Head Chef
Amber, Aldgate East, London
£50,000-£60,000 per year
Full-time
About Amber
Amber is an independent, founder-led restaurant in Aldgate East, East London.
Our food is rooted in the flavours, ingredients and generosity of the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East, but Amber is not a traditional Middle Eastern restaurant.
We take inspiration from across the region and combine it with a contemporary London approach to cooking. Familiar ingredients and flavours are used in new ways, alongside influences and techniques from elsewhere where they make sense.
Our menus are designed around sharing, with bold flavours, great produce and dishes that balance familiarity with something unexpected and influences from the wider food culture of London.
The result is food that should feel generous, interesting and distinctive without becoming complicated for the sake of it.
Amber is an established restaurant, but the food is not static. We want it to continue evolving while maintaining a clear identity.
The role
We are looking for an experienced Head Chef to take full responsibility for the day-to-day running of Amber's kitchen and play an important role in the continued development of its food.
This is a hands-on position. You will lead the team from the kitchen and be responsible for the standards, organisation, people and commercial performance behind the food.
A key part of the role is creating and developing dishes.
The overall food identity and direction of Amber are set by the owner, but we expect our Head Chef to contribute creatively within that direction.
You should be able to take an ingredient, an idea or a general direction and turn it into a finished dish. This includes researching, testing, tasting, costing and refining dishes, responding constructively to feedback and continuing to develop them until they are right for Amber.
You will be responsible for:
- Leading, training and developing the kitchen team
- Maintaining consistently high food and presentation standards
- Creating and developing new dishes within Amber's food direction
- Testing, refining, costing and documenting new dishes
- Continually reviewing and improving existing dishes
- Building strong prep, service and kitchen routines
- Managing GP, purchasing, ordering, stock, portion control and wastage
- Managing kitchen labour and productivity
- Maintaining strong BOH systems and administration
- Ensuring excellent food safety, allergen, HACCP and health & safety standards
- Developing chefs and creating accountability within the kitchen
- Maintaining supplier relationships and monitoring quality and value
- Working closely with the restaurant management team to deliver a consistently strong guest experience
About you
You will already have significant experience leading a high-quality, busy restaurant kitchen.
Importantly, you must have professional experience working with Mediterranean and/or Middle Eastern flavours, ingredients and cooking techniques.
You do not necessarily need to have worked in a traditional Middle Eastern restaurant. In fact, Amber's food is deliberately broader than that. But these flavours and ingredients should already be part of your cooking vocabulary.
We are looking for someone who:
- Has strong experience as a Head Chef in a quality restaurant
- Has a strong understanding of Mediterranean and/or Middle Eastern ingredients and flavours
- Is a strong and curious cook with a well-developed palate
- Can create dishes from an initial idea or direction rather than needing a finished recipe
- Understands balance, seasoning, acidity, texture and restraint
- Can receive feedback and continue developing a dish until it is right
- Understands that creativity also needs to work operationally and commercially
- Enjoys developing chefs and building a strong kitchen team
- Leads calmly and constructively, particularly under pressure
- Has high standards and knows how to maintain them consistently
- Understands food margin, labour, stock, purchasing and wastage
- Is organised and comfortable with the systems and administration required to run a kitchen properly
- Cares about ingredients, consistency and the details that separate good food from great food
What we offer
- £50,000-£60,000 per year, depending on experience
- 48-hour contract. We believe long hours don't create better kitchens, and work-life balance is an important part of how we operate.
- Genuine responsibility and ownership of the kitchen
- An established restaurant with a clear food identity
- Real involvement in creating and developing the menu
- Direct collaboration with the owner
- The freedom to bring your own ideas and experience within Amber's direction
- The opportunity to build and develop your own kitchen team
- A long-term role for someone who wants to make a genuine contribution to the restaurant
Application
Alongside your CV, please include a short note telling us:
Why does Amber and its style of food appeal to you, and what do you think separates a great Head Chef from a great cook?
Benefits:
- Discounted or free food
- Employee discount
- Referral programme
Job Types: Permanent, Full-time
Pay: £50,000.00-£60,000.00 per year
Benefits:
Work Location: In person
