Head Chef

Eight is an independent restaurant and bar in the market town of Baldock, North Hertfordshire, with a reputation for beautiful seasonal cooking, beautifully handcrafted cocktails, delicious wines and a warm, welcoming atmosphere.

We’re looking for an enthusiastic, talented and motivated Head Chef to take ownership of our kitchen and lead our food offering. We want someone who loves great food, takes pride in their work and wants to build something special with a small, passionate team.

Who we're looking for

We're looking for someone who is:

• A great cook with a genuine understanding of flavour, balance and presentation.
• Passionate about fresh, seasonal ingredients and excited by the opportunity to create fantastic dishes using quality produce.
• Committed to developing their team, sharing knowledge and helping everyone improve their skills.
• Proud of their kitchen, maintaining high standards of cleanliness, organisation and efficiency.
• Self-motivated and proactive, happy to take responsibility for the food side of our business and make it their own.
• Organised and commercially aware, comfortable with the planning, ordering, stock control and administration that come with running a kitchen.
• Knowledgeable about food safety, with the ability to maintain our five-star food hygiene standards.
• Flexible and guest-focused, willing to go the extra mile to ensure every guest leaves happy.
• A team player, who enjoys being part of a small, close-knit team that genuinely cares about what it does.

Above all, we're looking for someone who takes pride in their cooking, enjoys leading people and wants to keep raising the bar.

We're a 35-cover restaurant in the heart of Baldock. We're independent, we care about what we do, and we believe great hospitality starts with a happy, motivated team.

Here's what makes working at Eight a little different:

• A genuine 40-hour working week designed to support a healthy work-life balance.
• Three regular days off: Sunday evening, Monday and Tuesday.
• Key holidays off: No working on Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year's Day or Bank Holiday Mondays.
• A well-designed, open kitchen where you can take pride in your food and enjoy being part of the restaurant experience.
• Fantastic seasonal produce to prepare, cook and turn into dishes our guests love.
• Regular food and wine tastings with the whole team.
• A genuinely supportive owner who wants you to succeed and will invest in the right person.
• Lovely customers who appreciate good food and the people who prepare it.
• A close-knit team who enjoy what they do and look out for one another.
• A competitive salary for the right candidate.
• The potential to grow as we also have a food truck and a private catering offering.

The opportunity

We're not looking for someone to simply come in and run services. We want someone who will take real ownership of the kitchen, bring ideas to the table and help our business grow.

You'll have the opportunity to put your stamp on the menu, develop your team and build a reputation for great food in the local area. We're looking for someone who wants to grow with us for the long term and is passionate about making today's service even better than yesterday's.

You'll have the support and freedom to do what you do best, with the opportunity to make a real difference to an independent business.

Location and practical details

Eight is located in Baldock, North Hertfordshire, just a three-minute walk from the train station, making us easily accessible by rail.

Unfortunately, we cannot offer accommodation or visa sponsorship, so you'll need to live within a reasonable commuting distance.

Interested?

If you're a talented chef looking for your next challenge, somewhere you can take pride in your food, develop a team and enjoy a better work-life balance, we'd love to hear from you.

To apply, simply email us with a brief introduction explaining why you'd be a great fit for Eight, along with your up-to-date CV.

Successful applicants will be contacted to arrange an interview.

We look forward to hearing from you!

Pay: From £34,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Company events
• Company pension
• Discounted or free food
• Employee discount
• Flexible schedule

Experience:

• Kitchen: 5 years (required)

Work Location: In person