Retail Head Chef - Brand New Site

Retail Head Chef

Premium Corporate Dining Brand-New Site Opening

Central London

55,000 per annum Plus Bonus

Monday to Friday 40 Hours Per Week

Lead a Team of 20 Chefs Up to 1,300 Covers Daily Brand-New Building Opening 2026

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced and ambitious Head Chef to lead one of London's most exciting corporate dining operations.

This is a rare chance to take ownership of a high-profile retail-led site that will relocate into a brand-new building this summer, giving the successful candidate the opportunity to help shape the food offer, presentation standards, and customer experience from day one.

Catering for up to 1,300 guests daily, the operation includes a large staff restaurant, rotating pop-up food concepts, and support for wider catering requirements across the site. The food offer is heavily focused on fresh, seasonal cooking, global flavours, street food concepts, and innovative retail dining experiences that rival the high street.

The Role

As Head Chef, you will lead and inspire a brigade of approximately 20, creating an engaging food offer that keeps customers excited and returning every day.

This is a hands-on leadership role requiring someone equally comfortable developing people, managing large-scale operations, and delivering exceptional food quality in a fast-paced environment.

You will oversee all retail food production, support hospitality where required, manage staffing levels, labour planning, compliance, food safety, and financial performance, whilst driving creativity and innovation across the site.

You'll also benefit from support from an on-site Nutritionist and Kitchen Administrator, allowing you to focus on leading the team and delivering an outstanding food operation.

What We're Looking For

• Previous experience as a Head Chef or strong Senior Sous Chef within contract catering, B&I, hotels, restaurants, or high-volume hospitality environments
• Proven experience leading and developing large kitchen teams
• Strong understanding of high-volume retail catering and customer-focused food operations
• Passion for international cuisine, street food, food trends, and modern dining concepts
• Excellent knowledge of EHO requirements, HACCP, due diligence, allergens, and food safety compliance
• Strong commercial awareness with experience managing labour, food costs, and budgets
• A hands-on leader who leads by example and thrives in a fast-paced environment
• Excellent organisational and communication skills

What's On Offer

• Salary of 55,000 per annum
• Monday to Friday working pattern
• Excellent work-life balance
• Opportunity to lead a flagship operation within a brand-new building opening in 2026
• Genuine autonomy to influence menus, concepts, and retail presentation
• Supportive senior leadership team
• Long-term career development opportunities within a growing business
• The chance to work with a demanding but highly engaged client who genuinely values food quality and innovation

If you're a passionate Head Chef looking for a role that combines leadership, creativity, high volume, and the opportunity to build something special, we'd love to hear from you.

Search is an equal opportunities recruiter and we welcome applications from all suitably skilled or qualified applicants, regardless of their race, sex, disability, religion/beliefs, sexual orientation or age.