Love music, food, and creating a buzz? You'll fit right in.
For more information visit musica.co.uk
About the Kitchen
MUSICA runs an American-Italian menu — think elevated bar classics, wood-fired energy, and crowd-pleasing flavours — served alongside live music and entertainment seven days a week. You'll lead a kitchen team of 4-5 chefs, with weekends being the heartbeat of the operation: high-energy, high-volume service in a venue that's as much about atmosphere as it is about food.
We sit in one of Bracknell's busiest dining destinations, surrounded by strong competition — so standing still isn't an option. We're looking for a Head Chef who's excited to keep pushing the menu forward: developing new dishes that keep customers coming back, while running a tight, cost-efficient kitchen that protects margins without compromising on quality.
We're a newly opened venue, and our weekends are already thriving. The next chapter — and the key opportunity in this role — is building our weekday trade. This is a genuine chance to shape food strategy that drives footfall Monday to Friday, not just maintain what's already working. Your ideas on menu, pricing, and offers will directly influence how we grow.
This is a rare opportunity to shape a food identity from the ground up in a venue with real personality — not just another kitchen, but the engine behind MUSICA's whole experience.
Purpose of the Role
The Head Chef leads all aspects of the kitchen operation, including food preparation, menu development, team management, and food safety. They ensure the highest standards of food quality and consistency.
Key Responsibilities
● Design and maintain food menus in line with seasonal trends, customer feedback, and cost margins.
● Continuously develop and refresh the menu to stay ahead of local competition and evolving customer tastes.
● Play a lead role in growing weekday trade through targeted menu offers, promotions, and food-led initiatives (e.g. lunch deals, themed weekday menus).
● Lead a kitchen brigade of 4-5 chefs — scheduling, training, and maintaining a positive kitchen culture.
● Maintain strict hygiene, health, and safety standards (HACCP compliance).
● Manage supplier relationships and inventory controls to minimise waste and maintain margins.
● Drive food cost efficiency through smart sourcing, portion control, and waste reduction, without compromising quality or creativity.
● Oversee food preparation, presentation, and portion control.
● Work with the General Manager on food costings and sales analysis.
● Ensure smooth kitchen operation during service and manage kitchen equipment maintenance.
Key Skills & Experience
● Strong experience in a Head or Senior Chef role.
● Culinary creativity and menu development skills, ideally within American-Italian or similar cuisine.
● Proven ability to innovate on menus while hitting tight food cost targets — not just creative, but commercially disciplined.
● Experience operating in a competitive, high-footfall location.
● Experience growing trade in a new or emerging venue, ideally with a track record of building weekday footfall through food.
● Excellent leadership and kitchen organisation.
● Understanding of food safety, allergens, and dietary requirements.
● Cost-conscious with the ability to manage kitchen budgets.
Employee Package
● Competitive base salary (commensurate with experience and role seniority)
● Performance bonus
● Inclusion in the TRONC scheme, providing a fair share of tips distributed across the team
● 28 days' paid holiday (including bank holidays)
● Company pension
● Staff meals on shift
● Uniform or contribution toward workwear
● Discounted or free food and drinks when off duty
● Employee discount
● Access to training and development programmes
● Opportunities for progression within a growing business
● Supportive and inclusive team culture
Career Development & Progression
As Head Chef, you'll have creative and operational freedom to shape the kitchen and influence the wider food offering. You'll collaborate directly with the General Manager and Directors on menu innovation, kitchen efficiencies, and food profitability.
Opportunities for progression include:
● Leading food development for future sites or brand extensions
● Evolving into a Group Executive Chef
● Participating in supplier strategy and brand partnerships
● Mentoring junior chefs and shaping kitchen culture across sites
This is a hands-on leadership role with long-term growth potential and direct access to decision-making within a growing independent business.
Job Details
● Job Types: Full-time, Permanent
● Work Location: In person
Job Types: Full-time, Permanent
Pay: £50,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Company pension
- Discounted or free food
- Employee discount
Work Location: In person
