Executive Chef
| Posting date: | 20 May 2025 |
|---|---|
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 19 June 2025 |
| Location: | London, SW1A2WH |
| Company: | Hilton |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Job reference: | HOT0BMG7 |
Summary
The Waldorf Astoria Admiralty Arch is looking for a Director of Food and Beverage to form part of the pre-opening team for this brand-new luxury hotel set to open early 2026.
This is a fantastic opportunity for an experienced Food and Beverage Leader to support the opening of one of London’s most anticipated hotels.
This luxury hotel will be housed in the iconic Admiralty Arch, a Grade I listed building located at the end of The Mall, opposite Buckingham Palace.
The project is a collaboration between Hilton and Reuben Brothers, who acquired the property in 2022. The hotel will feature 112 rooms and suites, including a two-bedroom VIP suite on the fourth-floor bridge with stunning views of Buckingham Palace and Trafalgar Square. Guests can also enjoy a rooftop terrace on the sixth floor and a ground-floor terrace overlooking St James's Park.
The Waldorf Astoria London Admiralty Arch will offer world-class dining options with restaurants and bars helmed by renowned chef partners Clare Smyth MBE and Daniel Boulud, who together hold seven Michelin stars and will each oversee the hotel’s signature restaurants.
In addition the Hotel encompasses a Spa and a 320-cover ballroom. This development aims to preserve the historical significance of Admiralty Arch while providing a luxurious experience for guests.
The hotel will also include residential apartments and a private members' club, making it a versatile destination for both hotel guests and locals. With its prime location and commitment to luxury, the Waldorf Astoria London Admiralty Arch is poised to become a landmark destination in the heart of London.
As the Executive Chef for Waldorf Astoria Admiralty Arch London, you will be responsible for the culinary performance of all of the Hotel operations.
Working closely with the Food and Drinks and Meeting and Events teams, you will be responsible for delivering world-class cuisine while creating an exceptional culinary experience within this luxury hotel.
As an Executive Chef, you will have a passion for luxury Hotels and a sound track record in managing and being involved with Michelin-star environments and top 5* Hotels or venues - ideally within the London market.
WELCOME TO A WORLD OF OPPORTUNITIES AT THE UK’s #1 GREAT PLACE TO WORK 2025, AS VOTED BY OUR TEAM MEMBERS!
A WORLD OF REWARDS
- Competitive Salary
- Uniform provided and laundered
- Free and healthy meals when on duty
- Grow your Career
- Personal Development programmes designed to support you at every step of your career
- A chance to make a difference through our Corporate Responsibility programmes – Find out what and how we are doing (https://cr.hilton.com)
- Team Member Travel Program: discounted hotel nights plus 50% off Food and Beverages (subject to individual outlets)
- Team Member Referral Program
- High street discounts: with Perks at Work
- Holiday: 28 days including bank holidays (increasing yearly to up to 33 days)
- Discounted dental and health cover
- Modern and inclusive Team Member’s areas
The Executive Chef is responsible for the successful management and profitability of all culinary and stewarding operations in the hotel. This is a key role in the hotel leadership team.
Do you know what it takes to inspire your team to create exceptional culinary experiences every time?
Are you passionate about working with high quality ingredients and sustainability in the food chain?
Do you take pride in ensuring the highest standards of food quality and food safety?
As a leader, are you supportive and inclusive?
If so, the Executive Chef role is tailor-made for you!
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
As Executive Chef, your key responsibilities will be:
1 Commercial Performance
· Develop the Culinary and Stewarding business plan, considering market strategy, financial targets and business volumes, as well as customer and team member experience
· Manage the Culinary and Stewarding budget and forecast to support achievement of the hotel’s commercial goals
· Review departmental results - including sales, food costs, profit margins, wastage, breakage, guest satisfaction - and take action with the Culinary and Stewarding management team to improve performance
2 Excellent Food
· Partner with the F&B Operations team to create attractive F&B concepts, menus, products and promotions that drive revenue and profit
· Deliver delicious, high-quality, well-presented food to meet guests’ needs - and Instagram feeds!
· Support Hilton’s sustainability goals through local sourcing strategies, use of seasonal produce, minimizing food waste, recycling, and efficient energy and water consumption.
3 Exceptional Guest Experiences
· Ensure the Culinary team prepare, present and deliver dishes on time, with pride and precision, to create exceptional guest experiences
· Make sure that food allergies and dietary requirements are treated with absolute seriousness and that all chefs are trained on correct food handling
· Review and act on guest feedback, taking prompt action to resolve guest complaints and improve guest loyalty
· Partner with F&B Operations to enhance the hotel’s image through online reputation management for F&B, driving positive reviews on key platforms and websites.
4 Great Working Environment
· Lead, develop and inspire the Culinary and Stewarding teams, creating an inclusive environment where all Team Members can thrive and achieve their professional goals
· Practice great people management, from recruitment to training to succession planning and recognition
· Develop an efficient Culinary and Stewarding workforce plan to identify current and future needs based on forecast business volumes, budgets and HR guidelines
· Communicate well and often, building great relationships with key stakeholders.
5 Day-To-Day Essentials
· Make sure Culinary and Stewarding operations strictly comply with all regulations (including health, safety and hygiene, food safety certification, daily kitchen records and labelling) and that potentially hazardous situations are identified, reported and corrected.
· Work with the Purchasing team to identify and select suppliers and create efficient purchasing processes. Put controls in place to maintain high quality of produce and equipment.
· Work with the Finance team to set the minimum and maximum stocks of all food, material and equipment. Make sure FFE, kitchen upkeep and inventories are maintained.
· Keep up to date with what’s happening in F&B – current and future trends, markets, ingredients, competitors and suppliers – to drive innovation.
WHO ARE WE LOOKING FOR?
We’re looking for an inspirational leader who is passionate about food and beverage, in a similar role and an internationally recognized degree or diploma. Experience in menu development is essential.
To be successful in this position you will have:
- Passion for luxury Hotels and a sound track record in managing and being involved with Michelin-star environments and top 5* hotels or venues - ideally within the London market.
- Ability to manage and liaise with world-class chefs and concepts.
- Level 3 Food Hygiene Certificate.
· Commercial focus, with a demonstrated ability to deliver exceptional business performance and results.
· Inspirational leadership and people management skills, with experience in leading, developing and motivating a large team and working effectively with other departments.
· Excellent verbal and written communication skills, able to deliver a compelling message for the right audience, from team briefings to commercial business presentations to representing the hotel publicly.
· Guest focus, experienced in implementing and maintaining the highest standards of food production, quality and hygiene to deliver memorable guest experiences.
· Effective relationship management skills to build and maintain good working relationships with key stakeholders, internally and externally, including suppliers.
· Creativity, strategic-thinking and problem-solving skills, with the ability to work effectively in a fast-paced environment while remaining calm and focused under pressure.
· You will be a social media expert, and comfortable using F&B systems and MS Office.
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