Head Chef – Established Destination Restaurant
York | £36,000–£40,000 + Tronc (OTE £45k–£47k) | Bonus Potential
An established, high-volume destination restaurant in the heart of York is seeking a Head Chef to lead a full kitchen reset and help return the business to its former award-listed standard.
Operating for 18 years and seating 130 covers across two floors, this is a large, well-equipped kitchen with strong infrastructure and serious financial backing.
The restaurant has been listed in both the Good Food Guide and the Michelin Guide for five consecutive years (prior to the most recent season), and previously built a reputation strong enough to see guests regularly queuing outside the door.
The ambition now is simple: return to that level.
-----------------------------------
The Food
The foundations are rooted in elevated Polish cuisine — but this is not traditional, heavy cooking.
The chef patron has refined and modernised her recipes over the years, creating a menu that blends heritage with contemporary technique and presentation. Everything is made in-house, from pastry and bread to stocks and desserts.
The main identity will always retain its roots, but there is complete creative freedom for the right Head Chef to refine, elevate and shape the direction of the kitchen moving forward.
-----------------------------------
The Opportunity
This is a genuine leadership role.
You will:
* Take full operational control of the kitchen
* Rebuild and structure a new brigade
* Drive standards, consistency and quality across high-volume services
* Maintain authenticity while refining presentation and execution
* Manage GP, rotas, stock control and supplier relationships
* Help restore the restaurant to recognised-guide standard
The chef patron remains involved and supportive, but is ready to empower the right Head Chef with autonomy and trust.
-----------------------------------
About You
* Proven Head Chef experience in a quality, fresh-food environment
* Comfortable running high-volume services (400 covers on peak days)
* Strong leadership presence and brigade builder
* Creative, commercially aware and structured
* Fluent English speaker with confident communication skills
Polish cuisine experience is not essential — strong cooking foundations and leadership ability are.
-----------------------------------
The Package
* £36,000–£40,000 base salary (depending on experience)
* Tronc (OTE £45,000–£47,000 at top end)
* Bonus structure available after probation
* Full creative input and menu development autonomy
* Strong financial backing and supportive ownership
-----------------------------------
This is not just a Head Chef role — it is an opportunity to restore an established York restaurant back to recognised-guide standard, with full creative trust and genuine backing.
If you are a leader who enjoys building teams, elevating standards and making visible impact, we would love to speak confidentially.