London
HEAD CHEF – PREMIUM FOOD PRODUCTION KITCHEN Sydenham, South East London £50,000–£55,000 45 hours per week | Mostly Monday–Friday | Daytime hours Lead a High Growth Premium Food Kitchen An exciting opportunity has opened for an experienced Head Chef to lead operations in a fast-growing premium food production kitchen based in South East London. This is not a traditional restaurant role. You will be joining an ambitious food business creating high-quality products for restaurants and hospitality clients, including: • Premium sauces, • Starters, • Prepared vegetable products, • Tailored menu components, • Tailored food solutions Working directly with an industry-leading founder and Michelin-star trained chef, you will play a key role in scaling a rapidly growing division with strong long-term progression opportunities. The Role As Head Chef, you will take ownership of the daily running of the kitchen and lead a team of 6. You will be responsible for making sure all products are produced to an exceptional standard, delivered on time, and organised efficiently in a high-volume environment. Key responsibilities include: • Leading day-to-day kitchen operations, • Managing production schedules and workflow, • Team leadership, rotas and training, • Ordering, stock management and waste control, • Maintaining premium food quality and consistency, • Improving systems, organisation and kitchen processes, • Supporting sampling and new product development About you You are a strong operational chef who combines high culinary standards with excellent organisation. You enjoy building structure, leading teams, and taking real ownership. You will likely have experience as a: • Head Chef, • Production Head Chef, • Sous Chef, • Central Kitchen Manager, • Development Chef, • Catering Head Chef, • Food Production Manager (fine dining) You must have: • Strong chef background with restaurant experience, • Exposure to fine dining or premium food standards, • Experience in production, prep or catering kitchens, • High-volume food operation experience, • Leadership experience managing teams, • Excellent organisation and forward planning, • Hands-on, no-ego attitude Ideal Personality We are looking for someone who is: • Highly organised, • Detail-focused, • Calm under pressure, • Solutions-driven, • Flexible and adaptable, • Team-oriented, • Proud of their work This role suits someone who takes ownership, solves problems proactively, and wants to help build something special. Why Join? • Join an exciting high-growth food concept at an early stage, • Work directly with a Michelin-level culinary leader, • Real autonomy and influence over kitchen operations, • Daytime hours, • Predominantly Monday–Friday schedule, • Strong progression opportunities as the business grows, • Opportunity to shape systems, culture, and standards from the ground up