Head Chef/Kitchen Manager
HEAD CHEF
Award\-Winning Bar \& Restaurant
Location: O Sheas Corner, Wicklow Town
Salary: €60,000 to €70,000
Hours: Full\-time
We are looking for an experienced, driven and commercially minded Head Chef to lead the kitchen team at our busy, award\-winning bar and restaurant.
This is a senior position for a chef who takes pride in producing consistently excellent food, developing a strong kitchen team and operating a well\-organised, profitable kitchen.
Our food offering is centred around high\-quality, fresh ingredients, excellent presentation and dishes that customers genuinely want to return for.
The Role
The Head Chef will have full responsibility for the day\-to\-day operation of the kitchen, including food quality, staff management, food costs, hygiene standards and overall kitchen performance.
You will work closely with the ownership team to continuously improve the food offering and maintain the standards expected of a leading bar and restaurant.
Key Responsibilities
Food Quality \& Standards
- Maintain consistently high standards of food preparation, cooking and presentation.
- Ensure every dish leaving the kitchen meets agreed presentation and quality standards.
- Develop and improve dishes while maintaining a commercially attractive menu.
- Introduce seasonal specials and new dishes where appropriate.
- Maintain strong portion control and recipe consistency.
- Ensure food is served efficiently during busy periods without compromising quality.
- Work with management to develop attractive, profitable menus.
- Create dishes suitable for both casual dining and higher\-volume restaurant service.
- Regularly review customer feedback and menu performance.
- Develop seasonal menus, specials, functions and event menus.
- Produce detailed recipes and specifications for every menu item.
- Ensure dishes can be consistently reproduced by the entire kitchen team.
- Recruit, train and develop chefs and kitchen staff.
- Build a positive, professional and disciplined kitchen environment.
- Create clear kitchen structures and responsibilities.
- Develop junior chefs and identify future senior members of the team.
- Lead by example regarding standards, punctuality, cleanliness and professionalism.
- Conduct regular kitchen briefings.
- Maintain good communication between kitchen and front\-of\-house teams.
The successful candidate must understand that a great kitchen must also be commercially successful.
Responsibilities include:
- Managing food GP and food cost percentages.
- Monitoring purchasing and supplier pricing.
- Controlling wastage.
- Managing stock levels.
- Completing regular stocktakes.
- Monitoring portion control.
- Reducing unnecessary food waste.
- Reviewing supplier pricing regularly.
- Ensuring purchasing represents good value without compromising quality.
- Helping management achieve agreed kitchen budgets and financial targets.
- Order all food products required for kitchen operations.
- Maintain appropriate stock levels.
- Develop good relationships with suppliers.
- Compare supplier pricing and product quality regularly.
- Ensure deliveries are checked for quantity, quality and temperature.
- Maintain accurate stock rotation using FIFO procedures.
- Ensure expensive products and high\-risk stock are properly controlled.
The Head Chef will be responsible for maintaining exceptional kitchen hygiene standards.
Responsibilities include:
- Full HACCP compliance.
- Temperature monitoring and recording.
- Food labelling and date control.
- Allergen management.
- Cleaning schedules.
- Staff hygiene procedures.
- Safe food storage.
- Kitchen maintenance reporting.
- Preparing the kitchen for Environmental Health inspections.
- Ensuring all kitchen staff understand and follow food safety procedures.
Service Standards
The Head Chef must be comfortable operating a busy kitchen and managing high\-volume services.
You will be expected to:
- Organise kitchen sections before service.
- Ensure appropriate staffing levels.
- Conduct pre\-service briefings.
- Monitor ticket times.
- Maintain communication with front of house.
- Manage pressure professionally during busy services.
- Resolve quality issues immediately.
- Maintain consistent standards regardless of how busy the restaurant becomes.
The venue may host:
- Private parties
- Corporate events
- Weddings
- Christmas parties
- Large group bookings
- Sporting events
- Special occasions
The Ideal Candidate
We are looking for somebody with:
- Significant experience as a Head Chef, Executive Chef or strong Senior Sous Chef.
- Experience in a busy, high\-quality restaurant, gastropub or hotel environment.
- Strong kitchen leadership skills.
- Excellent food knowledge.
- Strong understanding of food GP and kitchen financial controls.
- Experience developing menus.
- Excellent organisational ability.
- Strong knowledge of HACCP and food safety requirements.
- Ability to manage a busy service calmly and professionally.
- High standards regarding cleanliness and organisation.
- A genuine interest in developing and mentoring chefs.
We expect our Head Chef to:
Take ownership.
The kitchen should operate to an excellent standard whether ownership or senior management are present or not.
Be consistent.
Customers should receive the same quality dish every time they visit.
Develop people.
A successful Head Chef builds a strong kitchen team rather than depending on one or two individuals.
Understand the numbers.
Food quality is essential, but food costs, labour costs and wastage must also be controlled.
Maintain standards.
Cleanliness, presentation, organisation and professionalism are non\-negotiable.
Keep improving.
We want someone constantly looking at how the food, systems and customer experience can be improved.
Key Performance Indicators
Performance will be reviewed against areas including:
- Food quality
- Customer feedback
- Online food reviews
- Food GP
- Food cost percentage
- Wastage
- Kitchen labour cost
- Kitchen cleanliness
- HACCP compliance
- Ticket times
- Menu performance
- Staff retention
- Staff development
- Stock control
- Supplier management
- Competitive salary package.
- Senior position within an established hospitality business.
- Opportunity to have significant influence over the food offering.
- Strong management support.
- Quality kitchen facilities and equipment.
- Opportunity to develop and build your own kitchen team.
- Long\-term career opportunities within the hospitality group.
- Performance\-related incentives may be available for the right candidate.
Please send your CV along with a brief outline of your current position, previous kitchen management experience and the type of food operation you have been responsible for.
All applications will be treated in confidence.
Pay: €60,000\.00\-€70,000\.00 per year
Work Location: In person
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