Chef Cook

We are a vibrant and welcoming Mexican-inspired restaurant located in the heart of Streatham, South West London. Our focus is on delivering fresh, flavourful food, great hospitality and an enjoyable dining experience in a lively and friendly atmosphere. From our signature dishes to our everyday service, we take pride in quality, consistency and attention to detail. As a growing independent restaurant, we believe that a strong team is at the heart of a successful business. We value hard work, teamwork, reliability and a positive attitude, and we aim to create a supportive working environment where every team member has the opportunity to contribute and develop. We are now looking for a passionate and experienced Kitchen Manager to join our team, take ownership of our kitchen operations and help us maintain high standards as we continue to grow.

• Kitchen Operations & Food Quality
  • Oversee the smooth day-to-day running of the kitchen.
  • Prepare, cook and present dishes to consistently high standards; maintaining those standards at busy and quieter times.
  • Lead kitchen service, ensuring orders are prepared accurately and within reasonable ticket times.
  • Maintain consistent recipes, portion sizes, presentation and food quality.
  • Organise daily food preparation to ensure the kitchen is ready for service.
  • Ensure kitchen equipment is maintained, used safely and kept in good working condition.
  • Identify opportunities to improve kitchen workflows and operational efficiency.
• Team Management & Scheduling
  • Directly manage and supervise one Cook and one Kitchen Porter.
  • Prepare weekly staff rotas in line with business requirements and agreed labour budgets.
  • Organise staff shifts, breaks, holiday cover and allocation of duties.
  • Train, motivate and support kitchen employees to maintain high performance.
  • Delegate tasks effectively and ensure all team members understand their responsibilities.
  • Maintain a professional, respectful and productive kitchen environment.
  • Address performance or operational concerns promptly and appropriately.
• Ordering, Stock Control & Supplier Management
  • Take responsibility for ordering food, ingredients and kitchen consumables.
  • Monitor stock levels and ensure sufficient products are available for service.
  • Conduct regular stocktakes and maintain accurate inventory records.
  • Check deliveries for quantity, quality, freshness and correct pricing.
  • Implement effective stock rotation using FIFO principles.
  • Communicate with suppliers regarding deliveries, shortages and product quality.
  • Identify opportunities to reduce purchasing costs without compromising food standards.
• Food Cost Control & Waste Management
  • Monitor food costs and work towards agreed food cost targets.
  • Control portion sizes and recipe consistency to protect profitability.
  • Track and minimise food wastage, spoilage and unnecessary stock losses.
  • Maintain accurate wastage records and report significant discrepancies.
  • Ensure efficient use of ingredients through effective preparation and storage.
  • Support management with menu costing and profitability improvements.
• Food Safety, Hygiene & Compliance
  • Maintain high standards of food safety and cleanliness throughout the kitchen.
  • Ensure compliance with current UK food hygiene and health and safety requirements.
  • Implement and maintain HACCP-based food safety procedures.
  • Maintain accurate temperature checks, cleaning records and food safety documentation.
  • Ensure allergens are correctly managed and communicated.
  • Monitor food storage, labelling, date coding and stock rotation.
  • Organise and oversee daily, weekly and deep-cleaning schedules.
  • Ensure the kitchen is prepared for environmental health inspections.
• Communication & Reporting
  • Work closely with the Restaurant General Manager to ensure smooth operations.
  • Communicate stock shortages, equipment issues and staffing requirements promptly.
  • Provide regular updates on food costs, wastage, stock levels and kitchen performance.
  • Assist with investigating customer complaints relating to food quality or preparation.
  • Suggest practical improvements to kitchen operations and profitability.

Essential

• Previous experience as a Kitchen Manager, Head Chef, Sous Chef or experienced Kitchen Supervisor.
• Strong practical cooking skills and the ability to run service independently.
• Experience supervising and organising a small kitchen team.
• Good knowledge of stock control, ordering and waste reduction.
• Strong understanding of UK food hygiene, allergen management and HACCP procedures.
• Excellent organisational and time-management skills.
• Ability to work efficiently under pressure.
• Reliability, attention to detail and a proactive attitude.
• Flexibility to work evenings and weekends.

Desirable

• Experience working with Mexican, Latin American or similar cuisine.
• Level 3 Food Safety in Catering qualification.
• Experience with supplier negotiations and recipe costing.
• Previous responsibility for managing kitchen labour and food cost budgets.
• Experience improving kitchen systems, checklists and operating procedures.

Working Hours

• Average of 45 hours per week across five working days.
• Two scheduled days off per week.
• Shifts will include evenings and weekends.
• Greater staffing support will be scheduled during busier trading periods.
• Working patterns will be arranged in accordance with operational requirements and applicable working-time regulations.

Competitive annual salary of £35,000–£38,000, depending on experience.

Full-time, permanent employment. Two days off per week. Opportunity to take ownership of a kitchen and implement improvements. Support from the Restaurant General Manager. Opportunity for professional development and increased responsibility. Salary and performance review following the initial probationary period.

What Success Looks Like

We want a Kitchen Manager who treats the kitchen as their own area of responsibility and takes pride in running a clean, efficient and profitable operation. The successful candidate will deliver:

• Consistently high-quality food and presentation.
• Well-organised, efficient kitchen services.
• Accurate ordering and effective stock management.
• Low levels of unnecessary food wastage.
• Strong food safety and hygiene standards.
• A reliable, motivated and well-managed kitchen team.
• Effective control of food and kitchen labour costs.

If you are an experienced chef with strong organisational skills and the confidence to manage a kitchen independently, we would love to hear from you.