Kitchen Manager / Head Chef in Manchester

Salary: £35,000 plus tronc

Contract: Permanent

Working Pattern: 45 hours per week. Includes evenings and weekend shifts depending on rota.

Dough Religion is a new‑school slice joint with an old‑school obsession for great dough. Serving up 18‑inch New York‑style pizzas made with premium ingredients from the UK and Italy, Dough Religion is shaking up the city’s pizza scene. We’re looking for a strong Kitchen Manager / Head Chef to lead the day‑to‑day running of our kitchen at House of Social, Manchester. This is a leadership position for someone who wants responsibility, progression and the opportunity to become a key part of Dough Religion as the brand scales.

Our Kitchen Manager / Head Chef:

• Takes ownership of the kitchen, manages the team effectively and protects standards whilst clearly communicating without needing supervision.
• Kitchen leadership: Lead prep and service, set the pace and make sure the team knows what good looks like.
• Food quality and consistency: Ensure every pizza, dough, side and menu item follows agreed specs and presentation standards.
• Ordering and supplier control: Manage ordering, stock levels and supplier communication while keeping waste under control.
• Stock taking and cost awareness: Complete accurate stock takes and support control of waste, usage, GP and efficiency.
• Specs and systems: Maintain recipe specs, prep sheets, labelling, allergen information and kitchen documents.
• Weekly reporting: Feed back clearly on stock, waste, team issues, training needs, supplier problems and operational wins.
• Rota involvement: Support rota planning by flagging staffing needs, holiday cover, skill gaps and pressure points.
• Team management: Train, coach and manage the kitchen team, including performance, conduct and accountability.
• Recruitment support: Help recruit, trial, onboard and develop new team members as the site and brand grow.
• Compliance: Maintain food safety, cleaning, date labelling, allergen and hygiene standards at all times.
• Communication: Report directly to the Group Chef with clear updates, solutions and accountability.

Who we want to join our team:

At Dough Religion we take dough seriously – but never ourselves! We’re looking for likeminded, passionate dough‑experts to join our team at the brand new and exciting brand.

Professional Experience:

• A Kitchen Manager, Head Chef, Senior Sous Chef or strong Sous Chef ready to step up.
• Calm, organised and confident leading a team in a busy kitchen.
• True operator who understands ordering, stock control, prep planning, specs and consistency.
• A leader who can hold standards without creating drama and can get the best out of people.
• Familiar and comfortable taking ownership, making sensible decisions and communicating early when support is needed.
• An experienced chef who cares about food quality, speed, cleanliness and customer experience in equal measure.

Desirable:

• Pizza, dough, bakery or high‑volume casual dining experience.
• Experience in food halls, delivery‑heavy sites, quick‑service kitchens or fast‑paced branded concepts.
• Confidence using stock, ordering, EPOS or kitchen management systems.
• Previous involvement in recruitment, training, probation reviews or team development.

Personal Characteristics:

• Ambitious individual who wants progression and is excited by the chance to grow with a brand.
• Strong organisational skills and attention to detail with rotas, stock control, and kitchen admin.
• A calm, motivated, and hands‑on leader who thrives under pressure.
• Flexibility to work evenings, weekends, and occasional offsite events.
• You must be a strong team player with a passion for working with people and customers.
• Have excellent communication and problem‑solving skills.
• Possess high personal standards and attention to detail.
• Be highly self‑motivated and flexible.

We’re looking for vibrant and enthusiastic people to join our wonderful team here at Dough Religion.

Why work for us:

• Training & development: Full training on Dough Religion dough process, pizza standards, specs and kitchen systems.
• Accountability: A leadership role with autonomy and direct support from the Group Chef.
• Growth: A chance to work inside a growing Manchester food brand with strong progression potential.
• Opportunities to grow into wider roles as Dough Religion and other linked brands develop.
• Holidays: Paid pro‑rata basis reflecting hours worked. Employees receive 28 days paid holiday including England & Wales Bank Holidays, pro‑rata.
• Perkbox: All employees get access to a Perkbox account, enabling them to choose lifestyle perks that matter by spending points on a wide range of products, services & experiences.
• Royal London Pension: Vita Group contributes 3% of salary to your pension pot in addition to a 5% employee contribution.
• Parties & Events: We host parties and events each year to celebrate success together.
• Recognition Programmes: We recognise and celebrate our people via numerous schemes.
• Career Development: All employees have a thorough induction and learning & development programme, with professional progression via training & recognition schemes.
• 24/7 Employee Assistance: All employees have access to a confidential service offering support and guidance for personal or work‑related issues that may be impacting wellbeing.

Important: All offers of employment are subject to satisfactory pre‑employment checks, which will include Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) checks. Unfortunately, we are unable to offer Right to Work Sponsorship. Therefore, if you require a company to sponsor your Right to Work in the UK, we will not be able to progress your application further.