HEAD CHEF – POCKLINGTON
Exciting Opportunity | Fresh Start | Build Your Own Kitchen Team | Create Your Own Menu
We are looking for an experienced, motivated and ambitious Head Chef to take full ownership of a kitchen operation at our venue in Pocklington.
This is a genuinely exciting opportunity for someone who wants more than simply stepping into an existing kitchen and following somebody else's systems.
There is currently no food offering in place, meaning you will be coming into a fresh kitchen operation with the opportunity to help us build the food side of the business from the ground up.
THE OPPORTUNITY
We want the successful Head Chef to treat the kitchen as their own domain.
Working alongside the management team, you will have significant input and responsibility for creating a food operation that works for both the business and the local customer base.
You will have the opportunity to:
- Create and develop your own menu, with input from the management team.
- Help decide the days and kitchen opening hours that will work best for the business.
- Develop specials, seasonal dishes and new food ideas.
- Put your own systems and procedures into place.
- Organise and manage the day-to-day running of the kitchen.
- Recruit your own kitchen team, including a Sous Chef and KP/Pot Washer.
- Train and develop your team to your own high standards.
- Build relationships with suppliers and help source quality ingredients at sensible prices.
- Take ownership of ordering, stock levels, portion control and waste.
- Maintain excellent standards of food quality, presentation and consistency.
- Ensure the kitchen maintains the highest standards of cleanliness, food hygiene and health & safety.
- Work closely with the venue management team to grow the food side of the business.
A CHANCE TO BUILD SOMETHING YOURSELF
This role would be ideal for an experienced chef who has always wanted the opportunity to run a kitchen as if it were their own without the financial commitment and risk of opening their own restaurant or pub.
Rather than walking into an established kitchen where everything has already been decided, you'll have the opportunity to put your own stamp on things from day one.
Your menu. Your kitchen team. Your organisation. Your standards.
You will have the freedom to bring forward ideas and make the kitchen your own while having the backing and support of the wider management team.
We aren't looking for someone to simply turn up, cook somebody else's menu and go home. We want someone who takes pride in their kitchen and wants to help build a successful food business.
WHO WE'RE LOOKING FOR
The ideal candidate will:
- Have previous experience as a Head Chef, Kitchen Manager or experienced Sous Chef ready to make the step up.
- Be confident running and organising a kitchen independently.
- Have a genuine passion for fresh, quality pub food.
- Be comfortable developing menus and costing dishes.
- Understand GP, portion control, stock management and reducing waste.
- Be confident recruiting, training and managing kitchen staff.
- Have strong food hygiene and health & safety knowledge.
- Be organised, reliable and able to lead from the front.
- Be commercially aware while maintaining excellent food standards.
- Have the drive and ambition to build a successful kitchen operation from scratch.
YOUR KITCHEN TEAM
You won't be expected to do everything alone.
As the food operation develops, you will have the opportunity to recruit and build the kitchen team you need, including:
Sous Chef
To work alongside you and help with the day-to-day running of the kitchen.
KP / Pot Washer
To support the kitchen operation and keep everything running smoothly.
Further staffing requirements can be discussed as the food operation and sales develop.
WHAT WE CAN OFFER
- A rare opportunity to build a kitchen operation from scratch.
- Genuine input into the menu and food concept.
- Input into kitchen opening hours and operating structure.
- The opportunity to recruit and develop your own team.
- Freedom to bring your own ideas to the business.
- Support from an experienced management team.
- The opportunity to develop the food offering as the business grows.
- A role where your ideas will actually be listened to.
- The chance to create something you can genuinely be proud of.
THE RIGHT PERSON
This could be the perfect opportunity for a chef who is frustrated with working in kitchens where every decision is made for them.
Maybe you've thought about running your own place but don't want the financial risk of taking on a pub or restaurant yourself.
Maybe you're an experienced Sous Chef who's ready to prove you can run your own kitchen.
Or perhaps you're already a Head Chef and simply want a fresh start where you can build something your way.
Whatever your situation, if you're ambitious, passionate about food and like the idea of taking ownership of a brand-new food operation in Pocklington, we'd love to hear from you.
Pay: From £15.50 per hour
Expected hours: 30.0 – 45.0 per week
Benefits:
- Company events
- Company pension
- Discounted or free food
- Employee discount
- Free parking
- On-site parking
- Store discount
Work Location: In person
