Head Chef – Hotel 1881
Hotel 1881, Archiestown
Part of Shawfern Group Limited
About the Role
Hotel 1881 is looking for an experienced, creative and motivated Head Chef to lead our kitchen team in the heart of Speyside.
Following the development of our restaurant offering, Hotel 1881 currently serves a small-plate and sharing-style menu focused on quality ingredients, strong flavours and dishes designed to encourage guests to explore the menu. The concept has been very well received and has helped us continue to grow the restaurant side of the business.
We are keen to continue developing this style, but we are not looking for someone simply to reproduce what is already in place. We want to find a chef with their own ideas, experience and culinary identity who can work with us to develop the restaurant further.
As part of Shawfern Group, which also operates the Michelin-recommended the Dowans Hotel in Aberlour, there is a wider established food and beverage team across the business. While this position is specifically to lead the kitchen at Hotel 1881, being part of a two-property group provides opportunities for collaboration, professional development and future progression as the business continues to evolve.
Key Responsibilities
As Head Chef, you will have responsibility for the day-to-day operation and continued development of the Hotel 1881 kitchen, including:
- Leading, motivating and developing the kitchen team.
- Maintaining consistently high standards of food preparation, presentation and service.
- Developing seasonal menus in keeping with the style and identity of Hotel 1881.
- Bringing new ideas and creativity to the restaurant while maintaining a commercially successful offering.
- Working closely with the Murray family and Hotel 1881 management team.
- Managing food costs, margins, portion control and wastage.
- Ordering effectively and maintaining appropriate stock levels.
- Developing strong relationships with suppliers, with an emphasis on quality Scottish and local produce where appropriate.
- Maintaining excellent standards of kitchen organisation, cleanliness and food safety.
- Ensuring all HACCP, allergen and food hygiene procedures and records are maintained.
- Managing kitchen rotas and staffing levels effectively.
- Training and developing members of the kitchen team.
- Supporting recruitment within the kitchen when required.
- Working collaboratively with Front of House to ensure a strong overall guest experience.
- Creating menus for private dining, groups and special events where required.
- Contributing to the wider food and beverage conversations within Shawfern Group.
About You
We are looking for someone who is passionate about food but who also understands the commercial and operational realities of running a successful restaurant kitchen.
You will ideally:
- Have previous experience as a Head Chef or be an experienced Senior Sous Chef ready to take the next step.
- Have experience within a quality-led restaurant or hotel environment.
- Be confident leading and developing a kitchen team.
- Have strong menu development skills and a genuine interest in seasonal produce.
- Understand food costing, GP, purchasing, stock control and waste management.
- Be organised, dependable and comfortable taking ownership of your kitchen.
- Have high standards while helping us maintain a positive and professional working environment.
- Work collaboratively with both kitchen and Front of House teams.
- Be adaptable and comfortable working within an independent, family-run business.
- Have the confidence to bring ideas to the table and contribute to the development of the restaurant.
Experience within AA Rosette, Michelin-recommended or Michelin-level kitchens would be advantageous, but is not essential. Finding the right person, with the right attitude and ambition, is more important to us than having a particular establishment on your CV.
Our Food
Our current small-plate format has proved extremely popular and provides the foundation from which we would like the restaurant to continue developing.
However, we do not want to impose a rigid style of cooking on our next Head Chef. We are interested in meeting someone who has a clear culinary identity and who is excited by the opportunity to put their own stamp on an established but still evolving restaurant.
Our focus is on quality, flavour, consistency and hospitality. We want food that guests genuinely want to eat and return for, rather than complexity for complexity's sake.
About Shawfern Group
Hotel 1881 forms part of Shawfern Group, an independent, family-owned hospitality business which also operates the Dowans Hotel in nearby Aberlour.
Both properties have their own identity, restaurant offering and kitchen leadership, while benefiting from being part of the same wider business. Our senior teams work collaboratively, share knowledge and support one another where appropriate.
As the business continues to develop, we are keen to create opportunities for talented people to develop alongside it.
What We Offer
- A Head Chef position with genuine ownership of the Hotel 1881 kitchen.
- The opportunity to influence the future direction of an established and growing restaurant.
- Creative input into menus and the wider dining experience.
- The support and resources of a wider two-hotel hospitality business.
- Opportunities for collaboration and future progression within Shawfern Group.
- A supportive, independent and family-run working environment.
- Staff food and beverage discounts.
- Friends and family accommodation rates.
- Staff recognition and reward initiatives.
Salary: Competitive and dependent on experience.
Location: Archiestown, Speyside, Scotland.
Position: Full-time, permanent.
Pay: £40,000.00-£45,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Company pension
- Discounted or free food
- Employee discount
- Free parking
- On-site parking
Ability to commute/relocate:
- Archiestown, Moray: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (required)
Experience:
- Head Chef: 1 year (preferred)
- Sous Chef: 1 year (required)
Language:
Work authorisation:
- United Kingdom (required)
Work Location: In person
