Job Description: Head Chef Sweeney Inverness
Reports to: General Manager / Operations Manager
Salary: £40,000 plus gratuities
Hours: 45–48 hours per week (Full Time)
Shift Pattern: 5 days over 7, to include evenings and weekends
Location: Sweeney Inverness, 10 Huntly Street, Inverness
Help Shape the Guest Experience at One of Inverness's Newest Boutique Hotels
At Sweeney Hotels, we're passionate about creating beautifully designed places to stay and delivering memorable guest experiences. As we prepare to open our newest boutique hotel in Inverness, we're looking for a Head Chef to become a key part of our team. This is an exciting opportunity to join us from the very beginning, helping establish operational standards, shape the guest experience and play an important role in the growth of the Sweeney Hotels brand.
Role Purpose
The Head Chef takes full ownership of the kitchen at Sweeney Rooms Inverness, leading, coaching and developing the kitchen team to deliver food of a consistently high standard. With strong culinary expertise and a hands-on leadership style, the Head Chef leads with pride and passion, knowing how to deliver a guest experience that is exceptional and memorable, while acting as a motivating, calm presence in the kitchen during every shift.
The Core Menu
Fire, flavour, and a proper taste of the Highlands.
Our Core Menu is built around bold cooking and small plates designed for sharing — think sizzling pizzas fresh from the oven, punchy sides, and dishes packed with local character. It's fast-paced, sociable food with a real sense of place: Highland ingredients, big flavours, and nothing fussy about it. Whether you're grabbing a quick bite at the bar or settling in for a full spread with friends, the menu's built to keep the energy up and the plates moving. Alongside the Core Menu, the kitchen delivers residents' breakfast and a contemporary brunch offering, each brought to the table with the same energy and attention to detail.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead, supervise and motivate the kitchen team during shifts, setting the pace and standard for a memorable, exceptional guest experience.
- Train, coach and develop kitchen team members, building a confident, knowledgeable and high-performing team.
- Design, develop and cost menus, keeping the offer fresh, seasonal and aligned with the Sweeney brand.
- Ensure every dish leaving the kitchen is prepared and presented consistently to a high standard.
- Champion food quality and provenance, building strong relationships with local and trusted suppliers.
- Manage kitchen stock control, ordering, rotation and wastage, working within agreed food cost targets.
- Ensure full compliance with food hygiene, allergen and health & safety regulations across the kitchen.
- Own the cleanliness, organisation and maintenance of the kitchen, including equipment and storage areas.
- Manage pacing and communication between kitchen and floor to ensure a smooth, well-timed guest experience.
- Handle guest feedback relating to food confidently and professionally, resolving concerns on the spot where possible.
- Work closely with the General Manager and wider management team to ensure smooth, joined-up operations across the venue.
- Open and close the business as required, depending on shift worked.
Experience & Skills Sought
- Proven previous experience leading, managing and developing a kitchen team in a similar-quality venue.
- Strong culinary skills and menu development experience, with genuine pride and passion for food.
- A track record of training and upskilling team members, with strong coaching and people skills.
- Confident understanding of food costing, margins and stock management.
- High energy, hands-on leadership style with a natural ability to motivate others.
- Calm and decisive under pressure during busy service periods.
- Flexible availability, including evenings and weekends.
Key Performance Indicators
Performance will be assessed against the standard KPIs for the role, including:
- Food gross profit / food cost percentage against target.
- Wastage levels.
- Health, safety and food hygiene audit/EHO scores.
- Guest/customer satisfaction and feedback scores.
- Service times and consistency across breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner.
- Team retention and performance within the kitchen.
- Labour cost against budget.
Employee Benefits
· Pension scheme
· Team discount on stays and dining
· Training and career development
· Progression across Sweeney properties
· Guaranteed your birthday off
· Team Events
Pay: £40,000.00 per year
Work Location: In person
