Kitchen Leader - Tallows

Tallow | MAYA Hospitality

Tallow is a new restaurant concept from MAYA Hospitality, built around great food, quality ingredients and a modern approach to the classic grill and steakhouse experience.

Our menu focuses on quality steaks and grilled meats, chicken, fish, signature sides, house sauces and carefully developed dishes, served in a relaxed but premium environment.

We're not looking to overcomplicate food. Tallow is about great ingredients, proper cooking, bold flavours, consistency and presentation, doing simple things exceptionally well.

As we build Tallow from the beginning, we're looking for a Kitchen Leader who can take ownership of our kitchen operation and help us establish the standards, culture and team that will allow the brand to grow.

The Role

As Kitchen Leader, you'll be responsible for the day-to-day performance of the Tallow kitchen.

You'll lead from the front, working hands-on during service while ensuring the wider kitchen team is organised, prepared and consistently delivering food to the required standard.

You'll work closely with management to develop a kitchen operation that is efficient, consistent, clean and commercially well managed.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Leading the kitchen team through preparation and service
• Ensuring every dish is cooked, presented and served to Tallow's standards
• Maintaining consistency across every service
• Organising daily preparation and kitchen sections
• Training, supporting and developing Kitchen Team Members
• Maintaining recipe, portion and presentation standards
• Ensuring the kitchen is fully prepared ahead of each service
• Managing stock levels, rotation and ordering requirements
• Monitoring portion control and reducing unnecessary food waste
• Supporting food cost and margin targets
• Maintaining excellent kitchen cleanliness and organisation
• Ensuring food safety, hygiene and allergen procedures are followed
• Carrying out opening and closing kitchen procedures
• Identifying operational problems and taking ownership of resolving them
• Communicating effectively with the Front of House team and management
• Helping continuously improve the efficiency and performance of the kitchen

About You

We're looking for someone who genuinely cares about food and takes pride in running a great kitchen.

You'll need to be confident leading people while still being prepared to work alongside your team.

You should understand that running a successful kitchen isn't only about cooking. It's about preparation, organisation, consistency, cleanliness, communication, controlling waste and developing the people around you.

You'll be comfortable working under pressure and maintaining standards during busy services.

Previous experience in a senior kitchen position such as Kitchen Manager, Kitchen Supervisor, Sous Chef, Head Chef or similar would be preferred.

Most importantly, we're looking for someone who wants to take ownership of the kitchen rather than simply manage a shift.

Building the Tallow Kitchen

Because Tallow is a new concept, this is an opportunity to help shape the kitchen from an early stage.

You'll work closely with management on developing strong systems around preparation, service, recipes, portion control, stock, cleanliness and team training.

As the Kitchen Leader, you'll also play an important role in developing the Kitchen Team Members working underneath you, helping them improve their cooking skills and progress into more senior positions.

We want to build a kitchen that can maintain the same standard regardless of how busy we become.

Career Progression

Tallow is part of MAYA Hospitality, a growing hospitality group with multiple concepts and future locations planned.

For the right person, this role has the potential to grow beyond managing one kitchen.

As Tallow and the wider group expand, there will be opportunities to progress into more senior operational roles, support future openings and potentially help develop kitchen teams across multiple locations.

We want people who can grow as quickly as the businesses around them.

What We Offer

• Competitive salary
• Performance and progression opportunities
• Responsibility and ownership of the kitchen operation
• Opportunity to help shape a new restaurant concept
• Training and professional development
• Staff food and discounts
• Opportunities across MAYA Hospitality
• Involvement in future restaurant openings as the group expands

If you're passionate about food, confident leading a team and take pride in running an organised, high-standard kitchen, we'd like to hear from you.

Apply through Indeed with your CV and a short introduction about your experience.

Pay: £14.50-£17.43 per hour

Benefits:

• Discounted or free food

Experience:

• Chef: 2 years (required)

Language:

• English (required)

Work authorisation:

• United Kingdom (required)

Location:

• Staines-upon-Thames, Surrey (preferred)

Work Location: In person