Head Chef in London

On-site in London·Full-time·Added today (last checked 4 Nov)

WSH Group

820 open roles

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Our summary

Salary: Up to £50,000 a year
About £3,290 a month after tax.
Work mode: On-site, London
Contract: Full-time
Experience: Senior level
Holiday: 35 days holiday
Commute: Cycle to work scheme

Skills

WSH Group is hiring for this role in several places. This vacancy is in London.

Pay & benefits

What you'll get

As a Head Chef you will receive the following industry leading benefits:

50% discount across Searcys venues
Enrolment into the Searcys pension scheme
Up to 35 days annual leave (dependant on job role)
Access to everyday discounts and communication portal
Employee assistance programme
Enrolment into Searcys Champagne School
Annual celebration event
Culinary development programme
Cycle to work scheme
Chef incentive days
Meals provided on shift when working within one of our venue
Chef Whites provided
Your birthday off to celebrate in style
A day off to volunteer / give back to the charity of your choice
Team social

The role

This is a unique opportunity to lead the culinary operation at the prestigious National Army Museum, overseeing both the busy public café and a thriving hospitality and events programme. From delivering high-quality daytime dining to creating exceptional menus for private functions, corporate events, and VIP receptions, this role offers variety, creativity, and the chance to make a lasting impact in a distinguished cultural setting.

Job Type: 45hrs per week, Venue operates Tuesday to Sunday from 9:00am to 5:00pm, with occasional evening events.
Salary: up to £50,000 per annum,

As Head Chef, you will lead and inspire the kitchen team, ensuring outstanding food quality, innovation, and service across all areas of the operation while maintaining the highest standards of food safety, compliance, and financial performance.

What you'll do

Develop and deliver creative seasonal menus for the café, hospitality, and events business.
Lead, train, and motivate the kitchen team to achieve exceptional standards.
Ensure consistent food quality, presentation, and customer satisfaction.
Work closely with the events and front-of-house teams to deliver successful functions and hospitality experiences.
Manage stock, food costs, budgets, and supplier relationships effectively.
Maintain the highest standards of food hygiene, health & safety, and allergen compliance.
Drive innovation and continuous improvement across the food offer.
Support and lead the delivery of private events, corporate functions, and VIP receptions.
Ensure smooth day-to-day kitchen operations within a high-volume, visitor-focused environment.

Qualifications

Proven experience as a Head Chef in both retail café operations and event catering.
Creative, trend-aware, and passionate about sustainability and seasonality
Inspirational leader with excellent communication and organisational skills
Level 3 Food Safety & HACCP (or equivalent)

About WSH Group

WSH Group is a hospitality and catering business. Its advertised roles cover kitchen and food service positions such as chefs, catering assistants, kitchen porters, baristas and front-of-house staff, as well as management roles including chef managers, general manager and events manager.

Its careers page also lists branded operations such as Caterlink, Benugo, Genuine Dining and BM Caterers, and includes lounge hospitality work such as Lounge Host roles for the British Airways Lounge in Aberdeen.

In their own words

About the company & team

Searcys are recruiting for a Head Chef to join the team at the National Army Museum.

We are looking for an experienced culinary leader to oversee premium dining services and create outstanding hospitality experiences, encompassing fine dining, corporate events, and high-profile VIP functions.

Located in the heart of Chelsea, the National Army Museum offers a range of stylish and versatile spaces available to hire for corporate and private events, including purpose-built meeting and conference facilities for daytime hire, as well as a selection of open, high-ceilinged spaces perfect for evening events.

Additional information

We are the oldest caterer in the UK, having been founded in 1847, working with us will give you an opportunity to be part of some of London’s most prestigious events, gaining insights and mentoring from skilled and experienced colleagues, as well as getting a chance to be part of a storied legacy in the hospitality industry.

A career at Searcys means you are part of something special, we are an employer with a rich history, and an established reputation which will provide you with an enormous sense of pride and belonging.

To find out more on the rich history of Searcys, please visit our website at www.searcys.co.uk

All open roles at WSH Group