Head Chef - New Opening in London

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.

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