Head Chef – Luxury 5-Star Country House Hotel

Location:                          New Forest, Hampshire

Salary:                              £50,000 - £60,000 plus tronc

We are looking for a Head Chef for one of the UK’s most recognised luxury country house hotels.

This is a serious Head Chef role within a high-quality, high-volume hotel operation.

The property has a strong reputation, high occupancy, a loyal guest base and a varied food offering across dining, afternoon tea, events, terrace service, spa food and room service.

The role would suit an experienced Head Chef or a strong senior hotel chef who has already worked within a quality-led luxury environment.

This is not just about cooking good food.

You will need to lead people, manage pace, support the brigade and keep standards high across a busy and varied operation.

The operation

You will oversee the main restaurant dining, breakfast lunch dinner, terrace and spa, as well as corporate events and weddings

Breakfast can be extremely busy, with cooked-to-order hot food alongside continental service.

Dinner can range from around 75 to 140 covers, mostly from in-house guests.

Afternoon tea is also a key part of the operation.

Weddings and corporate events are high-end, detailed and labour intensive, so strong organisation is essential.

The food

The food style is British, seasonal and produce-led.

The offer needs to stay true to the location and guest expectations, but there is also room for a Head Chef to bring new ideas and move the food forward.

You will work with fresh produce, daily specials and seasonal menu changes.

Lunch menus may change daily or weekly, depending on the best available fish and produce.

The kitchen is mainly scratch cooking, with selected quality items brought in from trusted suppliers where needed.

The team

You will be part of a strong senior kitchen structure, working under an Executive Chef.

The brigade is around 22 chefs, with a solid senior team already in place, including Sous Chefs, a Head Pastry Chef, Pastry Sous Chef and Junior Sous Chef.

The business has a strong track record of developing chefs, promoting from within and building loyalty in the kitchen.

They need a Head Chef who can lead from the front, support the team and bring calm structure to a busy operation.

What we are looking for

The right Head Chef will have:

• Experience as a Head Chef, Senior Sous Chef or Executive Sous Chef in a quality hotel or restaurant environment
• Strong luxury hotel, country house hotel, rosette or premium fresh food experience
• A hands-on approach and the ability to work across all sections
• Strong knowledge of fish, larder, sauce and fresh British cooking
• Experience with high-volume service, events, weddings or private dining
• Strong people skills and the ability to support, train and develop chefs
• Good kitchen admin skills, including ordering, stock control and systems
• A calm, organised and professional approach
• The confidence to take responsibility and solve day-to-day kitchen issues

This is likely to suit someone who has already operated at Head Chef level, or a very strong senior hotel chef ready for a bigger platform.

Package and accommodation

Competitive package available, with tronc on top circa 50-60,000 plus tronc

Off-site accommodation may be available.

Why apply?

A great opportunity to join a leading luxury hotel with a strong name, loyal team and real scope to move the food forward.

Apply today or get in touch for a confidential chat.