HEAD CHEF – THE PARLOUR RESTAURANT **Springfields Garden Centre | Blue Diamond Group** ### LEAD THE KITCHEN. INSPIRE THE TEAM. MAKE YOUR MARK. **A Head Chef role with a difference – great food, genuine leadership opportunities and daytime working hours!** Are you a passionate, hands-on Head Chef who thrives in a busy kitchen, leads from the front and takes genuine pride in the food leaving the pass? **The Parlour Restaurant at Springfields Garden Centre** is looking for an experienced, enthusiastic and driven **Head Chef** to take ownership of our kitchen, inspire our team and deliver exceptional food and service. As part of the **Blue Diamond Group**, you'll be joining a business that values quality, consistency, fresh ideas and, above all, people who take pride in what they do. This isn't a role for someone who simply wants to manage a kitchen from the sidelines. We want a chef who gets stuck in, sets the standards, develops the team and enjoys the buzz of a successful service. ### WHY JOIN US? * **Daytime hours** – enjoy your evenings away from the kitchen. * **Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year's Day and Easter Sunday off.** * An opportunity to lead and develop your own kitchen team. * A varied menu, from hearty breakfasts and brunches to freshly prepared lunches, deli favourites and traditional Sunday roasts. * The freedom to contribute ideas, improve standards and make a genuine difference. * Be part of an established and growing garden centre restaurant group. ### YOUR ROLE – MORE THAN JUST RUNNING A KITCHEN As Head Chef, you will take full responsibility for the day-to-day kitchen operation, balancing culinary excellence with strong commercial awareness and effective team leadership. **Your key duties and responsibilities will include:** **Kitchen Leadership & People Management** * Lead, motivate, train and develop a strong, reliable kitchen brigade. * Set clear expectations for performance, professionalism and teamwork. * Manage kitchen rotas, staffing levels, productivity and labour costs. * Lead by example during busy breakfast and lunch services. * Support recruitment, induction, training and ongoing development. * Build a positive, accountable and supportive kitchen culture. **Food Quality & Service Excellence** * Oversee the preparation and delivery of breakfasts, brunches, hot lunches, sandwiches, paninis, jacket potatoes, deli dishes and traditional roasts. * Maintain excellent standards of presentation, portion control, consistency and flavour. * Ensure the kitchen is organised, well-prepared and ready for every service. * Manage preparation schedules and service flow to deliver quality food efficiently, even during peak trading periods. * Work closely with the front-of-house team to ensure a seamless guest experience. * Contribute fresh ideas and support seasonal menu development. **Commercial & Operational Management** * Take ownership of food costs, gross profit margins and kitchen performance. * Manage stock ordering, deliveries, stocktakes, wastage and inventory control. * Monitor portion yields, recipe specifications and food production costs. * Maintain effective supplier relationships and ensure product quality. * Control kitchen expenditure without compromising food standards. * Drive efficiency, productivity and continuous improvement. **Food Safety & Compliance** * Maintain the highest standards of food hygiene, cleanliness and kitchen organisation. * Ensure full compliance with HACCP, allergen management and food safety legislation. * Complete and maintain all necessary kitchen records and due diligence. * Ensure equipment is used safely, maintained correctly and any defects are reported promptly. * Take responsibility for a safe, clean and professionally managed kitchen. ### WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR We're looking for a **proper, hands-on chef and a natural leader** – someone who understands that a successful kitchen is built on preparation, discipline, consistency and a team that works together. You'll ideally bring: * Proven experience as a Head Chef or a strong Sous Chef ready to take the next step. * Experience in a busy, high-volume restaurant, café or similar f

Benefits:

• Company events
• Company pension
• Employee discount
• On-site parking
• Store discount

Work Location: In person