Head Chef in Cambridge

Head Chef

Lead the kitchen at The Tivoli, Cambridge

Are you a passionate Head Chef who loves great food, developing people and having the freedom to put your own stamp on a kitchen?

We'd love to hear from you.

The Tivoli is one of Cambridge's most exciting hospitality venues. Spread across five unique floors, we're home to two food kitchens, four lively bars, indoor golf, shuffleboard, private event spaces and a stunning roof terrace overlooking Jesus Green. It's a busy, energetic and varied business where there's always something happening.

We're looking for an ambitious, creative and people-focused Head Chef to lead our kitchen team and shape the food offering across the venue.

We believe great food starts with great ingredients, talented people and the freedom to be creative. We champion fresh, seasonal produce and want our chefs to have a genuine say in what goes on the menu. You'll have the opportunity to develop dishes, introduce exciting specials and evolve our food offering throughout the year.

This isn't a role where you'll be stuck behind a desk. Our food vision is continuing to evolve, and you'll play a key role in shaping what comes next. Working closely with the wider management team, you'll help drive the strategy and development of both our food menus, bringing fresh ideas, creativity and a clear sense of direction to our kitchens.

We want a Head Chef who loves being involved in the food, leading from the front and bringing their ideas to life. You'll have the freedom to influence our menus, champion seasonal produce, introduce exciting new dishes and build a food offering that reflects the personality and ambition of The Tivoli.

What you'll be doing

• Leading, inspiring and developing a talented kitchen team across our two food kitchens.

• Creating exciting menus that champion fresh, seasonal produce and reflect the personality of The Tivoli.

• Having the freedom to develop dishes, introduce specials and bring new ideas to the table.

• Setting the standard for food quality, consistency and presentation.

• Working closely with the wider management team to deliver brilliant guest experiences.

• Building a positive kitchen culture where people enjoy coming to work, learn new skills and develop their careers.

• Supporting and mentoring your Sous Chefs and developing the next generation of chefs.

• Overseeing ordering, stock, GP and labour, ensuring the kitchen operates commercially without compromising food quality.

• Bringing energy, creativity and organisation to a varied operation covering daily service, events and busy weekends.

What we're looking for

We're looking for someone who is passionate about food and, just as importantly, passionate about people.

Ideally, you'll have:

• Experience as a Head Chef or a strong Sous Chef ready to take the next step.

• A genuine passion for fresh food, seasonal ingredients and menu development.

• The confidence to lead and develop a large kitchen team.

• A positive, hands-on approach and the ability to lead busy services.

• Good commercial awareness and an understanding of kitchen costs, stock and GP.

• A creative mindset and the confidence to bring new ideas to the table.

• A natural ability to build a positive, supportive and enjoyable kitchen culture.

Above all, we want someone who takes pride in their food, enjoys developing others and wants to make a real difference to the business.

Why The Tivoli?

We want The Tivoli to be somewhere chefs love working, not just somewhere they come to cook.

You'll be joining a close-knit and welcoming management team, with the opportunity to make your mark on a genuinely exciting food offering. You'll have creative freedom, support from the wider management team and the opportunity to build a kitchen team you're proud of.

We're part of Young's, which means there's also plenty of opportunity to develop your career, share ideas and progress within a wider hospitality business.

What you'll get from us

• Genuine creative freedom and input into menu development.

• The opportunity to shape the food offering at one of Cambridge's most exciting venues.

• A supportive management team who value ideas and encourage development.

• The opportunity to build, develop and lead your own kitchen team.

• Access to our Career Pathway, apprenticeships and industry-leading training.

• Free meals on shift.

• 28 days' holiday.

• 20% discount across all Young's pubs and 30% off overnight stays in our Pubs with Rooms.

• Company pension scheme.

• Share Save Scheme.

If you're a Head Chef who loves fresh food, creative menus and building brilliant teams, we'd love to meet you.

Come and make your mark at The Tivoli, Cambridge.