Chef / Café Manager – Lay of the Land (Lead & Elevate Our Café – No Evenings!)
Lay of the Land Café is looking for an experienced, driven Chef / Café Manager to take full ownership of our kitchen and front-of-house operation. This is a key leadership role for someone who wants to step up, lead from the front, and raise standards across the board — all within a daytime-only café environment.
If you’re passionate about quality food, excellent service, and building a standout local café, this is your opportunity to make your mark.
Role Details
- 5-day working week
- Daytime hours only – no evening work
- Weekend work required (with at least one weekend off)
- Tips on top of wages
- Leadership role with real responsibility and input
About the Role
This is more than a chef job — you will be running and shaping the day-to-day operation of the entire café.
You’ll be trusted to take ownership, drive standards higher, and lead by example, with ongoing support from the owner. We’re looking for someone who takes pride in delivering quality, consistency, and a great customer experience every day.
Key Responsibilities
- Leading and managing all aspects of kitchen operations
- Designing and developing high-quality menus and creative daily specials
- Driving continuous improvement in food quality, presentation, and service standards
- Maintaining strict food hygiene, safety, and compliance standards
- Keeping the kitchen clean, organised, and running efficiently
- Overseeing the overall café operation, both kitchen and front-of-house
- Delivering excellent customer service and building rapport with regular customers
- Preparing drinks, including coffees and other beverages
- Setting the tone, leading by example, and helping build a strong team culture
What We’re Looking For
- Proven experience as a chef
- Someone ready to step into a leadership role and take real ownership
- High standards and the drive to push quality and consistency to the next level
- Strong organisational and problem-solving skills
- Creativity and passion for menu development
- Excellent understanding of food hygiene standards
- A hands-on, can-do attitude
- Friendly, approachable, and customer-focused
What We Offer
- No evening work – genuine work/life balance
- Tips on top of pay
- The chance to lead, influence, and shape the café’s future
- Support from the owner, while giving you autonomy to run the operation
- A positive, community-focused working environment
- Competitive pay depending on experience
If you’re ready to take pride in your work, lead a team, and help elevate a growing café to the next level, we’d love to hear from you.
Pay: £12.98-£14.00 per hour
Expected hours: 40.0 – 45.0 per week
Work Location: In person
