£40000–£55000 yearly
Full-time
London
HEAD CHEF — NEW OPENING 11 BERKELEY, MAYFAIR Location: Berkeley Street, Mayfair, London Concept: Modern Mediterranean / European Brasserie Position: Head Chef – New Opening Reports to: Head of Operations THE OPPORTUNITY 11 Berkeley is entering a new chapter. We are creating a new Mediterranean-European brasserie in the heart of Mayfair and are looking for an exceptional Head Chef to build the kitchen and food proposition from the ground up. This is not a role where you will inherit an established menu, brigade or way of working. The successful candidate will join during the development stage and work closely with the Head of Operations to create the restaurant: developing the menu, establishing suppliers, recruiting a new kitchen brigade, implementing kitchen systems and ultimately leading the restaurant through opening and beyond. We are looking for a chef who wants genuine ownership of a new concept and is excited by the opportunity to put their stamp on it. THE CONCEPT The vision is a lively, contemporary Mayfair brasserie centred around Mediterranean and European cooking. The food should be produce-led, generous and immediately appealing — technically strong without becoming unnecessarily complicated. We want dishes people want to eat regularly, not food designed solely for special occasions. The restaurant needs to balance the expectations of a premium Mayfair location with the energy, accessibility and repeatability of a great brasserie. The final menu will be developed with the Head Chef rather than handed to them. YOUR ROLE Build the Food Concept You will take a leading role in developing the culinary identity of the new brasserie. This will include: • Developing the opening menu from scratch., • Creating a clear Mediterranean-European food identity., • Developing signature dishes and seasonal specials., • Designing dishes around quality, seasonality, guest appeal and commercial viability., • Creating full recipe specifications, yields and costings., • Developing menus for private dining, groups and events., • Establishing an approach that allows the menu to evolve throughout the year. We expect the Head Chef to bring ideas, challenge assumptions and contribute creatively to the final concept. Build Your Kitchen Team A major part of the role will be establishing a new brigade. You will: • Design the kitchen brigade structure required for the concept., • Recruit your core kitchen team., • Interview and select chefs alongside the Head of Operations., • Build a team appropriate to the expected trading levels rather than overstaffing the kitchen from launch., • Establish kitchen culture and standards from day one., • Train the brigade on every opening dish and specification., • Develop junior chefs and build succession within the team. You should approach the kitchen as something you are building and taking ownership of. Build the Operation Before opening, you will help establish the systems required to operate the restaurant effectively. This includes: • Supplier selection and relationships., • Product specifications., • Recipe and menu costing., • Ordering procedures., • Stock controls., • Prep systems., • Kitchen opening and closing procedures., • Waste controls., • Food safety and HACCP systems., • Cleaning schedules., • Equipment requirements., • Kitchen organisation and section responsibilities., • Service procedures and communication with front of house. The objective is to open with a disciplined operation rather than trying to introduce controls after launch. COMMERCIAL OWNERSHIP This is a commercially accountable Head Chef position. You will be expected to understand the financial performance of your kitchen and actively manage it. Responsibilities include: • Delivering agreed food-cost targets., • Managing kitchen labour in line with revenue., • Maintaining accurate recipe and portion costings., • Controlling purchasing and stockholding., • Minimising waste and improving yield., • Negotiating and reviewing supplier pricing., • Engineering menus around both popularity and contribution., • Reviewing weekly performance with the Head of Operations., • Adjusting staffing, purchasing and menu decisions when performance requires it. Great food and commercial discipline are equally important. LEADING THE RESTAURANT AFTER OPENING Once launched, you will have full day-to-day responsibility for the kitchen. You will: • Lead services from the kitchen., • Maintain consistency across every service., • Manage and develop the brigade., • Own food quality and presentation., • Maintain food safety and hygiene standards., • Control kitchen labour and food cost., • Work closely with the restaurant management team., • Respond to guest feedback and trading patterns., • Continuously develop the menu., • Maintain a kitchen capable of delivering both regular service and significant private events. PRIVATE DINING & EVENTS Private dining and events will be an important part of 11 Berkeley. The Head Chef will develop menus and operating systems capable of delivering: • Private dining, • Corporate lunches and dinners, • Large group bookings, • Sharing-style menus, • Celebrations, • Bespoke events, • Seasonal and special-event menus The challenge is to deliver these commercially without creating unnecessary complexity or excessive additional labour. WHO WE'RE LOOKING FOR We are looking for an experienced Head Chef or an exceptional Senior Sous Chef ready to take ownership of their first major kitchen. You will ideally have experience within a successful: • Mediterranean restaurant, • European brasserie, • Premium casual restaurant, • High-volume quality restaurant, • High-quality independent restaurant or restaurant group Previous new-opening experience would be highly advantageous. More important than Michelin credentials is the ability to create excellent food that works in a busy, commercially successful restaurant. You should have: • Strong Mediterranean and European culinary knowledge., • Excellent fundamental cooking skills., • Strong menu-development ability., • Experience managing food cost and kitchen labour., • Experience recruiting and developing chefs., • Confidence working with suppliers., • Strong organisational and kitchen-management skills., • An understanding of high-volume service., • Excellent food safety knowledge., • The ability to remain calm and decisive under pressure. Most importantly, you should have the mentality of a builder. We want someone who looks at an empty kitchen and sees the opportunity to create the team, menu, culture and systems they want to run. WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE Before opening: A complete, costed and operationally tested menu. A recruited and trained brigade. Supplier relationships established. Recipes and specifications documented. Kitchen systems and controls implemented. Food safety systems fully operational. Opening stock and purchasing controlled. Following launch: Consistently excellent food. A stable and motivated kitchen team. Strong guest feedback and repeat business. Food and labour costs maintained within agreed targets. Efficient service without unnecessary kitchen headcount. Regular seasonal menu development. A strong working relationship between kitchen and front of house. WHY JOIN 11 BERKELEY? This is a rare opportunity to join a new restaurant at the point where the important decisions are still being made. You will not be asked to reproduce somebody else's menu or inherit somebody else's brigade. You will have the opportunity to build your own team, influence the concept, develop the opening menu and establish the culinary identity of a new Mayfair brasserie from day one. For the right chef, this is an opportunity to create something they can genuinely call their own.
146 Regent's Park Road, NW1 8XN, London
