Head Chef – The Pilgrim Fathers, Scrooby | Harper Inns
Salary: £31,200–£39,000 per year, dependent on experience
Annual tip share and quarterly bonus
Full-time
Are you an experienced Head Chef looking for the opportunity to take ownership of a well-established kitchen and make it your own?
The Pilgrim Fathers at Scrooby is looking for a talented, organised and commercially minded Head Chef to lead its kitchen team.
Part of the independent Harper Inns group, The Pilgrim Fathers is a well-established village pub with a loyal customer base, a welcoming atmosphere and a strong reputation within the local community.
As one of Harper Inns’ smaller venues, it offers the best of both worlds: the support, resources and progression opportunities of a successful multi-site hospitality group, combined with the close-knit team and personal feel of an independent country pub. Its more manageable scale gives the Head Chef genuine oversight of the kitchen, the opportunity to build strong relationships with the team and guests, and the freedom to make a visible difference.
With more than 10 years’ experience in hospitality, Harper Inns has built a reputation for quality food, great service and characterful venues. This is an exciting opportunity for a Head Chef who wants real ownership of their kitchen while remaining supported by an experienced group team.
The Role
This is a hands-on leadership position in which you’ll take responsibility for the day-to-day running and continued development of the kitchen.
You’ll lead from the front during service, maintain consistently high standards and create a positive, well-organised working environment. Alongside delivering the pub’s established food offering, you’ll have scope to introduce seasonal specials, develop new ideas and shape a menu that suits the venue and its customers.
Your responsibilities will include:
- Taking full ownership of the kitchen and its daily operation
- Leading, motivating and developing a close-knit kitchen team
- Creating consistently high-quality, well-presented dishes
- Developing seasonal specials and contributing ideas to the wider menu
- Planning rotas effectively and managing kitchen wage costs
- Managing ordering, stock control and supplier relationships
- Monitoring GP, portion control and wastage
- Maintaining excellent food hygiene, cleanliness and kitchen safety standards
- Ensuring the kitchen is organised, prepared and ready for every service
- Recruiting, training and retaining reliable kitchen team members
- Working closely with the General Manager and front-of-house team
- Building a positive kitchen culture based on respect, teamwork and high standards
- Supporting functions, events and busier seasonal periods when required
What We’re Looking For
- Proven experience as a Head Chef, or a strong Sous Chef ready to take the next step
- Experience working in a busy, fresh-food pub or restaurant kitchen
- Strong leadership and communication skills
- A hands-on approach and willingness to lead from the front
- Excellent organisation and attention to detail
- A good understanding of GP, wage control, stock management and wastage
- Confidence in creating dishes that are appealing, achievable and commercially viable
- A calm and consistent approach during busy services
- A genuine commitment to cleanliness, food safety and kitchen standards
- Someone who values teamwork and treats colleagues with respect
- A reliable and positive individual who wants to become an important part of the venue
What You’ll Get in Return
- A salary of £31,200–£39,000 per year, dependent on experience
- Annual tip share
- 50% staff discount on food for you and a guest across all Harper Inns venues
- Genuine ownership of an established kitchen and food offering
- The opportunity to work with a smaller, close-knit team
- Support from Harper Inns’ experienced group operations and kitchen teams
- Access to the resources and buying power of a successful multi-site hospitality group
- Freedom to contribute ideas and put your own stamp on the venue
- Genuine opportunities for development and progression within Harper Inns
The Pilgrim Fathers offers a fantastic opportunity for a chef who wants to run their own kitchen without the scale and complexity of a much larger venue. You’ll be able to get to know your team, understand your customers and have a direct influence on the pub’s success—all while benefiting from the backing of the wider Harper Inns group.
If you’re ready to take ownership of a well-established kitchen and lead a team you can be proud of, we’d love to hear from you.
Apply now and become part of the Harper Inns team.
Pay: £31,200.00-£39,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Company events
- Company pension
- Employee discount
- Free parking
Work Location: In person
