Head Chef / Executive Head Chef

Central London | £70,000 + Tronc

We are working with a standout boutique hotel in Central London on the appointment of a hands-on Executive Head Chef.

This is a role for a chef who wants to be in the kitchen, on the pass and leading from the front. It is not an office-based Executive Chef position.

The property has a vibrant destination-led F&B operation, with a busy restaurant centred around Mexican cuisine with a strong California influence, alongside a high-energy rooftop bar and a packed programme of events, private dining and celebrations.

The Role

• You will lead a brigade of approximately 18–22 chefs across the wider F&B operation.
• You will have significant creative freedom and the opportunity to put your own stamp on the food.

Your role will include:

• Leading from the front during busy services
• Being hands-on in the kitchen and on the pass
• Developing and evolving menus
• Maintaining high standards of food, consistency and presentation
• Building, developing and motivating the kitchen brigade
• Working closely with the senior kitchen team
• Delivering large-scale events and private dining
• Working with the events and marketing teams on special menus
• Managing food costs, GP and kitchen performance
• Creating dishes that reflect the identity of the venue
• Driving the next stage of growth across the food operation
• The operation regularly handles busy restaurant services alongside events, private dining and full venue buyouts, with events reaching up to around 250 covers.

The Food

• The core food style is Mexican cuisine with a strong California influence, alongside subtle Japanese influences and a raw bar element.
• Mexican experience would be a major advantage, but it is not essential.
• We are also interested in chefs with backgrounds across:
• Mexican and Latin American cuisine
• California-inspired cooking
• Modern sharing concepts
• Japanese-influenced food
• Raw bar operations
• High-volume destination restaurants
• Premium restaurants, hotels or members clubs
• What matters most is that you understand food, have a creative mindset and genuinely love cooking.
• You will have the freedom to develop dishes, evolve the menus and create the kind of food that gets people talking.

The Venue

• This is a high-profile boutique hotel in Central London with a strong destination F&B operation.
• The restaurant and rooftop bar attract a mix of regular London clientele, high-profile guests, events and private bookings.
• The property has recently undergone significant investment across its F&B spaces, creating a fresh platform for the next stage of growth.
• There is also a strong senior leadership team in place across F&B, sales, marketing and events.

What We're Looking for

• We are looking for a chef with:
• Proven Head Chef or Executive Chef experience
• A genuinely hands-on approach
• High energy and a strong presence in the kitchen
• A real passion for cooking and developing food
• Experience leading a sizeable brigade
• Strong commercial understanding
• Experience with busy service and events
• The ability to develop and motivate a team
• Creativity and an understanding of current food trends
• Confidence working across multiple F&B operations
• You could come from a hotel, destination restaurant, members club or high-volume restaurant group.
• The key is personality, energy, passion and a genuine desire to cook.

The Package

• £70,000 plus tronc Approx 10k
• Brigade of approximately 18–22 chefs
• Significant creative freedom
• Strong events and F&B operation
• Central London location
• Opportunity to work closely with senior ownership
• Scope to develop the brigade and grow with the business
• If you are a chef who still gets excited by service, loves being on the pass and wants the freedom to create, this is an opportunity worth exploring.