Head Chef

Head Chef, Daytime Hours, Great Work-Life Balance

Love breakfast and brunch? Ready to lead your own kitchen without sacrificing your evenings and personal life?

If you're an experienced Head Chef or ambitious Sous Chef who's tired of late nights, endless split shifts and working every weekend until midnight, this could be the opportunity you've been looking for.

Imagine taking the lead in a successful, consistently busy kitchen where your creativity is valued, your standards matter and you have the freedom to make a genuine impact, all while enjoying mostly daytime hours and two consecutive days off every week.

And even better, you'll be joining an established kitchen with an experienced, supportive chef working alongside you, giving you the opportunity to lead with confidence from day one.

About The Apple Tree

Over the past decade, breakfast and brunch have become one of the fastest-growing sectors in hospitality. People are no longer simply looking for somewhere to grab a coffee, they're looking for an experience.

High-quality brunch dishes, speciality coffee, artisan bakes and beautifully presented drinks have become destinations in their own right. Social media has helped transform independent brunch restaurants into some of the most exciting places to eat, with customers actively seeking unique menus, exceptional presentation and memorable experiences.

At The Apple Tree, we've grown alongside this movement.

What started over 14 years ago as a local coffee shop has evolved into a thriving restaurant destination where people travel specifically for our breakfasts, brunches, artisan drinks and homemade bakes.

Our customers don't simply stop by. They book tables, celebrate special occasions, meet friends and return week after week because of the experience we've created.

Our restaurant and courtyard are consistently busy, our bookable tables are often full weeks in advance, and customers travel from across the region to visit us.

We've embraced the growing brunch and speciality coffee culture while staying true to what matters most — exceptional food, genuine hospitality and creating an experience people want to return to.

We're now looking for an experienced and passionate Head Chef to take the lead in our award-winning kitchen and help shape the next chapter of The Apple Tree.

The Role

This is an exciting opportunity for a talented and ambitious chef who wants to do more than simply run a kitchen.

Our current Head Chef has played an important role in building the reputation and success of The Apple Tree. After years of leading the kitchen, they're now looking to step back from the overall management responsibilities while continuing to do what they love most, cooking and producing exceptional food.

This creates a fantastic opportunity for someone new to step into the Head Chef role, bringing fresh ideas, energy and leadership while working alongside someone with a wealth of experience and an invaluable understanding of our business.

You'll have the responsibility and freedom to lead the kitchen, with the benefit of an experienced, knowledgeable, experienced and supportive chef by your side.

Rather than walking into a new kitchen and having to figure everything out alone, you'll be joining an established operation with proven menus, excellent systems, loyal customers and someone who knows exactly what makes The Apple Tree special.

Our existing chef will be a fantastic source of support, helping ensure a smooth transition, sharing their knowledge and working collaboratively with you to maintain the standards our customers have come to expect.

As our new Head Chef, you'll take overall responsibility for the quality, consistency and smooth operation of our food offering, leading a small, close-knit kitchen team and working directly with the business owner to continually develop what we do.

You'll have the opportunity to put your own stamp on an already successful food business, building on the dishes our customers love while introducing fresh ideas, seasonal specials and exciting new additions.

We believe consistency is the foundation of a great kitchen. Our customers return because they know they'll receive exceptional food every time they visit.

We're looking for someone who understands the importance of protecting what makes The Apple Tree special while having the creativity, confidence and ambition to take our food offering even further.

You'll have genuine ownership of menu development, kitchen systems, supplier relationships, food costs and the overall direction of our kitchen, with the reassurance of having an experienced and dependable colleague alongside you.

As the business continues to grow, there will also be opportunities to develop themed evenings, special events and new dining experiences.

It's a rare opportunity to take the lead in an established, thriving kitchen, with the freedom to make it your own and the support of someone who knows the business inside out.

What You'll Be Doing

• Taking overall responsibility for the day-to-day running of our busy breakfast, brunch and lunch kitchen.
• Working closely alongside our experienced existing chef, creating a positive, collaborative and supportive kitchen environment.
• Leading the kitchen confidently while drawing on the experience and knowledge already within the team.
• Maintaining exceptional standards of food quality, consistency, presentation and service.
• Taking ownership of menu development, seasonal specials and new dishes.
• Managing food costs, portion control, stock levels and wastage to maintain profitability without compromising quality.
• Overseeing stock ordering, supplier relationships and effective stock rotation.
• Ensuring the kitchen operates efficiently during busy services while maintaining a calm, organised environment.
• Maintaining excellent food hygiene, allergen management, health and safety standards.
• Working closely with our front-of-house team to ensure a seamless customer experience.
• Planning and delivering food for occasional private hire events and themed evenings.
• Helping shape the future direction of our food offering as the business continues to develop.

Why You'll Love This RoleHospitality with a genuine work-life balance

We know that being a talented chef shouldn't mean giving up your personal life.

Most of your shifts will be **7:30am – 4:00pm

Pay: £32,000.00-£42,000.00 per year

Work Location: In person