Head Chef - New Opening

Head Chef – New Restaurant Opening | Mayfair, London Lead the kitchen at an exciting new Mayfair opening Our client is well-regarded hospitality brand known for outstanding food, real creativity and memorable guest experiences. They are now opening a new restaurant in Mayfair, one of the best addresses in London, and I'm looking for an experienced, ambitious Head Chef to run the kitchen from day one. This is a rare chance to shape a kitchen from the ground up. You'll set up the kitchen, build your own team and set the standards for food quality, consistency and commercial performance, then lead the restaurant through its launch and well beyond. What's on offer for Head Chef £60,000 – £65,000 basic salary Up to 10% bonus based on KPIs Company discounts and benefits Real career development within a growing hospitality group The chance to lead a flagship pre-opening in Mayfair Head Chef role Kitchen leadership and ownership Take full responsibility for all kitchen operations, through pre-opening, launch and day-to-day service Make sure every plate meets high standards of preparation, presentation, taste and portion control Set up and maintain clear kitchen systems, procedures and standards Own kitchen performance and deal with operational problems before they grow Team leadership and development Recruit, lead, mentor and develop your kitchen brigade Build a kitchen culture based on quality, accountability, teamwork and performance Run structured training on dishes, kitchen systems, food safety and procedures Manage rotas and staffing levels in line with business needs and targets Lead on performance management, succession planning and retention Menu execution and development Make sure every dish is delivered consistently to brand recipes, specifications and presentation standards Contribute new dishes, seasonal menus and improvements to the food offer Lead tastings, recipe roll-outs and training for new menu items Keep recipes, specifications, portion controls and allergen information accurate Commercial and operational performance Own food cost, GP, labour cost, stock control and waste reduction Hit agreed kitchen budgets, margins and operational KPIs Manage ordering and stock levels while keeping availability and quality high Track yields, portioning and wastage, and take corrective action where needed Keep kitchen equipment in excellent condition and coordinate maintenance Food safety and compliance Ensure full compliance with food hygiene, allergen, health and safety, and local authority requirements Maintain excellent internal and external hygiene and audit standards Make sure all kitchen records, checks and documentation are completed accurately Deal with any compliance or food safety concerns immediately Brand and guest experience Protect and deliver the brand through exceptional food quality, consistency and presentation Drive guest satisfaction and respond constructively to food-related feedback Understand the Mayfair guest profile and make sure the kitchen delivers the expected level of quality and service Collaboration Work closely with the General Manager and restaurant management team to meet commercial and operational goals Work with Operations and other support functions where needed Work with our Central Production Kitchen to ensure product quality, availability and consistency Reporting and administration Keep kitchen reporting accurate, covering food cost, labour, stock, wastage and other agreed KPIs Support budgeting, forecasting and operational planning Make sure all kitchen admin is accurate, on time and in line with company standards About you as Head Chef Proven experience as a Head Chef or senior kitchen leader in a high-volume, quality-led restaurant or premium hospitality setting A natural leader who can recruit, build, motivate and develop a high-performing team Excellent culinary knowledge, with a strong focus on consistency, presentation and detail Strong commercial skills, with hands-on experience managing food cost, GP, labour, stock and waste Calm and confident running a busy kitchen and keeping standards high under pressure Thorough knowledge of food hygiene, allergens, health and safety, and kitchen compliance Well organised, a clear communicator and a good problem-solver Pre-opening or new restaurant opening experience is highly desirable Passionate about hospitality, quality, innovation and an exceptional guest experience How success will be measured for the Head Chef Product quality and consistency Food cost and gross profit performance Kitchen labour cost Food sales performance Guest satisfaction and food-related feedback Food wastage and stock control Food hygiene, health and safety, and compliance audit results Kitchen team performance, training and retention If you're ready to put your name on a new Mayfair kitchen and build a team you're proud of, we'd love to hear from you. Apply now with your up-to-date CV. TPBN1_UKCT