Head Chef

Peak Edge Hotel & Red Lion Restaurant

Peak Edge Hotel is entering an exciting phase as we continue the elevation of the Red Lion Restaurant and our award winning Banqueting operation, building on our reputation for honest, seasonal cooking rooted in exceptional local produce from our own Walton Lodge Estate.

We are now looking for a hands-on Head Chef to join our senior kitchen team and help drive the next stage of our guest experience.

Reporting to the Group Executive Chef, you will lead the day-to-day kitchen operation while helping develop a confident, consistent brigade capable of delivering at 2 AA Rosette level across a 7-day operation, while also supporting our high-quality banqueting and wedding offer.

The Role

This is a leadership role for a chef who still loves being on the pass and in the kitchen. You will be responsible for maintaining standards, developing the team, and ensuring every service reflects the quality of the produce we are proud to serve.

Alongside the Red Lion operation, you will play an important supporting role in the delivery of our busy banqueting and wedding business, working closely with the Group Executive Chef, the Red Lion Head Chef and the Head Banqueting Chef to ensure consistency and quality across the whole site.

Menu development is collaborative and structured, with strong support from the Group Executive Chef, including administrative support for costings and menu engineering.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the day-to-day kitchen operation
• Deliver consistent 2 AA Rosette standard food across all services
• Support the delivery of high-quality banqueting and wedding food
• Develop, mentor and grow the kitchen brigade
• Drive standards of prep, service, and kitchen organisation
• Work collaboratively on seasonal menu development
• Champion the use of Walton Lodge Estate produce
• Ensure strong GP performance with support from the Exec Chef
• Maintain excellent food safety and compliance standards
• Support recruitment and succession planning within the kitchen team

About You

We are looking for a chef who combines craft, leadership and energy.

You will ideally:

• Be an experienced Snr Sous Chef or Head Chef from a quality fresh-food environment
• Be genuinely passionate about seasonal, ingredient-led cooking
• Have experience working to 2AA Rosette standards (or similar)
• Be confident supporting both restaurant and banqueting operations
• Be a strong, calm leader who develops people
• Be highly organised and standards-driven
• Enjoy working collaboratively rather than in isolation
• Take pride in consistency as much as creativity
• Be comfortable in a busy, quality-focused 7-day operation

Why Join Peak Edge Hotel?

• Work with outstanding produce from our Walton Lodge Estate
• Be part of an ambitious but grounded independent business
• Strong support structure from an experienced Group Executive Chef
• Collaborative menu development process
• Real opportunity to shape the next phase of the Peak Edge Hotel
• Stable, established brigade and business

If you're ready to grow your culinary career and achieve a wonderful dining experience with our team, lets talk!