Our coffee shops are an important part of the garden centre experience. We believe great food should be made with care, using quality ingredients, locally sourced produce wherever possible, and recipes that customers return for time and time again.
We're looking for an experienced and passionate Head Chef to lead our kitchen team. This is an exciting opportunity for someone who enjoys creating fresh, seasonal menus, developing home-cooked dishes and inspiring a team to deliver exceptional food every day.
Our customers range from young families enjoying breakfast, to friends meeting for lunch and older generations returning for their favourite homemade meals and cakes. You'll understand how to create a menu that appeals to a wide audience while maintaining consistently high standards of quality, presentation and value.
Working closely with the Catering Manager, you'll be responsible for the day-to-day management of the kitchen, developing new ideas, maintaining excellent food safety standards and ensuring the kitchen operates efficiently and profitably. You'll continually look for opportunities to improve our offer, introduce seasonal specials and celebrate local suppliers to make our coffee shop a destination in its own right.
As our Head Chef you will:
- Lead, motivate and develop the kitchen team, creating a positive, supportive and high-performing working environment.
- Manage the day-to-day operation of the kitchen, ensuring smooth service and consistently high standards.
- Create fresh, seasonal menus featuring home-cooked food and locally sourced ingredients wherever possible.
- Develop exciting daily and seasonal specials that encourage repeat visits and maximise sales.
- Ensure dishes are prepared, cooked and presented to the highest standards every time.
- Source quality ingredients and identify new suppliers who offer innovation, value and excellent service.
- Order stock, manage deliveries and ensure all food is stored correctly.
- Manage stock levels, stocktakes, stock rotation and wastage to maximise profitability.
- Identify opportunities to improve sales, margins and operational efficiency.
- Maintain excellent standards of food hygiene, cleanliness and organisation throughout the kitchen.
- Ensure full compliance with Food Safety, Health & Safety, COSHH and company procedures.
- Maintain temperature records, cleaning schedules and all required food safety documentation.
- Monitor and maintain kitchen equipment, fixtures and fittings, reporting maintenance issues promptly.
- Support the planning and delivery of seasonal events and promotional activities.
- Work with the Catering Manager to introduce new products and continually improve the customer offer.
- Walk all kitchen and storage areas daily to maintain standards and ensure efficient operation.
- Maintain a visible presence within the servery, supporting the team and engaging with customers where appropriate.
- Recruit, train, coach and develop members of the kitchen team.
- Work collaboratively with front of house colleagues to deliver an outstanding customer experience.
- Listen to customer feedback and use it to continually improve our food offering.
You'll have:
- Previous experience as a Head Chef or Senior Sous Chef in a busy café, restaurant or hospitality environment.
- A genuine passion for fresh, home-cooked food using quality, seasonal and locally sourced ingredients.
- A creative approach to menu development, with lots of ideas for new dishes, seasonal specials and ways to delight customers.
- Experience catering for a broad customer base, creating menus that appeal to all generations.
- Strong commercial awareness with experience managing food costs, margins, stock and wastage.
- Excellent leadership skills with the ability to motivate, coach and develop a successful team.
- Experience of supplier management, ordering and stock control.
- A sound understanding of food safety legislation, allergen management, COSHH and Health & Safety.
- Excellent organisational skills with the ability to prioritise effectively in a fast-paced environment.
- High standards of attention to detail and pride in producing consistently excellent food.
- A flexible, hands-on approach and willingness to support the wider catering team whenever required.
- Strong communication skills and a commitment to delivering exceptional customer service.
What makes someone successful in this role:
The ideal candidate will be someone who enjoys being creative, embraces seasonal change and is always looking for new ways to improve our food offer. You'll be equally comfortable leading a busy kitchen, mentoring your team, analysing margins and chatting to customers about the day's specials.
Above all, you'll share our passion for quality, community and creating a welcoming coffee shop that customers choose to visit again and again.
What it's like working at Stewarts:
- Supportive, close-knit team.
- A family-run business with strong values and heritage.
- An opportunity to make a real impact on both the customer journey and the success of the centre.
- Be part of a business that values personal development and supports its people to grow and succeed.
Benefits:
- Generous staff discount in garden centres and cafés.
- Free on-site parking.
- Additional day off to celebrate your birthday!
- Opportunities to attend seasonal events.
The practical details:
Contract Type: Permanent – Full time (40 hours per week including alternate weekends)
Location: Stewarts Abbey Garden Centre, Mill Lane, Titchfield, Fareham, PO15 5RB
Reports to: Catering Manager
How to Apply:
If you're ready to bring your creativity to the kitchen, inspire a great team and play a key role in shaping the future of our coffee shop, we'd love to hear from you!
To apply, please send a copy of your CV and a covering letter to:
HR Department, D Stewart & Son Ltd, 8 Christchurch Business Park, Radar Way, Christchurch BH23 4FL
Or e-mail: [email protected]
Please Note: CVs that do not have an accompanying cover letter will not be considered.
