Head Chef

Salary: £40,000–£44,000 per annum (depending on experience)

Job Type: Full-time | Permanent

Location: Seaton, Rutland

About Us

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced and passionate Head Chef to lead the kitchen at the George & Dragon, an established destination pub restaurant situated in the beautiful village of Seaton, Rutland.

Since opening in 2017, the George & Dragon has developed an excellent reputation for outstanding food, fine wines, quality ales and genuine hospitality. In 2024, our commitment to quality was recognised with the award of 2 AA Rosettes.

We are now looking for a talented, motivated and ambitious Head Chef who shares our passion for exceptional food and wants to play a key role in the continued success and development of our restaurant.

This is an excellent opportunity for a creative chef to take ownership of an established kitchen, develop exciting seasonal menus and make a genuine impact on the future direction of our food offering.

The Role

Working closely with the Managing Director, you will have overall responsibility for the day-to-day running of the kitchen, ensuring consistently high standards of food, presentation and service.

You will have the opportunity to bring your own ideas and creativity to our menus while maintaining the quality and consistency expected of a 2 AA Rosette establishment.

We are looking for someone who is equally passionate about creating outstanding food, developing their team and running a commercially successful kitchen.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead, manage and inspire the kitchen team, creating a positive and professional working environment.
• Develop and deliver creative, seasonal menus using fresh, quality ingredients.
• Maintain and enhance the standards expected of a 2 AA Rosette restaurant.
• Ensure exceptional food quality, consistency and presentation across all services.
• Take responsibility for food purchasing, stock control, supplier relationships and kitchen profitability.
• Manage food costs, wastage and labour expenditure effectively without compromising quality.
• Recruit, train, motivate and develop kitchen team members.
• Organise kitchen rotas and oversee the smooth running of daily operations.
• Maintain excellent food safety, hygiene and health and safety standards.
• Work closely with the Managing Director to identify opportunities to develop the food offering and grow the business.

About You

We are looking for a chef who combines culinary creativity with strong leadership and sound commercial awareness.

The ideal candidate will:

• Have previous experience as a Head Chef or an experienced Senior Sous Chef ready to take the next step.
• Have a strong background in fresh-food cooking within a quality restaurant or gastro pub environment.
• Be passionate about seasonal ingredients, flavour and presentation.
• Demonstrate excellent leadership, organisation and communication skills.
• Be confident managing food costs, kitchen budgets and team performance.
• Thrive in a busy kitchen while maintaining consistently high standards.
• Take pride in developing and motivating a successful kitchen team.
• Have the ambition and enthusiasm to contribute to the continued success of the George & Dragon.

Previous experience in a Rosette-awarded or similarly high-quality kitchen would be advantageous.

What We Offer

• Competitive salary of £40,000–£44,000, depending on experience.
• The opportunity to lead an established 2 AA Rosette kitchen.
• Genuine creative involvement in menu development and the future direction of the food offering.
• The autonomy to lead and develop your own kitchen team.
• A supportive and approachable ownership team.
• Staff meals whilst on duty.
• Paid annual leave.
• The opportunity to make a real difference within an established and respected independent business.
• A beautiful countryside working environment in the heart of Rutland.

Additional Requirements

• Applicants must have the right to work in the United Kingdom.
• Due to our rural location, applicants must be able to travel reliably to and from Seaton for scheduled shifts.
• A recognised Food Safety qualification is desirable.

Equality & Diversity

The George & Dragon is committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming working environment. We encourage applications from all suitably qualified candidates, regardless of background or protected characteristics.

Apply Today

If you are a talented and ambitious chef looking for the opportunity to take ownership of a respected kitchen, showcase your creativity and play an important role in an independent restaurant's future, we would love to hear from you.

Please apply with your CV and a brief introduction outlining your experience and why you would be a great fit for the George & Dragon.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: £40,000.00-£44,000.00 per year

Experience:

• head Chef: 2 years (preferred)

Work Location: In person