Head Chef – High-Volume Restaurant, North London
We are looking for an experienced Head Chef to take full responsibility for the kitchen of a busy, established restaurant in North London.
This is a genuinely high-volume operation, serving approximately 4,000 covers per week, and high-volume experience is essential. We need someone who has already operated at this level and understands how to maintain food quality, consistency and kitchen standards while delivering fast-paced services day after day.
This is not simply a cooking role. We are looking for someone capable of leading the entire kitchen operation — people, service, standards and commercial performance.
The Role
As Head Chef, you will have overall responsibility for the kitchen and will work closely with the General Manager and senior management team.
Your responsibilities will include:
* Leading, managing and developing the entire kitchen team
* Running consistently busy, high-volume services
* Ensuring food quality, presentation and portion control remain consistent at all volumes
* Recruitment, onboarding and training of kitchen staff
* Developing Sous Chefs, junior chefs and future kitchen leaders
* Kitchen rotas, labour planning and productivity
* Food cost, GP, purchasing, stock control and wastage
* Ensuring appropriate preparation levels for forecasted trade
* Menu development, specials and new dishes
* Maintaining recipe, specification and plating standards
* Supplier management, ordering and product quality
* Food safety, hygiene and allergen compliance
* Kitchen equipment, maintenance and cleanliness
* Developing and improving kitchen systems and procedures
* Creating a professional kitchen culture with clear standards and accountability
Who We’re Looking For
You will already have significant experience as a Head Chef, Senior Head Chef or highly experienced Executive/Senior Sous Chef within a high-volume restaurant environment.
We are particularly interested in candidates who can demonstrate experience managing kitchens producing several thousand covers per week.
You should be comfortable planning for extremely busy services — anticipating staffing, preparation, stock requirements and operational bottlenecks before they become problems.
You will also need strong commercial awareness. You should understand food cost, GP, labour, purchasing, waste and productivity, and be comfortable taking responsibility for the financial performance of the kitchen as well as the food.
Most importantly, we’re looking for a strong leader. Someone who can set clear expectations, develop people, hold standards and build a kitchen team capable of consistently performing at a high level.
The Opportunity
The restaurant is part of a growing hospitality business, and this role offers considerably more than simply running day-to-day kitchen service.
We are investing in stronger operating systems, training and career development across the business and are looking for a Head Chef who wants to help build and develop the kitchen operation as the business grows.
For the right person, there will be opportunities to develop alongside the company as it expands.
Location: North London
Position: Head Chef
Employment: Full-time
High-volume restaurant experience is essential
To apply, please send your CV together with a brief description of the restaurants you have previously led and the approximate number of covers your kitchen handled during a typical week.