Head Chef | Revival Wellness Café | Bournemouth
£34,000–£38,000 per year (depending on experience) + Performance Bonus | Full-time | Permanent
At Revival, we’re passionate about creating exceptional food, coffee and customer experiences.
Since opening in 2024, we’ve built a reputation as one of Bournemouth’s leading independent cafés by refusing to cut corners. We use quality ingredients, prepare food fresh every day, make many of our own components from scratch, and believe that consistency, presentation and genuine hospitality are what keep our customers coming back.
We’re now looking for an experienced, hands-on Head Chef to lead our kitchen and help take it to the next level.
This isn’t a traditional restaurant Head Chef role. We’re a busy daytime brunch café with a small, close-knit kitchen where the Head Chef leads from the front, working alongside the team every day while maintaining exceptional standards, developing people and ensuring every plate leaving the pass reflects what Revival stands for.
If you love fresh food, take pride in organisation, enjoy mentoring others and believe that the smallest details make the biggest difference, we’d love to hear from you.
About Our Kitchen
Quality is at the heart of everything we do.
Our menu is built around fresh breakfasts, brunch and lunch dishes, with preparation completed every morning to ensure smooth, consistent service throughout the day.
Many of our ingredients are prepared in-house, including our hummus, dressings, sauces and other components. We don’t rely on shortcuts, convenience products or microwaves—every dish is cooked fresh to order using quality ingredients and careful preparation.
Our kitchen is compact but well organised, so efficiency, preparation and communication are essential. You’ll be responsible for ensuring prep is completed to a high standard, ingredients are stored correctly, stock is managed effectively and the kitchen remains clean, organised and service-ready at all times.
Presentation is incredibly important to us. We believe customers eat with their eyes first, so every plate should look vibrant, consistent and beautifully presented. The quality and flavour are what bring people back.
The Role
As Head Chef, you’ll oversee the day-to-day running of the kitchen while remaining fully hands-on throughout every service.
You’ll lead by example, organise prep, maintain exceptional food safety standards, manage stock and ordering, support and develop the team, and continuously look for ways to improve our systems and consistency.
You’ll work closely with the owners to help maintain the standards Revival has become known for while supporting the future growth of the business.
A structured, hands-on training and onboarding period will be provided to ensure a smooth transition into the role and give you time to learn our recipes, systems and standards.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead the kitchen while remaining hands-on throughout every service.
- Organise and oversee daily preparation to ensure smooth, efficient service.
- Prepare fresh ingredients and in-house recipes to consistently high standards.
- Ensure every dish is presented beautifully and consistently.
- Maintain exceptional food hygiene, cleanliness and EHO standards.
- Manage stock levels, ordering and supplier deliveries.
- Monitor stock rotation, minimise waste and maintain excellent organisation.
- Support, coach and develop the kitchen team.
- Help maintain a calm, positive and solution-focused kitchen culture.
- Work closely with management on menu improvements, systems and operational efficiencies.
- Ensure the customer experience remains at the heart of every decision.
What We’re Looking For
We’re looking for someone who genuinely cares about quality and takes pride in their work.
The ideal candidate will have:
- Previous experience as a Head Chef, Sous Chef or Kitchen Manager.
- Experience within a café, brunch or breakfast-focused kitchen.
- Excellent organisational and time management skills.
- Strong knowledge of food safety, HACCP and EHO standards.
- Experience managing stock, ordering and controlling waste.
- A passion for fresh food and high-quality ingredients.
- Outstanding attention to detail and consistency.
- Confidence leading and motivating a small team.
- The ability to remain calm and organised during busy services.
- A proactive, solution-focused attitude.
- Excellent communication skills.
- A willingness to learn, improve and help others develop.
Our Philosophy
Everything we do starts with the customer experience.
Every decision we make—from the ingredients we buy to the way we plate our food and communicate with one another—is centred around creating an experience that keeps people coming back.
We don’t believe in cutting corners. If something isn’t right, we fix it. If something can be improved, we work together to improve it.
Our standards are non-negotiable because consistency builds trust with our customers. Every plate leaving the kitchen is a reflection of our business, and we expect it to be something we’re proud to serve.
Communication, teamwork and accountability are just as important as cooking ability. We succeed when everyone supports one another, takes ownership of their role and works towards the same goal.
We’re looking for someone who shares those values—someone who leads by example, inspires the team around them and genuinely cares about delivering an exceptional experience for every guest who walks through our doors.
Our Culture
One of the things we’re most proud of at Revival is our team.
We’re a close-knit group who genuinely enjoy working together. We support one another through busy services, celebrate achievements together and regularly organise team socials outside of work.
As an independent business, everyone plays an important role. We don’t believe in “that’s not my job”—we believe in communicating openly, supporting one another and doing whatever it takes to deliver an exceptional customer experience.
We’re also an ambitious business with exciting plans for future growth. As we expand into new locations, we’re looking for someone who wants to grow with us. For the right person, this role offers the opportunity to help shape future kitchens, contribute to menu development, support new site openings and play an important role in the next stage of Revival’s journey.
If you’re looking for a workplace where you’ll be appreciated, challenged to grow and given the opportunity to make a real impact, we’d love to hear from you.
What We Offer
- £34,000–£38,000 per year, depending on experience.
- Performance bonus, recognising excellence in areas such as customer feedback, kitchen standards, cleanliness, organisation, efficiency, waste reduction, operational improvements and helping drive new initiatives within the business.
- Daytime hours only (kitchen operating between 7:30am and 6:00pm).
- Structured training and supported onboarding.
- Opportunity to shape and lead the kitchen.
- Genuine opportunities for progression as the business grows.
- Free meals and coffee during shifts.
- Staff discount.
- Company pension.
- Flexible working where possible.
- Ongoing training and professional development.
- Friendly and supportive management team.
- Team socials and company events.
- Employee recognition programmes.
- 28 days paid holiday (pro rata).
Pay: £34,000.00-£38,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Company pension
- Discounted or free food
- Employee discount
Work Location: In person
