Head Chef - El Castillo Spanish Tapas Restaurant
| Posting date: | 16 June 2025 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | Not specified |
| Additional salary information: | Salary negotiable dependent on skills & experience |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 16 July 2025 |
| Location: | New Coundon, Bishop Auckland |
| Remote working: | On-site only |
| Company: | The Auckland Project |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Job reference: | ECHC |
Summary
The role purpose:
We are looking for an enthusiastic, passionate Head Chef with creative flair to join our team predominantly across our Spanish Restaurant - El Castillo but Bishops Kitchen & Events catering. Managing a team of Chefs, you will lead a culture of excellence using fresh, locally sourced ingredients, including produce from our own Walled Garden. This role will be partially customer facing and will require a calm and pleasant persona.
As a key member of the senior team, you will contribute to the delivery of exceptional hospitality; making you a part of an organisation dedicated to the regeneration, conservation and celebration of Bishop Auckland. This will be achieved by maintaining a safe, happy creative workplace founded in professionalism and strong team ethic. As Head Chef, you will ensure the smooth running of the Kitchen and ensure guest satisfaction by providing the highest food quality consistent with cost control and profitability margins.
In return for your dedication and commitment, we offer 30 days annual leave per annum plus 8 bank holidays, and the role is offered on a permanent full-time basis working 5 over 7. Pension scheme available along with free entry to all of The Auckland Project attractions and 10% discount in all food outlets. We also offer an employee assistance program providing support on financial, health and legal issues along with giving discounts on many brands and giving health & wellness advice.
This is a great opportunity for a focused chef to really push on with their career and develop their reputation.
Key Responsibilities:
The post-holder is responsible for the following key deliverables and accountabilities:
• To lead and manage an operational kitchen, ensuring excellence in food quality, attention to detail and presentation standards.
• To line mange a team of chefs at all levels across El Castillo, Bishops Kitchen, Events and Agency chefs if applicable.
• Smart, well-presented and be capable of remaining professional and calm whilst under pressure
• To manage the ordering, handling, preparation, cooking and serving within the kitchens for El Castillo, Bishops Kitchen & Catering Events, whilst ensuring high standards of cleanliness and hygiene.
• To manage budgets, driving profit through appropriate menu development, maximising profit margins, minimising waste and managing stock levels and records. Produce and maintain costing plans for menus.
• To develop and deliver the overall food proposition with seasonal and specials menus which are appropriate for the venue and audience, managing allergens and presentation standards
• Order food stock in line with organisational policy ensuring monthly spend does not exceed budgeted percentage of sales cost. Ensure proper accounting for stock using F&B sales system.
• Ensure the correct rotation of food produced to maintain a high standard of food quality and manage stock
• Ensure all departmental administration is completed in a timely manner, including stock takes, rotas and budgetary analysis.
• To lead on kitchen compliance - Maintaining all food safety and COSHH paperwork, adherence to food laws and implementing across the kitchen team.
• Be vigilant regarding allergy awareness and develop knowledge throughout the team
• Continuously train, mentor and coach the full kitchen team and develop their knowledge, confidence and ability, ensuring mandatory training and personal development plans are implemented.
• Lead performance across the kitchen team by setting objectives and assessing performance against theses. Perform timely one to ones with the whole team. Address underperformance in a timely manner. Seek feedback on own leadership performance to continuously improve.
• Embed full awareness for all menu items, recipes, allergens and presentation standards, specs across the team. Ensure food records are effectively kept and maintained.
• Set operational standards for a kind, progressive and respectful culture.
• To create cost effective rotas, proportionate to anticipated demand with the budgeted staffing costs in mind.
• To develop good relationships with the front of house team, engaging them with new menus to enhance food delivery throughout the Hotel.
• Work closely with the management team to develop the offer and address operational issues.
• Ensure efficient working practises are taking place within the kitchen to ensure high quality food is delivered to guests in an acceptable timeframe.
Health & Safety
Be committed to good health and safety and access practice, ensuring familiarity and compliance with TAP policies, procedures and guidelines and the health and safety of visitors, staff, volunteers and contractors at all times.
