Chef Manager

Wilson Vale; Greater London; On-site; GBP 50,000; Full time

Job summary

A reputable catering company in Greater London seeks a Chef Manager to lead its restaurant operations. Responsibilities include designing innovative menus using fresh, seasonal ingredients, ensuring high-quality service, and providing strong leadership to the team. Ideal candidates will have extensive experience in premium hospitality and a passion for food. The role offers work-life balance with standard hours from Monday to Friday and opportunities for overtime during peak periods. Competitive salary around £50,000 with excellent benefits.

Benefits

Work-life balance with excellent hours

Opportunities for career development

Free craft-focused career training

Paid bespoke training

Access to Employee Assistance Programme

Employee benefits scheme

Birthday off after one year

Enhanced Maternity Pay

Qualifications

• Previous experience in a high-end hospitality environment is essential.
• A positive attitude and the ability to work with a team are crucial.
• Strong customer service and communication skills are required.

Responsibilities

• Design innovative seasonal menus with fresh produce.
• Lead and communicate effectively with the kitchen team.
• Ensure high standards of food presentation and service.

Skills

Love food and teamwork

Positive attitude

Customer service skills

Strong communication skills

Ability to work in high-pressure environment

Strong premium hospitality experience

Local knowledge

Passion for exceptional service

Understanding of food trends

Innovation and creativity

Training and development passion

Exceptional presentation skills

Proactive and reliable

Job description

We have an exciting opportunity to become our new Chef Managerat one of our pretigiousworkplace restaurantsin London.

Salary: circa £50,000

Do you love creating stunning restaurant food and are looking for work hours that give you a work-life balance like no other sector in the hospitality industry?

This is a permanent position with a core contract of 40 hours per week, working Monday to Friday from 7:00am to 3:30pm. Occasional overtime will be required to support evening fine-dining events, with weekly hours rising to up to 60 during peak periods. All overtime is fully paid. The proposed start date for this role is 2nd February 2026.

Wilson Vale is an established, quality-led contract caterer. We work with amazing clients across the UK who place huge value on great food as a key part of their culture and community. We work in office restaurants, independent schools and at conference venues with the same high-end ethos throughout.

Our unites us. We stand for craft, quality, creative freedom, forward thinking and integrity. We never compromise on our commitment to fresh, seasonal produce and the fantastic people that make it all happen!

We value chefs who are well-presented, work with a tidy, organised approach, and lead their team through clear, confident communication. You’ll collaborate closely with the FOH team throughout the day to ensure service runs smoothly and the overall hospitality experience feels warm, connected, and consistent.

Our chefs enjoy full creative autonomy, designing expressive, seasonal menus made entirely from scratch using the freshest local ingredients. You will order your own produce directly from trusted local suppliers, enabling you to work with exceptional quality while supporting the regional food community. Sustainability is central to our approach, and we encourage innovative weekly menu planning that minimises waste and makes smart use of seasonal abundance.

The food offering spans a broad range of styles, including a small breakfast selection, hot and cold dishes, a vibrant salad bar, freshly made sandwiches, modern bistro plates, and refined fine-dining menus developed in collaboration with the hospitality team. In addition to daily service, the site hosts private dining and special events, giving you the opportunity to express creativity across multiple styles of cooking and presentation.

KEYRESPONSIBILITIES:

• Bring imagination and innovation to menu design, adapting ideas to seasonal ingredients and customer preferences.
• Use fresh produce and prepare dishes in small batches to ensure exceptional quality throughout service.
• Maintain high standards of front-of-house presentation, ensuring every dish and display reflects our commitment to excellence.
• Lead your team effectively, ensuring tidy work habits, organisation, and strong communication in an open-plan environment.
• Collaborate with the FOH and hospitality teams to design fine-dining menus and deliver memorable food experiences.
• Communicate any ingredient changes or substitutions promptly, ensuring management and staff are informed and menus are updated accordingly.
• Support customer satisfaction initiatives and use feedback to continuously improve the offer.
• Develop strong client relationships, attending meetings where appropriate.
• Take ownership of menu planning, recipe development, and presentation across all service styles.
• Undertake special projects as outlined by the Area Manager.

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

• LOVEfood, and love working in a team.
• Positive attitude
• Have good customer service skills and strong communication skills.
• Be able to work in a high-pressured environment.
• Strong premium hospitality experience in another venue
• Local knowledge and experience working in the area
• A passion for exceptional service is essential
• Strong understanding of service styles, food trends
• Innovation and creativity
• A passion for training and development
• Exceptional presentation skills
• Articulate and very well organised
• Proactive and reliable

OUR CULTURE:

• Craft at our core – we pride ourselves on our craft-skilled chefs who create wonderful fresh food from scratch.
• It’s all about the food – the menu is the most important document our chefs write every week.
• Quality, seasonal ingredients – 300+ British suppliers and our chefs can source locally.
• Freedom to create – our teams love to cook up exciting food themes and pop-ups to keep the food fun.
• Support like no other – our business was founded by family and we have stayed true to those same family values of nurturing development, protecting our values and building trust and loyalty.
• Making food that not only tastes great but is good for the planet. We have always had a strong environmental ethos and are dedicated to our social and environmental commitments.
• We believe in tailored training and opportunities to build your career with us.

WILSON VALE PERKS:

• Our working hours are some of the best you'll find in catering - we are strong believers in work-life balance
• Our working environment is fun and inspiring, with excellent career development opportunities
• Craft Works – Free craft-focused career development training programme
• Paid training bespoke to you
• Access to our Employee Assistance Programme- your wellbeing is very important to us
• Online employee benefits scheme -monetary savings on everyday items!
• Your Birthday off every year after 1 years’ service.
• Enhanced Maternity Pay

Wilson Vale is an equal opportunities employer that strives to create an inclusive working environment for all. We are committed to supporting our people and do not tolerate discrimination of any kind. From each and every person in our catering teams, to our operations and central support teams – everyone at has a voice.