Head Chef in Cambridge

Lead the kitchen. Shape the food. Make your mark. Do you believe great food starts with exceptional ingredients, a brilliant kitchen team and a chef with the freedom to be creative? If so, we'd love to hear from you.

Welcome to Old Bicycle Shop in Cambridge - once the UK's first bicycle shops, now one of the city's most vibrant and distinctive restaurants. We serve fresh, locally sourced food throughout the day, from brunch and lunch through to dinner, alongside an exciting cocktail and drinks menu. We're proud of our warm, friendly approach, our high standards and our commitment to creating memorable experiences for every guest. We're a part of an eclectic collection of unique pubs, well-regarded restaurants, premium hotels and award-winning microbreweries. We're a growing business with a modern outlook, a strong team culture and plenty of opportunities for people who want to develop their careers.

Your role as Head Chef: As Head Chef, you'll have the opportunity to put your own creative stamp on the food at Old Bicycle Shop. We believe every business should have its own identity. That means giving our Head Chefs the autonomy to create menus that reflect their venue, their customers and their own culinary style. Working with fresh, seasonal ingredients, you'll develop menus and daily specials that showcase produce at its best. Whether it's a modern take on a classic, creative small plates, fresh seafood or something completely original, we're looking for a chef who is excited by great ingredients and isn't afraid to bring new ideas to the table. You'll lead from the front - inspiring your team, developing talent and creating a kitchen culture where people take pride in what they do. You'll balance creativity with strong commercial awareness, ensuring the kitchen consistently delivers exceptional food while maintaining excellent GP, labour and operational standards.

What we offer:

• Full creative autonomy to develop your own menus and specials
• Access to our Apprenticeship Scheme and Development Programmes
• Regular culinary masterclasses, including Game, Butchery and Shellfish
• Inspirational food trips with our top-quality suppliers
• Regular Chef Forums with fellow Head Chefs to share ideas and develop your skills
• Free meals while working
• 20% discount in all Young's Pubs
• 30% discount on overnight stays in our Pubs with Rooms
• Share Save Scheme
• Enhanced Company Pension Scheme
• 28 days' holiday per year

What we're looking for: We're looking for an ambitious, creative and hands-on chef who knows how to get the best out of both people and produce. You’ll ideally:

• Have experience as a Head Chef or experienced Sous Chef, with a proven track record of delivering excellent food and service
• Have a genuine passion for fresh, seasonal produce and creative cooking
• Be an inspiring leader who can develop, motivate and bring out the best in your team
• Lead by example and be a hands-on chef who thrives in a busy kitchen
• Have excellent communication and people skills, working closely with both kitchen and front-of-house teams
• Be confident creating, costing and delivering seasonal menus and daily specials
• Take responsibility for kitchen rotas, training, food safety, health & safety and day-to-day kitchen standards
• Have strong planning and organisational skills, with a good understanding of GP, labour and kitchen controls
• Be commercially minded, with a proactive approach to driving sales and growing the business
• Most importantly, bring energy, creativity and pride to everything that comes out of your kitchen

Ready to make your mark? If you're a chef who wants the freedom to create, the opportunity to lead and the support of a business that genuinely invests in its people, we'd love to hear from you. Come and put your stamp on Old Bicycle Shop.