Executive Head Chef ***luxury hotel***

What's in it for you from day one:

Holiday allowance starting at 28 days and increasing with length of service to 36 days.
Nutritious free meals on duty.
Award winning L&D programmes, with over 80 individual courses available, from foundation skills to leadership skills.
Excellent development opportunities with 80% of our managers being home-grown.
Two paid volunteering days each year, so we can give back to our communities.
Access to the Employee Assistance Programme through our partners at Hospitality Action.
Monthly tea parties and annual social events, including boat parties and festive events for your little ones.
Complimentary quality uniform and dry-cleaning services.

What's in it for you later:

Cycle to work scheme which can save you up to 47% on the bike and equipment.
Vibrant hotel recognition events and hotel-based incentives, including Employee of the Month and Manager of the Quarter.
Enhanced maternity pay of 13 weeks, fully paid.
Enhanced paternity pay of 2 weeks, fully paid.
£800 baby payment to support you and your baby with the essentials.
Fantastic recommend a friend bonus scheme worth up to £600.
Cross-departmental training available within your property, because we know you're a curious individual.
50% off on food and 25% off on beverages in selected Red Carnation Hotels F&B outlets.
Discounted accommodation rates at Red Carnation Hotels in the UK, Ireland, Guernsey, Geneva, and South Africa!

We are looking for an exceptional and inspirational Executive Head Chef to lead all kitchen operations within our luxury hotel. This is a senior leadership role, ideal for a passionate culinary professional who thrives in a high-performing environment and is driven by excellence, innovation and team development.

As Executive Head Chef, you will be responsible for culinary standards, cost control, health & safety compliance, menu development, and the leadership and succession planning of a large kitchen team, while playing a key role within the hotel’s senior management team.

Location: The Chesterfield Mayfair Hotel

Employment type: Full-time, permanent

Working pattern: 5 days working, 2 days off

The Red Carnation Hotel Collection is proud to be recognised as an industry leader in hospitality and people development. We were named Best Employer at the 2025 Cateys and received the prestigious AA’s Hotel Group of the Year award for 2024. We are especially proud of our dedication to developing our people, having received the Princess Royal Training Award three times (2017, 2020, and 2023) from HRH The Princess Royal and City & Guilds.

Our commitment to excellence has earned us multiple accolades including Top Employer in the United Kingdom for both 2024 and 2025, a certification of our outstanding employee conditions and commitment to workplace excellence and Sustainable Business (2023) at The Cateys.

The Chesterfield Mayfair Hotel is a four-star boutique hotel in the heart of exclusive Mayfair. Some of its features include 107 bedrooms as well as seven different event spaces, a Butler’s Restaurant, a Terrace Bar, Stanley’s Rooftop Bar, and a Conservatory, where we offer our guests a welcoming, friendly atmosphere and exquisite food and drink.

Key Responsibilities of an Executive Head Chef:

Leading, supervising, and actively participating in all kitchen operations and food preparation.
Ensuring exceptional food quality, consistency, and presentation across all outlets.
Full ownership of food ordering, supplier relationships, stock control and cost management.
Delivering food cost of sales and kitchen labour within budgetary targets.
Planning, designing and implementing new menus and concepts.
Ensuring standard recipes are written, costed and trained across the brigade.
Recruiting, training, developing and appraising all kitchen team members.
Maintaining the highest standards of hygiene, health & safety and CoSHH compliance.
Overseeing kitchen equipment maintenance, fire prevention and cleaning programmes.
Actively participating in hotel operational meetings, HOD meetings and health & safety committees.
Supporting and driving green initiatives, reducing waste and energy consumption.
Building a strong, positive kitchen culture with high morale and clear communication.

What are we looking for?

Previous experience as an Executive Head Chef or Head Chef within a 4* hotel or premium multi‑outlet environment.
An individual with high expectations on food quality and excellence.
Strong leadership and people management skills.
Confident and experienced in managing food costs, labour budgets and relationship building with suppliers.
Excellent knowledge of food safety, health & safety and CoSHH legislation.
A passion for training, coaching and developing future culinary talent.
Strong organisational skills and the ability to adapt to changing business levels.
Excellent communication and collaboration skills with the wider hotel team.
Flexibility to meet the demands of a luxury hospitality operation.

Red Carnation Hotels is an Equal Opportunities Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.

We electronically scan and store a copy of your passport/visa and/or ID card to gain a clear indication of the authenticity of the document and establish the ‘Right to Work’ in the UK.