Head Chef

Head Chef

Destination Country Pub | Garden-Led Cuisine | The Cotswolds

Southrop, Gloucestershire

£42,000 per annum + Exceptional Monthly Service Charge
45 Hours per Week | Outstanding Benefits | Career Development

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced Head Chef to lead the kitchen at one of the Cotswolds' most celebrated destination country pubs.

Set in the picturesque village of Southrop, this beautifully restored country pub has built an outstanding reputation for exceptional seasonal food, warm hospitality and a genuine garden-to-plate philosophy. Working closely with the Chef Director, you'll lead a talented brigade while championing a kitchen built around outstanding local produce, sustainability and consistently high culinary standards.

This is an excellent opportunity for either an established Head Chef or an ambitious Sous Chef ready to take the next step within a quality-driven hospitality business that genuinely invests in its people.

The Venue

Located in the heart of the Cotswolds, this award-winning country pub is renowned for its seasonal menus, relaxed yet refined hospitality and beautiful rural setting.

The kitchen celebrates exceptional ingredients, with menus driven by the seasons and inspired by produce grown within the estate's own kitchen gardens alongside carefully selected local suppliers. Sustainability, quality and simplicity sit at the heart of the food offering, creating an environment where chefs are encouraged to cook with the very best ingredients available.

Working as part of a passionate and collaborative team, you'll have the opportunity to develop both your own career and the next generation of chefs while delivering memorable dining experiences for every guest.

The Role

As Head Chef, you will be responsible for the day-to-day leadership of the kitchen, ensuring every service is delivered to the highest possible standard.

Working closely with the Chef Director, you'll lead the brigade while maintaining exceptional standards across food quality, team development and kitchen operations.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Leading and inspiring the kitchen brigade throughout preparation and service
• Working alongside the Chef Director to deliver seasonal, produce-led menus
• Ensuring consistently high standards of food quality, presentation and execution
• Managing daily kitchen operations, staffing and service
• Training, mentoring and developing junior chefs
• Managing food costs, stock control and kitchen profitability
• Maintaining outstanding food safety, hygiene and compliance standards
• Promoting a positive, respectful and collaborative kitchen culture
• Working closely with the front-of-house team to deliver exceptional guest experiences

This is a hands-on leadership role where you'll be expected to lead by example, remain actively involved during service and support every area of the kitchen when required.

The Package

• £42,000 per annum
• Exceptional monthly service charge
• 45-hour working week
• 28 days annual leave plus an additional day off for your birthday
• Healthy, chef-prepared meals on duty
• Employee wellbeing and assistance programme
• High-quality uniforms provided
• Free on-site parking
• Discounted overnight stays within the wider collection
• 50% discount on food
• Discounted cookery school experiences
• 50% discount on spa treatments
• 40% discount across the retail collection
• Annual staff Christmas celebration
• Tailored training, leadership programmes and ongoing professional development
• Beautiful countryside working environment with genuine work-life balance

The Ideal Candidate

• Current Head Chef or accomplished Sous Chef ready to take the next step
• Experience within quality fresh-food restaurants, gastropubs or hotels
• Passion for seasonal, locally sourced produce
• Strong leadership and people management skills
• Commercial awareness with experience managing food costs and stock control
• Calm, organised and confident under pressure
• Positive, collaborative approach with a genuine passion for hospitality
• Committed to maintaining consistently high culinary standards

Why This Role?

This is a fantastic opportunity to lead the kitchen at one of the Cotswolds' most respected destination pubs, working with exceptional seasonal produce in an environment that genuinely values creativity, sustainability and teamwork.

Offering an excellent salary, substantial monthly service charge, outstanding employee benefits and genuine opportunities for professional development, this role is ideal for an ambitious Head Chef or talented Sous Chef looking to build a long-term career within one of the region's leading hospitality businesses.