Executive Chef

Are you a passionate foodie with proven leadership skills? We’re looking for a talented and driven Executive Chef to lead and inspire kitchen teams in our premium inn. In this role you will oversee, lead and coordinate kitchen operations, ensuring all food is consistently prepared and presented to the highest standards. You will lead from the front and support the kitchen team and front of house teams to deliver exceptional quality and service, maintaining full compliance with company procedures while driving performance to exceed guest expectations and meet business KPI metrics. Your Day to Day: Leadership in Service – leading the kitchen team from the front during service, running shifts with a hands‑on approach to ensure smooth operations, consistent quality, and timely delivery of dishes. Operational Planning – developing and delivering meaningful operational plans for the kitchen in collaboration with General Managers and the Head of Food. Team Culture & Engagement – fostering an environment where the kitchen team feel engaged, supported, and constructively challenged. Promoting a positive working relationship between kitchen and Front of House teams. Menu Innovation & Quality – designing menus that exceed guest expectations, positioning the venue as recognised foodie destinations through hyper‑seasonality, provenance, on‑trend menu design, consistent delivery, and a relentless drive for continuous improvement. Health, Safety & Allergen Compliance – taking charge of all kitchen health, safety, and food hygiene standards, ensuring spotless working practices and full legal compliance. Recruitment & Development – taking the lead role in selecting candidates whose personal values, experience and drive align with the company’s guiding principles. Actively participating in their induction, training, and ongoing development. Profitability & Cost Control – taking full responsibility for kitchen profitability, including ordering and purchasing through Procure Wizard, managing food stocks, portion control, menu pricing, and invoice processing. Supplier Management – working with the General Manager and Head of Food to approve and negotiate with local suppliers, ensuring full allergen compliance is met. Communication & Engagement – communicating all aspects of provenance, allergens, nutrition, and other distinctive product information to all Team members. Acting as the professional voice of the kitchen to customers, providing expert advice on menu and food design. Using culinary expertise to enhance the venue’s social media presence, engaging with audiences and promoting the venue. Operational Efficiency & Performance Monitoring – keeping the kitchen running like clockwork, from maintaining spotless, safe working practices to delivering great food consistently during busy services. Keeping a close eye on costs, portion control, team performance, and standards, making sure every part of the operation is efficient without losing the craft and care our guests expect. You’ll be working closely with the General Manager and Head of Food, you’ll balance innovation with operational precision – designing menus that reflect local character while meeting key business goals. From team development and supplier relationships to cost control and compliance, you’ll be the driving force behind the kitchen. You’ll be a proven leader with experience as Head Chef or Executive Chef in a similar environment for at least 3 years. You’ll be skilled in delivering to 2–3 rosette standard . We are looking for someone who is passionate about food, driven by delivering fantastic food on a plate for all guests and residents. You'll be detail‑oriented, solution‑focused and able to demonstrate first class customer care when dealing with both internal and external customers. You’ll have strong organisational skills and ability to thrive in a fast‑paced setting. Ideally you will be Food Safety Level 3 qualified or equivalent (or willingness to achieve). You need to be flexible, adaptable and comfortable with ambiguity. If you’re a rosette-standard chef with a hunger to lead from the front, we’d love to hear from you. In return, we are offering a rewarding role with scope for career progression along with: A competitive salary, negotiable dependent on experience Stream - the ability to access up to 40% of your wages as you earn them each week 28 days annual leave (rising to 33 days after 5 years) Health cash plan High Street discounts Discounted accommodation, food and drink in our beautiful properties across the country. Employee Assistance Programme Enhanced maternity and paternity pay Apprenticeships available Life assurance Long service awards, including free meals and free stays with friends and family Bespoke training programmes accessible to all An engaging & supportive work environment #J-18808-Ljbffr Thwaites