We are looking for an ambitious and highly organised Kitchen Operations Manager to help drive the next phase of growth for our expanding hospitality business.
We are looking for someone who combines culinary creativity with operational excellence and enjoys building systems, developing teams, and launching food concepts.
The successful candidate will play a key role in developing menus, designing kitchen systems, opening new kitchen residencies, and leading catering operations for weddings, corporate events, festivals, and private functions. This is quite a varied role and will also involve hands on cooking.
Key Responsibilities
Menu Development & Food Innovation
- Contribute to commercially viable menus and food concepts.
- Develop detailed recipe specifications and kitchen SOPs.
- Produce accurate allergen and dietary information for all menu items.
- Conduct product testing and menu trials.
- Ensure food quality, consistency, and profitability across all operations.
Kitchen Systems & Operations
- Design efficient kitchen workflows and operating procedures.
- Expand upon existing kitchen manuals, prep systems, and production schedules.
- Implement food safety and HACCP procedures.
- Develop stock control and waste management systems.
- Work closely with management to improve margins and operational efficiency.
New Kitchen Openings
- Lead the launch of new kitchen residencies and food operations.
- Design kitchen layouts and equipment requirements.
- Recruit and train kitchen teams.
- Create opening checklists and operational frameworks.
- Support new sites through launch and stabilisation periods.
Outside Catering & Events
- Oversee food operations for weddings, birthdays, corporate events, festivals, and private functions.
- Lead kitchen teams on-site during events.
- Manage logistics, staffing, prep schedules, and service delivery.
- Ensure exceptional food quality and guest experience under pressure.
Team Leadership
- Recruit, train, and develop kitchen staff.
- Create a positive, high-performance kitchen culture.
- Conduct regular training and performance reviews.
- Lead by example during service and event operations.
About You
You will ideally have:
- Strong experience as a Head Chef, Kitchen Manager, Operations Chef, or Executive Chef.
- Experience creating menus and writing recipe specifications.
- Excellent knowledge of food allergens, food safety, and compliance.
- Strong organisational and project management skills.
- Experience opening kitchens or launching new food concepts.
- Experience managing teams within fast-paced hospitality environments.
- The ability to balance creativity with commercial awareness.
- A hands-on attitude and willingness to travel between sites and events.
Pay: £48,000.00-£58,000.00 per year
Work Location: In person
