Head Chef – Grassmarket, Edinburgh
We are looking for an experienced, hands-on Head Chef to take ownership of the kitchen at hula café in Edinburgh’s Grassmarket.
Located in the heart of the Old Town, we serve fresh, high-quality breakfast, brunch and lunch dishes in a fast-paced environment. Our kitchen is compact and extremely busy, so we need someone who enjoys a challenge, stays calm under pressure and knows how to run an organised and efficient operation.
This is more than just a cooking role. We are looking for someone who will genuinely care about the kitchen, the food and the team working in it.
The Role
You will be responsible for:
- Leading, motivating and developing the kitchen team
- Ensuring every dish is prepared, presented and served to a consistently high standard
- Maintaining speed, quality and organisation during busy services
- Managing preparation, ordering, stock control and waste
- Controlling food costs and helping the kitchen achieve its financial targets
- Creating clear kitchen systems and ensuring they are followed
- Maintaining excellent food safety, cleanliness and kitchen standards
- Managing rotas, holidays and staffing levels alongside the management team
- Training new team members and supporting existing staff to improve
- Taking ownership of problems and finding practical solutions
- Working closely with the General Manager and senior management team
About You
We are looking for a confident kitchen leader who is happy to be hands-on and lead from the front.
You should be:
- Organised, reliable and calm under pressure
- Comfortable working in a small, high-volume kitchen
- Passionate about food quality, consistency and presentation
- Able to push and motivate the team while remaining fair and supportive
- Strong at planning, preparation and time management
- Commercially aware, with a good understanding of food costs, labour and waste
- Confident managing ordering, stock and kitchen systems
- Proactive and willing to take full ownership of the kitchen
- Positive, resilient and able to adapt when challenges arise
Previous experience as a Head Chef, Kitchen Manager or experienced Sous Chef in a busy café, brunch restaurant or high-volume kitchen would be ideal.
What We Offer
- A key leadership role within a growing independent hospitality business
- The opportunity to take ownership of the kitchen and make a real impact
- Support from an experienced management team
- A daytime-focused operation with no late-night service
- Staff food and company benefits
- Opportunities to develop as the business continues to grow
- Competitive salary based on experience
To apply, please send your CV and a short message explaining why you would be a good fit for the role.
We are looking for someone who takes pride in their kitchen, cares about their team and is excited by the challenge of running a busy, high-performing operation.
Pay: £14.50-£17.50 per hour
Benefits:
- Discounted or free food
- Employee discount
Work Location: In person
