Head Chef

Overview

Head Chef – Maggie’s Rock’n’Rodeo – Full Time (working approx. 45 hours over 4 days).

Salary and benefits: From £37k - £39k, depending on experience + approx. £1 service charge per hour and the potential to earn bi-annual bonuses. 100% of service charges go to the team. Perks include a free meal and unlimited non-alcoholic drinks on shift, 50% off food and drink across itison venues with friends and family, private medical insurance, Employee Assistance Programme, complimentary tickets to itison major events, 15% off at itison.com, taxi contribution for anyone working past 1am, enhanced maternity & paternity, team incentives including Employee of the Month, two fully paid socials a year, fully funded external training courses, and a rota of 4 days on & 3 days off for great work/life balance. There are great opportunities to develop and progress.

About the Role: This is a hands-on Head Chef role where you will be responsible for delivering bold, Americana-style food at volume, without ever compromising on standards.

As Head Chef, you will lead the kitchen operation in a fast-paced, late-night venue serving smoke house favourites like brisket, pulled pork, ribs, wings and burgers. Our food is big, bold and crowd-pleasing rather than fine dining, but quality, consistency and execution matter.

Responsibilities

• Oversee the day-to-day kitchen operation, leading from the front to deliver high-quality food during busy services, large group bookings and events.
• Take ownership of an Americana-style menu where smoked meats & BBQ techniques are central and our smoker is at the heart of producing dishes full of flavour & consistency.
• Manage fluctuating volumes, from packed-out weekends of 300+ covers to quieter nights and special events, using downtime for prep, planning, training and development.
• Train, coach and develop your kitchen team, setting clear standards and creating a positive, high-performing culture.
• Plan rotas, manage labour and food costs, and work to budgets and KPIs while maintaining a well-supported team.
• Ensure high levels of compliance across food safety, health & safety, risk assessments and allergen management.
• Work closely with the wider venue team to deliver seamless experiences for group bookings, themed events, live music nights and major occasions.

About the Venue

Maggie’s Rock ‘n’ Rodeo is Scotland’s first country-themed bar where we’re partying til 3am every night and serving up the best brisket, burgers and buffalo wings this side of Nashville. We also host live bands and sports on big screens, with a Bull Pit and a lineup of live events including our Cowboy Ceilidh, Cowboy stripshow and pub quiz. If you’re fixing for a new gig, love a good knees up and already own a cowboy hat, we want to hear from you!

About You

If you thrive in energetic environments, love variety and are comfortable switching gears depending on the demands of the business, this role will suit you perfectly.

We are looking for someone who:

• Has a genuine passion for bold, flavour-driven food and at least 2 years’ experience working at a senior level in a high-volume kitchen.
• Is confident delivering consistent, high-quality dishes in time-pressured services, including large group bookings and event-led trade.
• Ideally has experience using a smoker, cooking over charcoal or open flames, or working with BBQ-style menus, although this is not essential if you are keen to learn.
• Is organised and adaptable, able to handle busy peak periods and quieter shifts with equal confidence and efficiency.
• Leads by example, communicates clearly and builds strong relationships within their team.
• Is reliable, hardworking and flexible, with a practical, hands-on approach to kitchen leadership.
• Pays close attention to detail and is comfortable following processes and paperwork, from stock control and ordering to cost control and reporting.
• Full training on systems will be provided.

About the Process

If you think this sounds like the right role for you, we would love for you to apply. If we like your application, we will be in touch to arrange an interview with you. Powered by JazzHR