Head Chef

Restaurant Associates; City of London; Hybrid; GBP 52,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading hospitality service provider in London seeks a Head Chef for their Relief Team. You will deliver exceptional food, support various locations, and ensure team success while adapting to diverse environments. Ideal candidates possess a strong background in chef roles, communication, and leadership skills. Competitive salary of £52,000 plus overtime is offered.

Benefits

Contributory pension scheme

Career Pathways and MyLearning programmes

Digital GP access

Travel discounts

Grocery discounts

Cinema ticket discounts

Cash rewards

Wellness classes

Discount sharing with friends

Qualifications

• Experience in a relief chef or Head Chef role preferred.
• Ability to work in new environments efficiently.
• Excellent communication and leadership skills.

Responsibilities

• Provide chef cover across various sites in London.
• Support mobilising new contracts and settle teams into operations.
• Deliver high-quality food in diverse dining settings.

Skills

Adaptable & resilient

Calm under pressure

Strong communicator

Team player & leader

Experienced in chef roles

Job description

Join to apply for the Head Chef role at Restaurant Associates UK

Location: London, England, United Kingdom

Head Chef – Relief Team

£52,000 + overtime

Are you an adaptable, confident chef who thrives on variety and loves stepping into new environments? We’re looking for a Head Chef to join our existing Relief Chef Team to support our operations across London, playing a key role in mobilising contracts, boosting team morale, and ensuring exceptional food standards wherever you go!

What You’ll Be Doing

• Providing chef cover Monday to Friday, with some evenings when required and occasional weekends. Overtime included.
• Travelling across London and occasionally beyond to support different sites.
• Acting as a key player in mobilising new contracts and helping teams settle into new operations.
• Comfortable in delivering great food in staff dining settings as well as high‑end hospitality.
• Working with brigades of all sizes – from small teams to large‑scale operations.
• Bringing energy and optimism to sites that need a boost, helping turn challenges into success.
• Stepping in as part of the kitchen team – or taking the lead when needed.
• Attending supplier visits, tastings, and industry forums to stay ahead of trends and build relationships.
• Bringing energy, professionalism and flexibility to every site you support.

Who We’re Looking For

You’re someone who enjoys the unknown and welcomes each day as a fresh start.

• Adaptable & resilient – able to walk into a new environment and quickly assess what’s needed.
• Calm under pressure – confident tackling challenging sites or situations.
• A strong communicator – able to build rapport fast with both teams and clients.
• A team player & a leader – comfortable supporting others or taking charge.
• Experienced – either in a previous relief chef role or current Head Chef role and keen to broaden your experience across multiple sites.

Benefits

• Contributory pension scheme.
• Grow your career with our Career Pathways and MyLearning programmes.
• Quick access for you and your immediate family to a Digital GP, and wider healthcare benefits.
• Exclusive travel discounts with TUI, Expedia, Booking.com and many more.
• Save money on your food shop with discounts on Tesco, Sainsbury's, Morrisons and many more.
• Up to 44% off cinema tickets to enjoy your favourite blockbuster.
• Receive cash rewards every time you spend and use them on a wide range of brands.
• Unwind with us with free wellness, mindfulness and exercise classes.
• You can share all discounts and offers with your friends and families.

About Us

Restaurant Associates provides brilliant hospitality through our food, drink and services. We work with our partners and collaborate with our clients to achieve great things together. Every day, our teams of passionate hospitality professionals strive for excellence in delivering employee dining and hospitality to some of the UK's leading workplace as well as inspiring exceptional experiences in iconic cultural and heritage destinations.

Compass Group UK&I is committed to fostering an environment where every individual can truly be themselves at work and has equal opportunities to advance in their careers. We strive to build a culture that respects and celebrates the unique talents, beliefs, backgrounds, and abilities of all our team members. We want our colleagues to feel valued, empowered to reach their full potential, and to thrive – because diversity is our strength!

Seniority level

• Mid‑Senior level

Employment type

• Full‑time

Job function

• Management and Manufacturing
• Restaurants