Head Chef – Carmel, Queen's Park
Queen's Park, London (NW6)
£50,000–£60,000 per year, depending on experience
Full-time, Permanent
Lead the kitchen at Carmel — full ownership of the food and the day-to-day operation, backed by an established London restaurant group.
Visa sponsorship is not available.
About Carmel
Carmel is a relaxed, all-day restaurant and bar in the heart of Queen's Park.
Our food is Eastern Mediterranean and Middle Eastern, with wider Mediterranean influences. Seasonal, produce-led, built around bold flavours and simple, well-executed dishes.
We're part of the Berber & Q Group — known for creative cooking, open-fire influence, and a hands-on approach.
The Role
We're looking for a Head Chef to take full ownership of the kitchen at Carmel.
You'll own the day-to-day running of the kitchen and the menu itself — lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch (Sat & Sun). Keep it seasonal, produce-led, and true to Carmel's Eastern Mediterranean identity, working within the group's culinary direction.
This suits an established Head Chef, or a strong Sous ready to step up — someone creative but disciplined, commercially sharp, and confident leading a small, close-knit brigade.
What you'll do
Menu & Food
- Own, develop and evolve the menu across all services
- Keep it seasonal, produce-led and true to Carmel's style
- Cost dishes to hit GP without compromising quality
- Bring new ideas while protecting what makes Carmel work
Kitchen & Service
- Lead daily operations and deliver consistent service
- Set high standards for quality and presentation
- Be on the pass and support all sections
Team
- Recruit, train and develop the kitchen team
- Build rotas to labour targets and business levels
- Build a professional, respectful, accountable culture
- Manage performance and address issues
Numbers & Control
- Own GP, stock control and ordering
- Manage labour costs to target
- Use the group's systems to stay in control
Compliance
- Full food safety, hygiene and due diligence
- Complete daily due diligence and report issues promptly
- Keep clean, organised kitchen routines
- Own EHO readiness and documentation
What we're looking for
- Head Chef experience, or a strong Sous ready to step up
- Menu development in Eastern Mediterranean / Middle Eastern cooking
- Experience in high-quality, fast-paced kitchens
- Strong on cost control, GP and operations
- Confident leading and developing a team
- Comfortable in an open kitchen
- Real passion for open-fire and bold, flavour-led food
What we offer
- £50,000–£60,000, depending on experience
- A kitchen you lead and shape as your own
- Operational backing so you can focus on food — once you flag an issue, maintenance, contractors, compliance and payroll admin are handled by the team, not left on your pass
- 28 days holiday
- 50% off dining across the Berber & Q Group
- Free meals on duty
- Clear progression within the group
The details
Job type: Full-time, Permanent
Benefits: Company pension, employee discount
Experience required:
- Chef de Partie: 5 years
- Sous / Head Chef: 2 years
Work authorisation: UK (required)
Location: London NW6 6RA (in person)
Job Types: Full-time, Permanent
Pay: £50,000.00-£60,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Company pension
- Employee discount
Experience:
- Chef de Partie: 5 years (required)
- Sous chef / head chef: 2 years (required)
Work authorisation:
- United Kingdom (required)
Location:
- London NW6 6RA (preferred)
Work Location: In person