Person Specification:
Essential Criteria
• At least three years’ experience in similar position
• Level 2 qualification or equivalent
• Managerial or supervisory experience
• Experience of writing menus
• A detailed working knowledge of health and safety requirements in relation to a catering environment
• Knowledge of stock management and inventory and cost management
• Logistics management experience
• Ability to multi task, work under pressure and confidently fix problems as they arise
• Ability to work in a team environment
• Professional, hard working with an enthusiastic approach to learning. Be driven and not be afraid of hard work
• Exhibit pride in performance and possess high standards
• Good personal hygiene
• Basic knife skills essential
• Good communication and customer service skills
We are looking for an enthusiastic, passionate Head Chef with creative flair to join our team predominantly across our Spanish Restaurant - El Castillo but Bishops Kitchen & Events catering. Managing a team of Chefs, you will lead a culture of excellence using fresh, locally sourced ingredients, including produce from our own Walled Garden. This role will be partially customer facing and will require a calm and pleasant persona.
As a key member of the senior team, you will contribute to the delivery of exceptional hospitality; making you a part of an organisation dedicated to the regeneration, conservation and celebration of Bishop Auckland. This will be achieved by maintaining a safe, happy creative workplace founded in professionalism and strong team ethic. As Head Chef, you will ensure the smooth running of the Kitchen and ensure guest satisfaction by providing the highest food quality consistent with cost control and profitability margins.
In return for your dedication and commitment, we offer 30 days annual leave per annum plus 8 bank holidays, and the role is offered on a permanent full-time basis working 5 over 7. Pension scheme available along with free entry to all of The Auckland Project attractions and 10% discount in all food outlets. We also offer an employee assistance program providing support on financial, health and legal issues along with giving discounts on many brands and giving health & wellness advice.
This is a great opportunity for a focused chef to really push on with their career and develop their reputation.
Key Responsibilities:
The post-holder is responsible for the following key deliverables and accountabilities:
• To lead and manage an operational kitchen, ensuring excellence in food quality, attention to detail and presentation standards.
• To line mange a team of chefs at all levels across El Castillo, Bishops Kitchen, Events and Agency chefs if applicable.
• Smart, well-presented and be capable of remaining professional and calm whilst under pressure
• To manage the ordering, handling, preparation, cooking and serving within the kitchens for El Castillo, Bishops Kitchen & Catering Events, whilst ensuring high standards of cleanliness and hygiene.
• To manage budgets, driving profit through appropriate menu development, maximising profit margins, minimising waste and managing stock levels and records. Produce and maintain costing plans for menus.
• To develop and deliver the overall food proposition with seasonal and specials menus which are appropriate for the venue and audience, managing allergens and presentation standards
• Order food stock in line with organisational policy ensuring monthly spend does not exceed budgeted percentage of sales cost. Ensure proper accounting for stock using F&B sales system.
• Ensure the correct rotation of food produced to maintain a high standard of food quality and manage stock
• Ensure all departmental administration is completed in a timely manner, including stock takes, rotas and budgetary analysis.
• To lead on kitchen compliance - Maintaining all food safety and COSHH paperwork, adherence to food laws and implementing across the kitchen team.
• Be vigilant regarding allergy awareness and develop knowledge throughout the team
• Continuously train, mentor and coach the full kitchen team and develop their knowledge, confidence and ability, ensuring mandatory training and personal development plans are implemented.
• Lead performance across the kitchen team by setting objectives and assessing performance against theses. Perform timely one to ones with the whole team. Address underperformance in a timely manner. Seek feedback on own leadership performance to continuously improve.
• Embed full awareness for all menu items, recipes, allergens and presentation standards, specs across the team. Ensure food records are effectively kept and maintained.
• Set operational standards for a kind, progressive and respectful culture.
• To create cost effective rotas, proportionate to anticipated demand with the budgeted staffing costs in mind.
• To develop good relationships with the front of house team, engaging them with new menus to enhance food delivery throughout the Hotel.
• Work closely with the management team to develop the offer and address operational issues.
• Ensure efficient working practises are taking place within the kitchen to ensure high quality food is delivered to guests in an acceptable timeframe.
Health & Safety
Be committed to good health and safety and access practice, ensuring familiarity and compliance with TAP policies, procedures and guidelines and the health and safety of visitors, staff, volunteers and contractors at all times.
Person Specification:
Essential Criteria
• At least three years’ experience in similar position
• Level 2 qualification or equivalent
• Managerial or supervisory experience
• Experience of writing menus
• A detailed working knowledge of health and safety requirements in relation to a catering environment
• Knowledge of stock management and inventory and cost management
• Logistics management experience
• Ability to multi task, work under pressure and confidently fix problems as they arise
• Ability to work in a team environment
• Professional, hard working with an enthusiastic approach to learning. Be driven and not be afraid of hard work
• Exhibit pride in performance and possess high standards
• Good personal hygiene
• Basic knife skills essential
• Good communication and customer service skills