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- Tasks: Lead a passionate kitchen team and create consistently excellent dishes.
- Company: Join the supportive Upham Inns family with a people-first culture.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, flexible shifts, free meals, and discounts on food and hotels.
- Why this job: Shape the future of food in a growing business that values your skills.
- Qualifications: Experience as a Head Chef or strong Sous Chef ready to step up.
- Other info: Exciting growth opportunities and a chance to develop future culinary talent.
The predicted salary is between 36000 - 60000 £ per year.
Join the Upham Inns Family and Lead From the Kitchen. An exciting new chapter is underway at Upham Inns. Following recent acquisitions and continued growth across our pub family, we’re expanding our kitchen leadership teams and are now looking for an inspiring, hands-on Head Chef to help shape the future of our food. This is a fantastic opportunity to join a growing, people-first business where food quality, standards, and development truly matter. Our pubs are evolving, our ambitions are big, and we’re looking for a Head Chef who is passionate about great cooking, proud to lead and develop chefs, and committed to running a clean, safe, and legally compliant kitchen. If you love producing consistently excellent food, building strong kitchen teams, and creating an environment where chefs can learn, grow, and succeed, this could be the role for you.
What’s in it for you?
- Competitive salary to be discussed at interview, plus bonus potential & Tronc
- Flexible shifts where possible – balance matters
- Free meal on shift – great food fuels great chefs
- Up to 50% off food when dining with up to 6 guests
- 33% off hotel stays across our collection
- Award-winning training and development, including clear progression opportunities
- Wage streaming service – access your pay when you need it
- Salary Extras Portal – discounts at Asda, Aldi, B&Q, H&M, Clarks, Tesco & more, plus Cycle2Work Service
- Awards & Birthday Gift – because you matter
- £1,000 refer-a-friend & chef recruitment incentives
About the Role
Being a Head Chef with us is about more than delivering great dishes. It’s about setting standards, developing people, and creating a kitchen culture built on pride, professionalism, and teamwork. You’ll take ownership of food quality and consistency, lead from the front during service, and play a key role in training and mentoring your brigade. You’ll also ensure the kitchen operates to the highest standards of cleanliness, safety, and legal compliance, every single day.
Head Chef Responsibilities
- Lead and inspire the kitchen team to deliver consistently high-quality food
- Train, coach, and develop chefs at all levels, building strong future talent
- Ensure food preparation and service meet company specifications and brand standards
- Maintain excellent hygiene, health & safety, and food safety standards at all times
- Ensure full compliance with food safety legislation, allergen controls, and due diligence
- Oversee ordering, stock control, portioning, and wastage management
- Manage kitchen rotas in line with labour budgets
- Work closely with the General Manager to deliver a seamless guest experience
- Drive a positive, professional, and supportive kitchen culture
What We’re Looking For
We’re looking for a Head Chef who leads with skill, pride, and purpose:
- Proven experience as a Head Chef or strong Sous Chef ready to step up
- A genuine passion for producing great food using quality ingredients
- A strong focus on cleanliness, food safety, and legal compliance
- Confidence in training, mentoring, and developing chefs
- Organised, calm under pressure, and detail-focused
- Commercial awareness around GP, stock control, and labour
- Flexible to work up to 48 hours per week, including evenings, weekends, and bank holidays
- Right to Work in the UK
Why Join Us?
At the heart of Upham Inns is a strong family culture. When you join us, you become part of a supportive, hands-on business that genuinely cares about its people. We invest in developing our chefs, taking time to understand their goals and helping them progress. As our business continues to grow, so do the opportunities to move forward in your career, whether that’s developing your own kitchen team, stepping into multi-site roles, or supporting future openings. Our pubs are known for warm hospitality and seriously good food, delivered by teams who take pride in what they do.
It’s an Exciting Time to Join Us
We’re growing, investing, and raising the bar across our kitchens and we want passionate chefs to grow with us. If you’re ready to lead a kitchen you can be proud of, develop chefs, and deliver food that guests return for time and time again, we’d love to hear from you. Let us be part of your next chapter.
Head Chef in Havant employer: Upham Head Office
Contact Detail:
Upham Head Office Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Head Chef in Havant
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to fellow chefs and industry contacts. Attend local food events or workshops to meet people who can help you land that Head Chef role. Remember, it’s all about who you know!
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! If you can, create a portfolio of your best dishes or even host a tasting event. This gives potential employers a taste of what you can bring to their kitchen.
✨Tip Number 3
Be proactive! Don’t just wait for job postings. Reach out directly to pubs and restaurants you admire. Express your passion for their food and ask if they’re looking for a Head Chef. You never know what opportunities might arise!
✨Tip Number 4
Apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, we love seeing candidates who are genuinely interested in joining the Upham Inns family. Let’s make your next career move together!
We think you need these skills to ace Head Chef in Havant
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for Food: When writing your application, let your love for cooking shine through! Share your experiences and what inspires you about food. We want to see that you're not just a chef, but someone who truly cares about the quality and creativity of the dishes you create.
Highlight Your Leadership Skills: As a Head Chef, you'll be leading a team, so make sure to emphasise your experience in training and developing others. Talk about how you've built strong kitchen teams in the past and how you plan to inspire your future brigade with us.
Be Clear and Concise: Keep your application straightforward and to the point. Use clear language to describe your skills and experiences. We appreciate a well-structured application that makes it easy for us to see why you’d be a great fit for our kitchen!
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for this exciting opportunity. Plus, it shows you’re keen to join the Upham Inns family!
How to prepare for a job interview at Upham Head Office
✨Show Your Passion for Food
When you walk into the interview, let your love for cooking shine through. Share specific examples of dishes you've created or techniques you've mastered. This will show them that you're not just a chef, but someone who genuinely cares about the quality and creativity of food.
✨Demonstrate Leadership Skills
As a Head Chef, you'll be leading a team, so it's crucial to highlight your leadership experience. Talk about how you've trained and developed other chefs in the past, and share any success stories of building strong kitchen teams. This will reassure them that you can inspire and motivate others.
✨Know Your Food Safety Standards
Make sure you're well-versed in food safety legislation and hygiene standards. Be prepared to discuss how you've maintained these standards in previous roles. This shows that you take cleanliness and compliance seriously, which is essential for running a successful kitchen.
✨Be Ready for Scenario Questions
Expect questions about how you'd handle specific kitchen scenarios, like managing a busy service or dealing with a food safety issue. Think through your responses ahead of time, using examples from your experience to demonstrate your problem-solving skills and calmness under pressure.
