Head Chef in Whitstable, Kent

Head Chef - earn £45,000-£50,000 plus £300-£400 monthly service charge at a boutique hotel near Canterbury.

Are you an experienced kitchen leader ready to take ownership of a varied food operation? This Head Chef opportunity near Canterbury covers a 20-bedroom, seasonal and event-led business offering restaurant dining, breakfast, afternoon tea, weddings and private celebrations.

What's in it for you?

• £45,000-£50,000 salary, depending on experience
• Approximately £300-£400 service charge per month
• Total annual package worth approximately £48,600-£54,800
• Permanent, full-time position
• Genuine ownership of menus and kitchen standards
• The opportunity to shape the future direction of the food offering
• Fresh, seasonal ingredients sourced from local producers
• A varied operation covering dining, weddings and private events
• A beautiful coastal countryside setting near Canterbury
• The opportunity to recruit, develop and lead your own brigade
• A senior position within an ambitious independent hospitality business

Your new role

As Head Chef, you'll take responsibility for the complete culinary operation. Based near Canterbury, you'll lead the 20-bedroom hotel kitchen across daily dining, resident breakfasts, Sunday lunch, afternoon tea, weddings and private functions.

The business is highly seasonal and event-led, so you'll need to plan menus, staffing and purchasing effectively around changing demand and busy periods.

You will:

• Lead, motivate and develop the kitchen brigade
• Create seasonal menus using quality local produce
• Maintain excellent food quality, presentation and consistency
• Oversee restaurant, wedding and event food delivery
• Plan staffing and preparation around seasonal business levels
• Manage food costs, gross profit, labour and kitchen budgets
• Control ordering, stock rotation, wastage and supplier relationships
• Recruit, train and retain kitchen team members
• Maintain excellent food safety, HACCP and allergen standards
• Introduce effective systems and kitchen procedures
• Work closely with the owners and operational team
• Drive guest satisfaction and strengthen the venue's food reputation

What we're looking for

The successful Head Chef will have proven experience leading a fresh-food kitchen within a quality hotel, restaurant or event-led venue.

You'll also need:

• Strong seasonal menu-development skills
• Experience delivering restaurant dining, weddings and large events
• Excellent commercial awareness and cost-control knowledge
• Confidence managing food GP, labour and stock
• Experience planning around seasonal peaks and quieter periods
• A hands-on and visible leadership style
• Strong recruitment, training and team-development experience
• Excellent food-safety and allergen knowledge
• Creativity balanced with consistency and commercial discipline
• The ability to remain organised during busy services and events
• The existing right to work in the UK

Experienced Senior Sous Chefs who are ready to take full responsibility for a varied kitchen operation are also encouraged to apply.

If this Head Chef role near Canterbury sounds like the right opportunity for you, apply today.

Please contact Bradley Baxendale at Platinum Recruitment for more information.

Job Number: 49293 / INDCHEFS

Platinum Recruitment is acting as an Employment Agency in relation to this vacancy.

Platinum Recruitment is acting as an Employment Agency in relation to this vacancy.