Head Chef

Head Chef
To support our mission of to create a collection of iconic pubs and country inns, celebrating the best of British and supporting our local heroes with all things food.

Overview of the role
You are the leader of the pack, the one our kitchen teams turn to for support and guidance. You deliver and set expectations of consistently high quality food that delights our customers. Using fresh, often local suppliers and producers you are able to elevate food to the next level which is relevant to your site and personal food ethos.

People
• Hire the best talent to operate the food operations at the pub.

• Manage the performance of the chef team by ensuring a regular coffee chat culture to monitor recognise greatness and monitor performance.

• To manage matters quickly and effectively when things aren’t going to plan.

• Sponsor talent in your team, ensuring opportunities for your team to progress within the Cirrus family.

• Be a role model to your team and ensure punctuality and perfect presentation every chef, every time.

• Be the owner of the training plan within the kitchen team, ensuring your team have the tools and the skills to do the job expected.

• To champion the culture and reward initiatives within the pub to drive optimal team engagement.

• To champion the cohesion between front of house, bar and back of house operations to ensure teamwork, communication and food knowledge is shared.

Operational (magic)
• To be accountable for all matters pertaining to Health & Safety within the kitchen including daily, weekly, monthly due diligence and all matters customer and team safety. You will pass kitchen audits each six months.

• To ensure effective cleaning of the kitchen, 365 days per year, providing an effective platform for operational excellence and maintain a 5* EHO score

• To ensure that all H&S reports and actions are prioritised, and your General Manager is aware of anything outstanding.

• To ensure each dish is prepared to specification every guest, every time. Taking accountability for the management of allergens within the pub.

• To facilitate the food opportunities for engagement with suppliers through the operational teams.

• To support the operational teams, drive performance across both financial and customer metrics at the pub.

• Build and maintain relationships with local suppliers and producers

• Have an influence on and react constructively to feedback

• To attend weekly meetings with your landlord and hold regular Chef Team meetings

• Deliver seasonal menus

Money
• To help the operational team in deciding and executing promotional offers that support enhancing the customer experience and putting more cash in the till.

• Effectively manage the supply chain to ensure only the very best in produce is served to our guests. Managing orders, goods receivable, credits, and replacements if items don’t meet your expectation.

• To hold accountability for the delivery of food cost, ensure the team understand the elements and drive costs in line with the objectives of the pub. Ensure the maintenance of an effective food flash within the kitchen.

• To hold accountability for payroll and productivity in the kitchen, ensure effective rota management, attendance management of allocation of holidays in line with forecast.

• Work with your landlord towards achieving the site budget and putting in place robust and effective financial controls

Growth
• To engage with guests, monitor, act on feedback. To champion guest interaction and ensure they remain at the heart of everything we do.

• To design new menus that meet the demand and demographics of your site and local area – knowing your guests and thinking of reasons for them to visit.

• To grow opportunities to engage with the neighbourhood and maximise PR opportunities available to the pub.

• To support your GM/Landlord in any people initiatives and programmes.

• To ensure the pubs knowledge of competitor businesses is relevant, up to date and considered.

• To help drive and active social media presence in relation to social media, being locally famous for the food you serve and the guests you serve it to.

• Use the events calendar effectively when planning menus, events and experiences for customers.

The skills which would help in this role
2 years’ experience in a similar role

Flexible approach to working hours and able to work under pressure to deadlines and targets

Strong verbal communication skills & People Skills to deal with contractors and suppliers

Highly confident and self-motivated with strong team-working skills

Be a role model, immaculate in presentation and comfortable talking out front with both our guests and teams

A passion for all things food and drink and a great leader, coach, and trainer of others.

A positive approach to bringing a bit of fun and engagement at the pub.