Head Chef

Job Title: 
Head Chef

Role Purpose: 

Leading, inspiring and developing the Kitchen team, ensuring that all dishes are prepared, cooked and presented to an excellent standard. The food needs to be of the highest quality ensuring that all health and safety legislation is adhered, operational excellence is achieved and KPIs are delivered in line with our Vision and Values.

Reports to: Executive Chef

Direct Reports: Kitchen Team

Key interfaces: Restaurant General Manager, Restaurant Manager, Sous Chefs, Assistant, Restaurant Manager, Marketing, HR

Key Accountabilities:

• Leading the Kitchen to ensure its profit margin and targets are met.
• Coach and develop Sous chefs and CDPS to ensure their skills are being enhanced, leading by example.
• Update the teams on the business performance, new initiatives and other pertinent issues.
• Check the Kitchen for standards regularly ensuring that all audits and temperature checks are completed.
• Chair regular meetings with the Brigade.
• Take ownership of the stocktake and provide feedback on any key indicators to the Executive Chef.
• Engage with suppliers to ensure they deliver the best products and service.
• Own monthly reporting for your Kitchen, communicating highlights, lowlights, opportunities, and risks for the period.
• Complete and deliver monthly one to one reviews in line with Company Objectives, Vision and Values, using this time to set and review individual objectives.
• Communicate effectively, ensuring that the teams are aware of the menu and are able to source the correct ingredients.
• Demonstrate high levels of planning, organising, and time management to drive the operational execution across the department.
• Monitor and maintain inventory, follow up on discrepancies and ensuring full stock and ingredient availability.
• Ensure adherence to company policies, controls and standards (e.g. due diligence, cleanliness, cash handling, H&S, dress code standards etc.
• Develop strong working relationships both with internal and external stakeholders to be able to influence key commercial decision.
• Maintaining awareness of market trends in the retail industry, understanding forthcoming customer initiatives and monitoring what competitors are doing.

Performance Indicators:

• Sales v forecast, Profit margin v Budget and Wastage.
• Labour turnover %, Follow through on outcomes from MDR meeting & discussions, Performance reviews submitted, ATR management.
• Roles filled through succession, Absence %/£/hours lost, Internal succession plan, Outstanding RTWs.
• Payroll to sales ratio, customer feedback, health & safety standards.
• Profit measures, compliance audit result, dump stocktake results.
• Trading performance.
• Ongoing feedback from line managers, peers and team. Feedback from senior management/regular Kitchen and Health and safety audits.
• Follow through from team meetings and people discussions, team members promoted, team to commit and attend training.
• Feedback from listening groups and from other areas of the business e.g. employee survey results.

Health and Safety:

• Ensure correct food practices are followed in the preparation and serving of all food and drinks.
• Ensure food safety is maintained during all stages of food preparation, storage and cooking.
• Forecast & review risks & opportunities on a quarterly & half year basis.
• Ensure regular checks are carried out on food deliveries, in particular frozen and ambient food.
• Ensure regular checks are carried out on fridges, cupboards and anywhere food is stored.
• Ensure all produce is in date and stored at the correct temperatures.
• Ensure the processes are correct for each stage of receipt , storage and dispatch of foods.
• Work with the Health and Safety executive to ensure our ratings are maintained at 5 stars.
• Drive the training of all employees to ensure they are trained and understand the legal and Company standards.
• Ensure regular audits are completed for the cleanliness of the kitchen and Equipment.
• Ensure that all equipment is maintained to the highest standards to ensure they meet the required standards.
• Ensure all the machinery is safe to use - Manage and maintain the maintenance contracts for all equipment so it is kept in good working order.
• Ensure that the Kitchens audit score is maintained at 90%.

Customer Experience: 

• Ensure the presentation of the food is right first time - Demonstrate a commercial mind set & outlook to stay responsive to customer needs. 
• Create & take ownership of a clear plan & deliver results on time. 
• Contribute to the choosing of the wine list to ensure the best pairings for the menu.
• Have an inspiring presence with high visibility.
• Engage coach and develop the team to ensure we are always striving for the highest standards.
• Constantly looking at ways which we can develop a long lasting relationship with our customers and exceed their expectations. 
• Develop and share market intelligence to include knowledge of our customers, products and competitors.
• Generate winning ideas. 
• Inspire and develop a commercial mind set in my immediate and wider team.
• Think profit contribution and benefit to the business 
• Be proactive and tenacious when coming up with solutions to grow the business.
• Be accountable for delivering results and give full consideration to short and medium term opportunities. 

People:

• Manage & lead through performance management & other available tools & processes.
• Set & drive the agenda for briefs & review content/impact. 
• Deliver feedback and coach the team on a regular basis, recognising achievement & addressing performance.
• Identify training needs and influence stakeholders to deliver. 
• Conduct complex disciplinary & appeals, RTW and reviews.
• Review monthly/quarterly KPIs identify trends and areas of improvement. 
• Meet with HR manager monthly to review people & team standards, trends & action plans. 
• Implement a succession plan for the team. 
• Define team member recruitment by agreeing and communicating specific profile criteria. 
• Review employee recruitment to ensure It is the right people for the right role.
• Coach to drive performance and enable change.
• Inspire creativity and innovation within the team in order to deliver business goals.
• Seek and act on feedback to develop the kitchen and the team.
• Mentor high performing members of team and identify mentors and mentees. 

Operational Standards: 

• Ensure the smooth running of the kitchen. 
• Communicate in a confident and friendly manner.
• Ensure all Temperature checks and legislative requirements are completed.
• Be prepared for food tastings. 
• Ensure that the menus agreed are costed correctly and can reach their GP.
• Ensure you are following recipes to keep the quality high and the food consistent. 
• Know when to give timely feedback and challenge at all levels.
• Effectively build rapport in order to get the best solution and deliver results. 
• Develop menus that are in line with the Company Brand.
• Work closely with key business partners.
• Restaurant Manager/HR.
• Collaborate flexibly as part of a team. 
• Develop an Achieving Together environment across the Restaurant. 
• Develop supportive relationships both internally and externally.
• Prioritise your duties and also step back and consider the whole of the business needs.
• Create a dynamic team where different skills and personalities complement each other.
• Actively work with colleagues to drive results in succession planning and sharing of best practices.

Role Specific Criteria (Experience/Behaviours/Technical Ability)

We expect the successful candidate to have the following skills and experience:

• Come from a busy and high volume background.
• Have experience in overseeing different teams.
• Have experience in menu development.
• Excellent knowledge of costings and GPs.
• Be approachable, enthusiastic, and organised.
• Be able to lead and mentor a large, talented brigade.
• Hold a health and safety and food safety certificate level 3 or above.