This isn’t a typical Head Chef job.
If you’re tired of six-day weeks, endless evenings, split shifts and missing every family event, keep reading.
Pip’s is an independent, family-run craft kitchen serving breakfast and lunch, Tuesday to Saturday. We make food from scratch, we’re closed every Sunday and Monday, and evening service happens only around 18–20 times a year.
We’re looking for an exceptional Head Chef to help lead the next chapter of our business.
Why chefs love working here
- Closed every Sunday
- Two consecutive days off every week
- Primarily daytime service
- Scratch cooking with quality ingredients
- Small, experienced team
- Independent business where your ideas matter
- Guests who genuinely appreciate good food
About us
People don’t visit us because we’re convenient.
They travel to us.
We’re known for producing consistently excellent homemade food in a relaxed, quirky setting where quality comes before pretension.
We’re proud of what we’ve built, but we’re not standing still.
We’re looking for someone who wants to help shape what’s next.
The Opportunity
This is a genuine Head Chef role.
You’ll lead the kitchen day-to-day while working closely with the owners on menu development, food margins, systems, events and continuous improvement.
We’re looking for someone who enjoys both cooking and thinking.
Someone who gets excited about making food better, making service smoother and finding smarter ways to run a kitchen.
If you’ve ever looked at a menu and thought, “I could improve that,” you’ll fit right in.
You’ll be responsible for
- Leading and developing the kitchen team
- Maintaining exceptional food quality and consistency
- Menu development and seasonal specials
- Food GP, margins and waste reduction
- Ordering and supplier relationships
- Food safety and compliance
- Recruitment and training
- Helping shape the future direction of the kitchen
What we’re looking for
An experienced chef who:
- Loves cooking from scratch
- Leads calmly and positively
- Understands kitchen numbers as well as recipes
- Wants to build something rather than simply maintain it
- Takes genuine pride in their work
Pay, working pattern
Base salary: £36,000 per year.
In addition to base salary, the team receives tips freely given by guests. These have consistently averaged approximately £1.50–£2.50 per hour over each of the past two years, although tips are variable and cannot be guaranteed.
Based on the 48 hours avg. week and historic tip levels, this represents illustrative total cash earnings of approximately £39,000–£41,000 per year.
Average working week over the past year: 48 hours. This ranges from around 44 in January, when there are no evening services, to 52 at peak in summer.
We are closed every Sunday and Monday, and operate only around 18–20 evening services across the entire year.
Typically 80-120 covers per service including bakery, with Saturdays maxing out at around 225 across the day and quieter midweek services in January running closer to 40.
Additional earnings potential outside of contracted hours
For those with an entrepreneurial streak there is also great opportunity for additional earnings for through a gainshare agreement. This is genuinely optional to participate in and takes place outside of your contracted days.
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: £36,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Company pension
- Discounted or free food
- Employee discount
- Free parking
- On-site parking
Experience:
Work authorisation:
- United Kingdom (required)
Work Location: In person
