Executive Chef - Production Kitchen

Bayley & Sage Limited; City of London; On-site; GBP 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A group of independent stores in London seeks an experienced Executive Chef to manage its Central Production Kitchen. The ideal candidate will have over 10 years of experience in a premium food environment, a culinary qualification, and strong leadership skills. The role includes overseeing food safety standards, team management, and budget control, offering a salary of £60K (negotiable) along with benefits such as 28 days holiday and a pension scheme.

Benefits

28 days' holiday

Pension Scheme

40% staff discount

Length of service recognition

Opportunity for growth

Qualifications

• At least 10 years in managing a production kitchen or large restaurant.
• Proven record of managing a large team and delivering commercial success.
• Excellent planning, rostering, and scheduling skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage the Central Production Unit to deliver high-quality food.
• Maintain standards of food safety and compliance.
• Recruit and develop a high-performing team.

Skills

Food safety

Team leadership

Budget management

Scheduling

Problem-solving

Education

Culinary qualification

Tools

Apicbase system

Job description

Overview

Executive Chef - Production Kitchen role at Bayley & Sage. Bayley & Sage is a small group of 14 independent stores delivering fresh, seasonal products from a Central Production Kitchen in Southfields, London. The Production Kitchen is central to meals, sandwiches and salads, and we are seeking an experienced chef and leader to bring passion, standards and organisation to our team.

We are looking for a strong, hands-on leader to run our Central Production Unit (CPU) and ensure Bayley & Sage continues to deliver exceptional quality food to our stores. This role will work closely with the Technical Manager and report to the Development Director.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage the Central Production Unit (CPU) to deliver high-quality food at scale for all stores.
• Maintain standards of food safety, HACCP, allergens, labelling and compliance.
• Plan, organise and schedule production, rostering and budgeting to control labour and wastage.
• Recruit, develop and manage a high-performing team; identify and grow talent within the organisation.
• Collaborate across departments (Buying, Technical, Retail) and with suppliers to ensure smooth operations and product consistency.
• Monitor and improve processes to ensure “get it right first time” with calm, proactive problem-solving.

What you’ll need

• Experience: At least 10 years in managing a production kitchen, large restaurant or hotel kitchen in a premium fresh food environment; proven track record of managing a large team and delivering commercial success for a business unit, restaurant or outlet.
• Knowledge: A culinary qualification is essential. Strong understanding of food safety, HACCP, allergens, labelling and compliance.
• Leadership: Natural people manager with experience in leading, training and developing teams to high performance and engagement.
• Organisation: Excellent planning, rostering and scheduling skills, with the ability to manage budgets, labour and wastage effectively.
• Quality focus: Passionate about food and committed to delivering consistent, high-quality products at scale.
• Communication: Clear, confident communicator who can work across departments and with suppliers.
• Problem-solving: Calm under pressure with a proactive, "get it right first time" approach.

Desirable extras

• Exposure to premium food retail supply chains.
• Experience with Apicbase system.

What we can offer

• Salary: 60 K – negotiable
• 28 days' holiday per year
• Pension Scheme
• 40% staff discount in our stores
• Length of service recognition
• Opportunity to grow and develop within the business

Job details

• Job Types: Full-time, Permanent
• Employment type: Full-time
• Job function: Management and Manufacturing
• Industries: Retail