About this role
What's the opportunity?
As Head Chef / Kitchen Manager, you'll be at the heart of the business, responsible for the day-to-day running of the kitchen and ensuring every dish meets our standards.
You'll combine hands-on kitchen leadership with the commercial know-how needed to deliver a successful food operation.
You'll be responsible for:
Leading, motivating and developing the kitchen team to deliver their best.
Taking ownership of food quality, presentation and consistency across every service.
Keeping the kitchen organised, efficient and ready for busy periods.
Managing stock, ordering and waste to help control costs and support strong GP performance.
Maintaining excellent food safety, hygiene and allergen standards.
Planning rotas and managing kitchen resources to meet customer demand.
Coaching and training team members, helping them build their skills and confidence.
Working closely with the General Manager and front-of-house team to deliver a great customer experience.
Identifying opportunities to improve the food offer, grow sales and drive business performance.
Creating a positive kitchen culture where the team feels supported, motivated and proud of what they deliver.
What we're looking for
We're looking for someone who knows their way around a busy kitchen and has the leadership skills to bring a team together.
You'll ideally have:
Previous experience as a Kitchen Manager, Head Chef, Sous Chef or in a similar senior kitchen role.
Experience working in a busy pub, restaurant or high-volume kitchen.
A hands-on approach and the confidence to lead from the front.
Strong people-management and communication skills.
A passion for great food and consistently high standards.
A good understanding of food safety, hygiene and allergen management.
Experience managing stock, waste, labour and kitchen costs.
Commercial awareness and an understanding of how the kitchen contributes to the success of the wider business.
The ability to stay calm, organised and positive during busy services.
A genuine interest in developing people and helping them progress.
And there's plenty in it for you...
At Greene King, we're passionate about helping our people build careers they're proud of.
You'll have access to:
Career development opportunities across Greene King and our family of brands.
Training and development at every level, including apprenticeships.
33% employee discount and 15% for loved ones across our brands.
50% employee discount and 25% for loved ones at Greene King Inns.
Free Employee Assistance Programme.
Enhanced family-friendly maternity and paternity support.
Menopause Friendly Employer.
Refer a Friend scheme – up to £1,500.
Wagestream.
Retail discounts, including savings with Superdrug and Three Mobile.
Greene King is the country's leading pub company and brewer. With over 220 years of history and a 39,000-strong team, we're on a mission to pour happiness into lives and become the pride of great British hospitality.
CREATING PLACES WHERE PEOPLE FEEL WELCOME, SAFE AND THAT THEY BELONG
We aim to embed inclusion into every decision we make – across our people, customers, communities, suppliers, and operations. We want to create a culture where everyone feels welcome, valued, and able to thrive.
Bring your passion. Lead the kitchen. Make The Testwood yours.