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- Tasks: Lead the kitchen team, design innovative menus, and ensure top-notch food quality.
- Company: Surya Hotels is a leading UK hotel group known for its unique properties and exceptional guest experiences.
- Benefits: Enjoy bonuses, discounts on stays, increasing annual leave, and access to a virtual GP.
- Why this job: Join a vibrant team where you can showcase your culinary creativity and influence menu design.
- Qualifications: Must have outstanding cooking skills, a relevant qualification, and at least 3 years of head chef experience.
- Other info: Be part of a hospitality family that values community and delivers memorable guest experiences.
The predicted salary is between 36000 - 60000 £ per year.
Its striking powder-blue façade, a study in Georgian elegance, is as much a part of King’s Lynn’s Tuesday Market Place as the stalls that have traded here for generations. It’s the quintessential market town hotel – a handsome hostelry with history at every turn, restored and restyled for the discerning twenty-first century traveller.
Political icons; princesses; the who’s who of King’s Lynn’s past – the Dukes Head has played host to them all. Today, period charm meets contemporary chic, 80 spacious rooms that envelope you in comfort, and the very best local produce is served – in our acclaimed restaurant, lounge and buzzing bar.
You will be aHead Chefwho thrives in a changing environment to bring a wealth of knowledge, skills and experience to our team.
You should have demonstrable flare; inventive and creative in designing menus that are innovative and cost effective, but most importantly are enticing to our guests!
Main Duties of the Role:
- Responsible for all operational aspects of the Kitchen and its success.
- Ensure all cleaning in the designated areas is carried out to the Company Standards.
- To support the General Manager with the management of the Kitchen Division including controlling budget, cost of goods, rota planning and performance management.
- Development and design of new dishes and menus.
- Monitoring portion and waste control to maintain COGs and profit margins.
- Manage the day to day food administration ensuring systems compliance.
- Delegate, lead, coach and manage your Team appropriately.
- Ensure all documentation, i.e. daily/ weekly/ monthly checks are completed as necessary and carried out as per the Hotel and Company Standards.
- Control costs through correct stock ordering and minimising wastage, forecasting and managing workload.
- Ensure the Company Health and Safety, Food Safety and COSHH legislations are adhered to; including actioning and delivering appropriate coaching and training.
Key Requirements of our Head Chef:
- Outstanding cooking skills
- Proven skills efficiently running the pass with a high volume of covers on busy shifts
- Evidence of managing a Team within a Catering / Hotel environment.
- The ability to write menus that are both creative, costed and profitable.
- A cooking qualification such as Diploma, NVQ or SVQ- to level 3 Food hygiene too.
- Experience of presenting an environment that exceeds our Customer expectations.
- Experience preparing menus of a variety of cuisines is highly desirable.
- Strong networker to engage with a variety of suppliers, sourcing best quality produce to meet exacting standards.
- Experience as a Head Chef with the minimum of 3 years’ evidence of running a successful Kitchen.
In return for your passion for good food, leading your team and delivery of great dishes, we offer our Head Chefs:
* Bonus based on KPIs- to 10% base annual salary
* Inclusion in tips/ tronc- est. £3-4K per year
* Discounts on hotel stays and restaurants across the Group- up to 50% off!
* Increasing annual leave
* Support for you and family through our free & confidential Employee Assistance Programme
* Life Assurance
* 24/7 access to Virtual GP
* Bike 2 work scheme
* Electric Car Scheme
We offer a great environment where you get to influence and shape the menus you\’re delivering, you guide and mentor your team and youare a key part of the Duke\’s Head Hotel\’s success.
Surya Hotels is one of the UK’s leading niche hotel groups, with a rapidly expanding portfolio of outstanding properties, situated in some of the UK’s most idyllic settings, from historic Suffolk and Norfolk towns, Essex City or coastal resorts to picturesque Surrey villages.
Our hospitality family has a ‘best in class’ ethos to exceed our guest expectations; creating experiences that embrace our heritage locations, our people and the communities we work within.
We aim to consistently deliver best in class experiences with personality and warmth. From our warm welcome, to our ‘See-you-again-soon’ Goodbye.
Stay. Explore. Discover.
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Head Chef employer: Surya Hotels
Contact Detail:
Surya Hotels Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Head Chef
✨Tip Number 1
Network with local suppliers and other chefs in the area. Building relationships can help you source the best ingredients and gain insights into the local culinary scene, which is crucial for a Head Chef role.
✨Tip Number 2
Showcase your creativity by developing a unique dish or menu concept that reflects your style. This can be a great conversation starter during interviews and demonstrates your ability to innovate.
✨Tip Number 3
Familiarise yourself with the hotel's history and its dining philosophy. Understanding their brand will allow you to align your vision with theirs, making you a more attractive candidate.
✨Tip Number 4
Prepare to discuss your experience managing a kitchen team effectively. Highlight specific examples of how you've led teams, controlled costs, and maintained high standards in previous roles.
We think you need these skills to ace Head Chef
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV highlights your relevant experience as a Head Chef. Focus on your cooking skills, team management experience, and any creative menu designs you've implemented in previous roles.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Write a cover letter that showcases your passion for food and hospitality. Mention specific examples of how you've successfully managed a kitchen, developed innovative menus, and exceeded customer expectations.
Showcase Your Creativity: If possible, include a portfolio or examples of your menu designs. This could be a great way to demonstrate your inventive flair and ability to create enticing dishes that are also cost-effective.
Highlight Relevant Qualifications: Ensure you mention any cooking qualifications you hold, such as a Diploma, NVQ, or SVQ, along with your Food Hygiene certification. This will reinforce your suitability for the role.
How to prepare for a job interview at Surya Hotels
✨Showcase Your Culinary Creativity
Prepare to discuss your unique approach to menu design. Bring examples of innovative dishes you've created in the past, and be ready to explain how they were both cost-effective and appealing to guests.
✨Demonstrate Leadership Skills
As a Head Chef, you'll need to lead a team effectively. Be prepared to share specific examples of how you've managed and motivated your kitchen staff, especially during busy shifts.
✨Know Your Numbers
Familiarise yourself with key financial metrics related to kitchen operations, such as cost of goods sold (COGs) and waste control. Be ready to discuss how you've successfully managed budgets and maximised profit margins in previous roles.
✨Emphasise Health and Safety Knowledge
Understanding food safety regulations is crucial. Be prepared to talk about your experience with health and safety compliance, including any relevant training or certifications you hold, and how you've implemented these standards in your kitchen.
