Head Chef - London

Head Chef - London

Overall scope and purpose of job:

Leader who takes full responsibility for all of the kitchen operation, staff and food production, to ensure the smooth running of the kitchen and ensure that the presentation and production of food and that the kitchen complies to all company and legal standards

To act as an ambassador for Tom’s Kitchen ensuring that a positive brand image is strengthened and maintained in all interactions with customers.

ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE & EXPERIENCE 

• A  minimum of 1 year as Head Chef or of 2 years as a Sous Chef in a large kitchen of a busy high quality restaurant
• Excellent all round culinary skills
• Comprehensive knowledge and understanding of current Food Hygiene, H&S, COSHH, RIDDOR and HACCP, Fire  legislation, relevant to the business
• Comprehensive knowledge and understanding, and a passion for, excellent quality, well prepared, fresh food  
• Demonstrable experience leading a large Kitchen team Thrives, and remains calm under pressure
• Confident, individual who is committed to providing excellent customers service to all
• Effectively delegates appropriate tasks to the team Hands on manager
• Demonstrable experience of successfully training, mentoring and developing staff
• Experience of producing costed, weekly department rota’s
• Understanding of Employment Law
• Experience of collating payroll information
• Working knowledge of Fourth Hospitality
• Experience of interviewing, trialling, and recruiting all levels of kitchen staff
• Fire Warden training
• Train the trainer Award
• Demonstrable experience of meeting and adhering to GP’s, Food costs and labour costs
• Strong track record of regularly passing Food safety audits
• Working knowledge of Fourth Hospitality
• Level 3/ supervising Food Hygiene award
• COSHH trained
• Level 2 H&S award
• NVQ level 3 or equivalent
• First Aid Award 

DESIRABLE KNOWLEDGE & EXPERIENCE 

• Food hygiene level 3
• H&S award
• Ability to manage a budget and work with figures
• Has work with a previous online ordering system
• Has worked with an online rota system (fourth hospitality…) 

 PERSONAL SKILLS 

• Excellent levels of spoken and written English
• Demonstrates attention to detail
• Resilient at all times
• Confident interacting and engaging in conversation
• Consistently smart and well-groomed
• Professional, yet approachable
• Patient
• Always leads by example
• Shows respect to junior and senior colleagues
• Utilizes good common sense
• Practical Excellent team motivator
• A consistently positive attitude
• Seeks to share knowledge and assist to train junior staff
• Self-motivated to continue to develop skills and experience
• IT Literate
• Eye for details
• Passion for food
• Previous experience of working in a professional kitchen
• Effective communication skills
• Ability to work under stressful conditions
• Strong leadership skills
• Ability to make quick decisions
• Ability to ensure high standard of hygiene and cleanliness in the restaurant area

GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES

General

• To be friendly, courteous and professional at all times to colleagues, suppliers or anyone entering the kitchen.
• Shows responsibility and delegates appropriate tasks to the team
• Consistently leads by example by personally demonstrating the highest standard in all duties that are carried out in relation to the business
• Wears the appropriate, clean and well maintained clothing and footwear for each shift, which matches the dress code for the role, in line with company policy.
• Consistently arrives in a timely manner for the start of each shift.  

Food

• Always checks to ensure the Kitchen has produced enough  Mise En Place is ready for service
• Always ensure that all food prepared is made to  company approved, costed, spec recipes, as per company standards
• Checks to ensure all food in the kitchen is correctly stored and prepped to prevent wastage and cross contamination.
• Works with XX to develop new dishes and seasonal, and special event menus that are correctly costed
• Always ensures that the kitchen operates efficiently and only produces minimal waste of both fresh and prepared food.
• Ensure all wastage is correctly recorded, so that all products are accounted for, and GP’s maintained   
• Ensures all invoicing activity is completed daily required to obtain maximum GP
• Accurately complete all stock takes on a weekly and monthly basis
• Constantly aware of exact budgets targets, and always work towards coming in under budget
• Recognise the impact of seasonality on the availability, quality and price of ingredients  

Suppliers

• Ensures all orders for the kitchen are properly listed, checked and placed with suppliers at the correct time
• Ensures that all deliveries are checked for quality, quantity and temperature and freshness, and recorded appropriately
• Ensures that any shortfall in quality, quantity and temperature or freshness of product, are promptly communicated to suppliers and that a satisfactory resolution is reached
• Works with suppliers to ensure produce prices are within expected range, and not affected by seasonal demand or adverse weather
• When sourcing and introducing new suppliers to the business ensure they are able to work within company constraints, costs and levels of demand  

Staff/ HR

• Produce weekly rota, and accurate timesheets
• Ensure staff adhere to the weekly rota and  completed timesheets are done within the deadline, by approving the rota   a timely manner
• Work with HR Manager to ensure any actions regarding wage costs are compliant
• Advise HR or GM, on a weekly basis of all vacancies  

Safety

• To wear correct Personal Protection equipment when required for hazardous jobs
• Ensures all temperature checks are done correctly and filed as per company standards
• Ensures all staff work safely and cleanly at all times, and that the health and safety of all is a paramount consideration and that all H&S legislation is adhered to
• Ensure that all kitchen staff are implementing and observes recognised food Hygiene legislation
• Ensures that all kitchen equipment is well maintained and working correctly
• Any equipment broken, or not working safely, is immediately removed from use, and repair or replacement is organised at the earliest opportunity.
• Ensure that Kitchen team always leaves the department is clean and tidy at the end of shift, or at the end of the day.   

Training

• Actively assists with the training and development of the kitchen team
• To ensure opening and closing procedures are carried out to company standards
• Actively, and positively, contributes to all staff meetings and training as requested, whether in-house or with an external provider

​ Brand

• Assist with the training and development of brand standards, to all kitchen staff
• Work with the senior FOH management to consistently deliver the brand values to all staff
• Promote the Tom’s Kitchen brand values in everything you do related to the business

Misc.

• Willingly participates in all Ad Hoc projects as required
• Demonstrates effective and efficient time management, which acts as a bench mark for all to achieve
• To have consistency within the mystery report score for 90% plus result
• To maintain consistency with H&S and food hygiene third part good score of 90% plus (which would be green result)
• Order supplies and report to the GM, which will be within the budgeted figures
• Ensure the serving of quality culinary dishes and on schedule
• Ensure that no problem arises during serving; if any, it should be rectified quickly
• Approve all foods before they leave the kitchen
• Develop menu offerings
• Forecast supply needs and estimate costs
• Recruit kitchen staff
• Ensure efficiency of the kitchen and staff.
• Ensure production of quality and consistent food
• Perform accounting functions and scheduling of meals to be served
• Weigh in on patron complaints
• Ensure that the food servicing facility meets all necessary standards and regulations such as sanitary and safety guidelines
• Create recipes and prepare advanced items
• Assign tasks that are less complicated to lower kitchen staff
• Maximize the productivity of the kitchen staff
• Manage the rest of the chefs in the chef’s chain of command
• Ensure proper equipment maintenance and operations
• Oversee special catering events and where necessary offer culinary instruction and demonstrate techniques
• Supervise kitchen personnel and their performance
• Take charge of kitchen staff payroll and initiate possible increase
• Report to the food service director
• Order food from designated suppliers
• Manage stock of food
• Organize duty roster for kitchen staff
• Carry out any other duties as are within the scope, spirit and purpose of the job as requested by Management