We're looking for an experienced, creative Head Chef to lead our café kitchen at Potager, working closely with our General Manager to deliver a delicious, seasonal and financially sustainable vegetarian menu.
Potager is so much more than a café. We're a 4½-acre site in the Cornish countryside, with an open kitchen set inside a converted wooden greenhouse. We grow a diverse range of organic produce in our gardens and greenhouses, used daily by the kitchen. You'll work closely with our garden team to shape what we grow around your menus. Beyond our commitment to seasonal, vegetarian ingredients, there's real scope for creativity and ownership in the food we serve.
This is a role with autonomy, purpose and balance. You'll lead a small kitchen team, plan and cost menus, manage margins, stock and HACCP, and help create an environment that is professional, supportive and enjoyable to work in.
What we offer
* Mostly daytime shifts
* Maximum four evening events per month (May–September only)
* No split shifts
* 42-hour contract
* Overtime returned as time off during the winter
* Full-time, permanent position (a rarity in hospitality)
* Creative control over menu direction
* Produce-led cooking using ingredients grown on site
We've built a sustainable hospitality environment that serves both our team and our wider community. Alongside the café, Potager is home to a forest school, artist studios and a growing social and therapeutic horticulture programme. We're increasing the amount of food we grow and creating opportunities to work with disadvantaged groups in both the kitchen and garden.
Potager has evolved through the people involved in it, and this role offers a genuine opportunity to shape its future direction.
Job requirements
We're looking for someone confident in the fundamentals - managing margins, stock control, compliance and kitchen operations - but just as importantly, someone who can inspire, teach and bring energy to the team. You'll be comfortable running a kitchen economically, safely and enjoyably, and experienced in planning and delivering high-quality vegetarian food at scale.
Working pattern
* Wednesday - Sunday each week
* Occasional Mondays for weddings
* Occasional Saturday evenings for Potager events
This role would suit an experienced Head Chef looking for a new challenge in a unique setting, with a genuinely better work-life balance than most senior hospitality positions - and the chance to be part of a project that values food, people and place in equal measure.
Job Types: Full-time, Permanent
Pay: £30,000.00-£33,000.00 per year
Benefits:
* Discounted or free food
* Employee discount
* Free parking
* On-site parking
Work Location: In person