Head Chef - Live In Available

King Rufus
Kitchen Manager/ Head Chef
Salary £31,000 - £35,000 + Bonus
Live in Available

Ready to lead a busy kitchen, inspire a great team and take pride in every plate?

We're looking for an experienced Kitchen Manager / Head Chef to join The King Rufus in Chandlers Ford. If you're a hardworking, hands-on kitchen leader who thrives in a busy environment, enjoys working with an extensive menu and knows how to get the best out of a team, this could be the perfect next step in your career.

With a large dining space, a spacious beer garden and a varied menu catering for all tastes, this is an opportunity for someone who can balance great food, strong kitchen leadership and the commercial side of running a successful pub kitchen.

Why join The King Rufus?

The King Rufus offers a fantastic opportunity to lead a busy kitchen with plenty of variety. With a large indoor dining area, a substantial beer garden, a family-friendly atmosphere and a function room for special occasions, there's always an opportunity to deliver great food and memorable experiences.

You'll have the chance to make your mark, develop your team and take ownership of a kitchen where strong leadership and commercial thinking can make a real difference.

Job Description

What's the opportunity?

The King Rufus is a welcoming, family-friendly pub in Chandlers Ford, known for its vibrant atmosphere and fantastic range of pub favourites. From char-grilled skewers and Nashville burgers to hand-battered cod, vegetarian, vegan and non-gluten options, our menu offers plenty of choice for our guests.

With around 40 tables inside and a further 50 outside, our beer garden and outdoor play area make us a popular destination for families, friends and visitors to the local area. We also have a function room, giving guests the perfect space to celebrate special occasions.

As Kitchen Manager / Head Chef, you'll take ownership of the kitchen, leading from the front and ensuring the team delivers consistently great food while keeping the operation organised, efficient and commercially successful.

You'll be responsible for:

• Leading from the front: Be a hands-on leader who sets the standard, supports the team during busy services and creates a positive kitchen culture.

• Managing an extensive menu: Maintain excellent food quality, consistency, presentation and portion control across a varied menu, catering to different tastes and dietary requirements.

• Developing your team: Coach, motivate and support your kitchen colleagues, helping them build their skills and confidence.

• Running a commercially successful kitchen: Take ownership of stock, ordering, waste, labour and food costs, using figures and reports to make informed decisions.

• Keeping everything organised: Manage kitchen rotas, preparation and service to ensure the team is ready for busy periods across our indoor and outdoor dining areas.

• Maintaining high standards: Ensure food safety, allergen management and kitchen compliance are always a priority.

• Working collaboratively: Build a strong relationship with the General Manager and front-of-house team to deliver a brilliant guest experience and drive food sales.

Qualifications

What we're looking for

We're ideally looking for someone with at least two years' experience as a Kitchen Manager , or equivalent experience leading a busy kitchen. A branded pub or restaurant background would be a real advantage, particularly if you've worked your way up through the kitchen and understand what it takes to build a strong team.

You'll bring:

• Proven experience managing a busy kitchen and leading a team.

• A strong work ethic and a hands-on approach to leadership.

• Experience working with an extensive menu while maintaining quality and consistency.

• Confidence with kitchen systems, technology and back-of-house administration, including stock management, reporting and financial figures.

• Good commercial awareness, with the ability to understand costs, manage waste and make decisions that support profitability.

• Strong organisational skills and the ability to plan ahead for busy services.

• A passion for developing people and creating a kitchen team that takes pride in its work.

• A good understanding of food safety, allergens and kitchen compliance.

We're looking for someone who is as comfortable leading a busy service as they are reviewing the numbers behind the operation. You'll be proactive, organised and committed to getting the best out of both your team and the kitchen.

Additional Information

What's in it for you?

At Greene King, we believe in rewarding our teams and helping them build careers they can be proud of.

• Career development: Training, apprenticeships and opportunities to progress across Greene King.

• Discounts: 33% off food and drink in our pubs, plus 15% off for friends and family.

• Greene King Inns: 50% off stays and 25% off for friends and family.

• Wellbeing support: Access to our Employee Assistance Programme.

• Family-friendly benefits: Enhanced policies to support you through life's important moments.

• Recognition: Recommend a friend and earn up to £1,500.

• Financial wellbeing: Access to Wagestream to help manage your pay.

• Extra savings: Retail discounts, including Superdrug and Three Mobile.

Greene King is one of the UK's leading pub companies and brewers, with over 220 years of history and a team of around 39,000 people. We're passionate about pouring happiness into lives and becoming the pride of great British hospitality.

Ready for your next challenge?

If you're an experienced Kitchen Manager who enjoys leading from the front, understands the importance of great food and strong commercial performance, and is ready to take the next step with a busy pub, we'd love to hear from you.

CREATING PLACES WHERE PEOPLE FEEL WELCOME, SAFE AND THAT THEY BELONG

We aim to embed inclusion into every decision we make – across our people, customers, communities, suppliers, and operations. We want to create a culture where everyone feels welcome, valued, and able to thrive.

Bring your experience. Lead with confidence. Make the King Rufus yours.