The Boxford - Head Chef

Company Description

The Boxford, nestled 10 minutes from Newbury, is built on a site that was formerly occupied by ‘The Bell Inn’, a rural roadside inn that captured passing trade on the road to Newbury. What was then a Victorian public house and 1980s annex was then turned into a modern and welcoming new  restaurant in 2023. An all-day family-friendly dining and drinks destination that specialises in fresh Mediterranean cuisine and artisanal sourdough pizzas in the scenic Berkshire countryside

Find out more about The Boxford by visiting our website:  https://theboxford.com/

Job Description

The Boxford is a vibrant, ambitious Mediterranean restaurant where seasonal creativity, precision, and excellence are at the hearts of our culinary identity. As Head Chef, you will lead and inspire a high-performing kitchen team to deliver exceptional food, memorable experiences, and operational excellence.

This role requires strong leadership, technical expertise, an obsession with detail, and the ability to maintain calm, focus, and professionalism within a dynamic kitchen environment.

You will shape the culinary direction of The Boxford - driving innovation, developing menus that celebrate flavour, and ensuring consistent delivery of outstanding dishes. You will also cultivate a warm, respectful, and collaborative team culture that supports growth, learning, and long-term development.

Salary Package: £40,000 - £55,000 (dependent on experience)

Key Responsibilities

Leadership & Team Development

• Inspire, lead and motivate the kitchen team to achieve business goals and exceptional service standards
• Mentor, coach, and train team members through regular 1:1s, PDPs, and performance management
• Manage recruitment, interviewing, hiring, onboarding, and succession planning
• Create a culture of excellence, learning, and mutual respect; uphold grooming, professionalism, and hygiene standards
• Ensure high morale and team engagement through positive daily leadership

Kitchen Operations & Standards

• Manage day-to-day kitchen operations to ensure smooth, efficient service for approximately 65 covers (up to 90 in peak service)
• Oversee food preparation, plating, and consistency to a high Rosette-level standard
• Maintain impeccable mise en place, production, cleanliness, and adherence to hygiene and food safety protocols
• Ensure the kitchen remains clean, efficient, and compliant with all H&S legislation (COSHH, Food Safety, Legal Regulations, Environmental Policies)
• Operate and maintain all kitchen equipment to ensure safe and effective 24/7 operation

Menu Development & Culinary Creativity

• Lead on menu development, bringing seasonal, innovative, modern Italian flavours to life
• Drive innovation and continuously improve culinary standards, techniques, and processes
• Guide team members to cook and present dishes of exceptional quality, ensuring consistent guest satisfaction

Stock, Budget & Profitability

• Manage all food budgets, recipe costing, GP targets, and overall kitchen profitability
• Plan and manage ordering in line with anticipated business levels
• Oversee stock rotation, storage, food utilisation, portion control, and waste minimisation

Administration & Compliance

• Complete and oversee all kitchen administration tasks including due diligence logs, compliance documentation, and daily checklists
• Monitor adherence to all kitchen policies and procedures and implement improvements where required
• Attend and conduct departmental meetings to ensure smooth operational communication across the business
• Manage rotas, shift coverage, and resource planning across restaurant, and events operations
• Anticipate guest needs and manage challenging service situations with professionalism and calm authority

Why join The Boxford?

• A nuturing, collaborative environment where talent is recognised, supported, and developed
• Genuine opportunities for progression into Senior leadership roles
• Ongoing training and development to support personal and professional growth
• A culture that celebrates initiative, curiosity, creativity, and attention to detail

Hours per week: 45

Qualifications

• Proven experience as a Sous Chef, Senior Sous Chef or Head Chef.
• Proficiency in diverse cooking techniques and cuisines
• Leaving Cert level education or above
• NVQ qualification or equivalent
• Ability to display a real passion for food and customer service
• Flair and innovative with menus and food presentation
• Excellent communication and teamwork skills
• Exceptional attention to detail

Additional Information

WSH Restaurants has built a family-feel culture where we offer development and progression for all. In addition to that, we also offer a range of benefits including:

• Complimentary meals during shifts
• 28 days holiday, increasing with length of service
• Life Assurance
• Recommend-a-friend scheme with significant referral bonuses
• Access to Perkbox, offering discounts across gyms, travel, shopping, gadgets and more
• Reward programmes, long service awards, staff recognition, and performance incentives
• Workplace pension scheme
• Opportunity to develop and further your career within a fast growing an exciting company 
• Employee Assistance Programme & wellbeing hub
• Cycle to Work Scheme