team Leadership & Development
  • Lead, coach, and develop chefs within your area of responsibility
  • Create a culture of accountability, pride, and continuous learning
  • Support succession planning and talent development within the brigade
  • Conduct regular training and performance conversations to drive standards
• Standards & Operational Excellence
  • Create and implement clear kitchen SOPs and standards
  • Maintain exceptional food safety, hygiene, and compliance standards
  • Ensure effective stock management, ordering, and cost control
  • Work collaboratively with front of house leadership to deliver a seamless guest experience
  • Support the Executive Chef in achieving departmental objectives and budgets
• Commercial Awareness
  • Manage food costs and labour resources effectively
  • Identify opportunities to improve profitability while maintaining quality
  • Support forecasting and business planning activities
  • Contribute to the achievement of departmental financial targets

About You

• Proven experience as a Head Chef or Senior Sous Chef within a luxury hotel or high quality restaurant environment
• Strong leadership and people development capability
• Passion for creating memorable dining experiences
• Excellent knowledge of modern culinary techniques and food trends
• Strong understanding of kitchen financial management and cost control
• Experience developing menus and driving culinary innovation
• Highly organised with exceptional attention to detail

Personal Attributes

• A passionate culinary leader who leads from the front
• Driven to continuously improve standards and guest experiences
• Professional, resilient, and calm under pressure
• Collaborative and supportive in approach
• Committed to developing people and building high performing teams

What Success Looks Like

• A clearly defined and distinctive restaurant and Gallery dining experience
• Exceptional food quality and consistency
• A highly engaged and motivated kitchen team
• Positive guest feedback and strong dining reputation
• Strong financial performance and operational efficiency
• A meaningful contribution to Mar Hall’s luxury positioning and culinary reputation.

Why Join Us

At JA Mar Hall, you’ll find more than a job—you’ll build a career within a global hospitality family. We offer:

• Competitive salary plus Tronc, paid via an independent tronc system, meaning your monthly earnings are topped up through service charge
• Free luxury leisure club membership
• Discounted membership for friends & family
• 50% discount on Spa treatments
• Golf day discounts for you, friends, and family
• 50% discount on food for you +3 guests, and 25% off beverages
• Discounts on overnight stays for JA Mar Hall and our sister properties
• Friends & family hotel rates
• Access to Wisdom, our confidential wellbeing support programme
• Access to exclusive £100 room rates across the PoB Hotels collection
• Free on‑site parking and complimentary use of leisure facilities
• Uniform provided (role dependent)
• Recommend‑a‑Friend bonus scheme