Head Chef

Head Chef Vegetarian Middle Eastern London Up to £57,000 + Bonus

Remember to check your CV before applying Also, ensure you read through all the requirements related to this role.
Location: London site to be confirmed) Contract: Full-time, permanent Salary: Up to £57,000 + quarterly bonus Reports to: Operations / Senior Leadership
The role
A four-site London restaurant group vegetarian Middle Eastern, cooking over flames, named one of CODE's Happiest Places to Work in 2024 is hiring a Head Chef to lead the kitchen at one of its sites in London.
You will set the tone of the kitchen, mentor your brigade, and drive the creative direction of a vegetarian Middle Eastern menu built on bold, complex flavours and live fire. This is a high-standards, low-drama kitchen. The group leads with clarity and calm, and brings the fire when it counts.
What you will own
Leadership of the kitchen day to day: pass, service, standards
Mentoring and developing the brigade, building a team people want to stay in
Creative input into the menu: vegetarian Middle Eastern, no meat substitutes, flame-led cooking
Food quality, consistency and execution across every service
Food safety and compliance: HACCP, allergens, EHO, daily hygiene checks
Stock control, GP, waste reduction and supplier relationships
Rota, holiday cover and section balance
Recruitment, onboarding and training for new chefs joining the brigade
Essentials
Current or recent Head Chef experience, or a Senior Sous Chef ready to step up in a comparable London operation
Track record running a kitchen with a clear culinary identity ideally vegetable-led, Middle Eastern, or live-fire
Demonstrable HACCP, allergen and EHO competence
Experience leading and developing a brigade through proper systems, not chaos
Strong commercial grip: GP, stock, waste, labour
What you get
Up to £57,000 base salary plus a quarterly bonus paid four times a year
Welcome package and a complimentary welcome dinner for two, you eat the food before you cook it
50% off for parties of two, 25% off for parties up to four, you can actually use this regularly with friends and family
Paid birthday off plus a charity donation made in your name on your birthday
Bottle Shop and Larder access at cost price, wine and pantry staples without restaurant markup
Wagestream, draw earned wages before payday when you need to
Hospitality Action Employee Assistance Programme and Kelly's Cause wellbeing support, real mental health and crisis support, not a poster in the staff room
Cycle to Work scheme
Learning and Wellness Voucher at 12 months, Learning and Wellness Bonus at 18 months, the group invests in you specifically the longer you stay
Gym Discounts across London gyms and health clubs
Enhanced sick pay and enhanced parental leave, beyond statutory
Discounted late-night Uber from site, you get home safely after service
A culture recognised externally: CODE's Happiest Places to WorK with values (Expression, Resilience, Integrity, Compassion) that show up in how the kitchen is actually run
Apply
Send your CV through Caterer. xwzovoh Shortlisted candidates will be invited for an initial conversation followed by a trial service.