City of London Full-time £40,000 per annum Graysons is looking for an experienced, creative and highly organised Head Chef to take ownership of the kitchen operation at Farmers & Fletchers in the City of London.

Farmers & Fletchers is a distinctive livery venue hosting a varied program of events throughout the year, including formal livery lunches and dinners, private events, drinks receptions, meetings and corporate functions. This is a hands-on role for a chef who enjoys running their own kitchen, creating menus, developing ideas and delivering consistently high standards across a varied events program. As with any events-led venue, the level of business naturally fluctuates throughout the year. We are therefore looking for someone who enjoys variety and is comfortable adapting their working week between busy event periods, menu and production planning, and supporting wider Graysons food operations (central London area) during quieter periods.

About Graysons

Graysons is an independent hospitality and catering business delivering food, events and workplace hospitality across a portfolio of distinctive venues and organisations. Our London operations include prestigious heritage, cultural, corporate and events locations, and we are continuing to develop our food and hospitality offer across the portfolio. We are looking for chefs who enjoy working in varied environments, take pride in quality and presentation, and are interested in building an ongoing relationship with the wider Graysons team.

The role

As Head Chef, you will take responsibility for the day-to-day running of the kitchen and food operation at Farmers & Fletchers. The food offer is diverse and can include:

- Formal livery lunches and dinners
- Private and corporate events
- Drinks receptions and canapés
- Fork buffets
- Working lunches
- Sandwiches and lighter catering
- Pre-packed food and hospitality
- Seasonal menus
- Bespoke menus developed around individual client requirements

You will have the opportunity to contribute ideas not only around the food itself, but also how dishes are presented and how the overall food experience is delivered.

Key responsibilities

You will be responsible for:





- Leading and taking ownership of the kitchen operation at Farmers & Fletchers
- Preparing and delivering food across a varied events program
- Planning kitchen production around confirmed events and bookings
- Creating and developing seasonal menus
- Producing bespoke menus in response to client and event requirements
- Bringing ideas around food presentation, service style and event delivery
- Maintaining consistently high standards of food quality and presentation
- Ordering and supplier management
- Food cost, portion control and waste management
- Stock management, stock takes and effective stock rotation
- Maintaining excellent food safety and hygiene standards
- Managing allergens, dietary requirements, traceability and labelling
- Maintaining accurate kitchen due diligence and compliance records
- Managing kitchen cleaning schedules and standards
- Leading and coordinating support chefs for larger events
- Working effectively with temporary or agency chefs when additional support is required
- Helping recruit, train and develop kitchen support staff, including a kitchen/general porter
- Working closely with the General Manager, operations team and front-of-house team
- Identifying opportunities to improve kitchen efficiency, production and working practices

During quieter periods at Farmers & Fletchers, the role may also include supporting appropriate food production, canapé preparation or other Graysons venues and projects. This gives the role greater variety while allowing the successful chef to contribute to the wider development of the Graysons food operation.

What we're looking for

We're looking for a chef who is:

- Experienced enough to confidently take ownership of their own kitchen
- Creative and comfortable developing menus and new ideas
- Experienced in delivering events, banqueting or hospitality catering




- Comfortable creating bespoke menus around individual client requirements
- Strong on food presentation and interested in the overall guest experience
- Highly organised and able to plan effectively around an events calendar
- Commercially aware, with a good understanding of food cost, purchasing, stock and waste
- Excellent on food safety, allergens, due diligence and kitchen compliance
- Confident leading support chefs and kitchen staff
- Calm and organised during larger or more demanding events
- Flexible and comfortable with the changing rhythm of an events-led business
- Happy to be hands‑on and part of a small venue team
- Reliable, professional and able to take genuine ownership of the operation

Experience within events, banqueting, contract catering, hotels, livery venues or premium hospitality would be particularly useful.

Working pattern

The operation is primarily driven by the venue's events calendar rather than a traditional seven-day restaurant service. The working pattern will therefore vary according to bookings, with a combination of daytime and evening work and occasional weekend events. The successful candidate will need to plan their working week effectively around the business, ensuring appropriate chef and kitchen support is in place for larger events. Flexibility will be important, but so will good planning and making effective use of quieter periods.

Salary

£40,000

Why join Graysons?

Why join Graysons? This is an opportunity to genuinely take ownership of a kitchen rather than simply joining a large brigade. You'll have the opportunity to:

- Run and organise your own kitchen operation
- Work across a varied program of events
- Create and develop seasonal and bespoke menus
- Influence food presentation and service style
- Build and develop your kitchen support team
- Work closely with the venue and operations teams
- Contribute to food production and projects across the wider Graysons business
- Help shape and improve the food offer at Farmers & Fletchers

We're looking for someone who wants to make the kitchen their own, bring ideas to the table and become an important part of the team at Farmers & Fletchers.

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