Head Chef - North London Gastro Pub in Barnet

Head Chef for Award Winning North London Gastropub

Are you passionate about food, the great British pub, seasonality and sustainability? Then we’d love to hear from you.

We’re recruiting a skilled Head Chef for an established, much loved, independently run pub in East Finchley, North London.

Days and hours

47 hours per week. Wednesday to Sunday (with occasional days for special events). The kitchen is closed on Mondays, Tuesdays, Christmas Day, Boxing Day, and New Years Day. The kitchen closes at 9pm (Wed to Sat) and 7pm on Sundays.

About us

We’re a small, successful pub business, with a number of awards and accolades, including The British Institute of Innkeeping ‘Licensee of The Year Award’. We’re ambitious, and we’re looking for a passionate, hands on chef to work with us to step our food offer up, help develop our menu, and improve our kitchen operation, building on an excellent existing reputation and loyal customer base.

All food is prepared on site and cooked with integrity. We like to keep things fairly simple and seasonal, using British ingredients, including produce from our own kitchen garden, to shape a menu of exceptionally prepared pub classics and British seasonal specials.

We care about our people, our customers, our community, and the environment, and we look for like-minded people when we recruit. We’re a small, close-knit team, working together to create a great experience for everyone who walks through our doors, whilst also looking after one-another, and mucking in whenever needed. We leave our egos at the door and get things done together.

What we need

We’re looking for someone who has held a Senior Sous or Head Chef role in the UK for a minimum of two years within a season-driven gastropub or restaurant where the menu is focused on British produce. You’ll work directly with the business owners to develop and grow the kitchen operation, collaborating and then leading on menu development. You will lead, develop and inspire a small kitchen team in a positive, calm, welcoming, and inclusive working environment.

This is a hands-on role in a small team. You won’t be weighed down with too many admin tasks, but we will expect a strong understanding of GP, great stock management, allergen awareness, solid menu and recipe writing skills, and exceptional standards of hygiene and food safety.

About you

• You must be resident in the UK and have the right to work here.
• Proven experience as a Head Chef or a Senior Sous Chef ready to take the next step.
• Passionate about food and seasonal British produce.
• Ability to output fantastic looking plates and produce sensational, high level Sunday roasts.
• Willing to go above and beyond to ensure all the dishes you produce are of the very best standard.
• Can manage and supervise a small kitchen whilst also maintaining high level food hygiene safety standards.
• Confident communicator.
• Can help and support with stock management and food GP margins.
• Capable of running the kitchen alone in quieter times.
• Someone who thrives on delivering a menu to a high standard, consistently.
• Someone who cares where meat comes from and how it's cooked.
• Organised, hands-on, and calm under pressure.

Experience and skills

• Prior experience as a chef within a fast-paced, quality kitchen is a must.
• Butchery and fish skills.
• Pastry work and pie making skills.
• Menu creation and recipe writing.
• Holding a Level 3 Food Safety qualification is essential.

We offer:

• Paid breaks.
• Free meals on shift.
• Training and upskilling.
• Discounts on food and drink.
• NEST pension.
• A share of tips and service charge.
• Warm and friendly environment.