Head Chef - New Forest - The Old Mill

Cook With Character, Lead With Heart Head Chef | The Old Mill, Hordle Nestled in the beautiful village of Hordle, The Old Mill is a stunning converted watermill bursting with heritage and charm. With its cosy interiors, original features, and a peaceful riverside garden, it’s the kind of place where people gather to relax, celebrate, and reconnect. Whether it’s a perfectly cooked Sunday roast by the fire, a vibrant summer salad enjoyed in the sunshine, or a comforting midweek classic – we’re all about creating unforgettable dining experiences . As Head Chef , you’ll lead the kitchen in bringing those moments to life, plate by plate. Your Role As Head Chef, you’ll be the creative and operational leader of the kitchen, driving standards, innovation, and consistency. You will: Inspire and lead a dedicated brigade, creating a positive and professional kitchen culture. Deliver seasonal, quality-led menus that reflect the charm and warmth of The Old Mill. Ensure every dish leaves the pass with exacting standards in presentation, taste, and consistency. Be fully responsible for kitchen performance , including food GP, stock control, ordering, and labour. Collaborate closely with the General Manager to drive the overall success of the pub. What You Bring You’re a natural leader with a deep love for food, and you know how to build and lead a high-performing kitchen. You: Have proven experience as Head Chef (or Senior Sous ready to step up) in a fresh food, fast-paced environment. Combine creativity and discipline , knowing how to balance innovation with consistency. Are commercially minded , with a strong understanding of food cost, wastage, and labour control. Care deeply about quality – of ingredients, processes, and the team culture you create. Thrive under pressure and never compromise on standards, even at the busiest times. Why The Old Mill? Because this is more than just a kitchen – it’s a place where people connect through food . You’ll be working in one of Hampshire’s most atmospheric pubs, leading a team with pride, and cooking food you can be proud of. This is your chance to shape the food reputation of a venue where quality and character matter. If you’re ready to lead with heart and hustle, we’d love to hear from you. What’s in it for you? Up to £50,000 of Tronc (this can be up to £5000 per year) Flexible shift patterns Up to 33% off meals taken off duty for you and up to 6 guests 33% off our hotel accommodation & 20% for Friends and Family Development program with a clear pathway Access to the lifestyle card – which will provide you with instant access to over 5,000 discounts across all aspects of their lifestyle. With thousands of discounts covering local independents, national and online businesses, there are plenty of opportunities to save money. The lifestyle card is a 100% free benefit for our Upham Inn team members. Service Awards Refer a friend and Chef recruitment incentives of up to £1000 Head Chef Requirements: Excellent Culinary and presentation skills Minimum 1 years experience as a Head Chef Excellent Communication and Interpersonal skills Energetic with passion to do a great job Able to manage staff in a calm, inspirational manner A forward-thinker that can manage stock with minimal wastage Demonstrates a passion for food Team Player Excellent organisation skills An understanding of profit margins and food stock controls. The Right to Work in the UK Head Chef Responsibilities: Plan, organise and direct the preparation and cooking of food ensuring that the company's reputation for quality is enhanced Preparing high quality food for our guests quickly and efficiently Maintaining food hygiene and safety standards Responsibility for ordering and stock controls, reduction of waste Overseeing day to day kitchen operations in a proactive and hands-on way Leading a team of chefs and KP's, Train, Coach and mentoring is a must Maintaining a clean and organised kitchen Adhere to allergen laws and respect for dietary requirements producing rotas and cleaning schedules for kitchen staff What do we do? We own a collection of beautiful and individual premium pubs across Southern England. Our pubs are in idyllic settings in country villages and towns, where we are proud to be the quality local of the area, serving high quality fresh pub food in a cozy pub ambience. Most of our pubs have some Charming Bedrooms as well. New to our growing family is Harper’s Steakhouse, a new premium American Steakhouse brand that we started rolling out last year. It’s an exciting time to join us! Upham Inns is growing, and we want you to grow with us and be part of our success. We’ve been busy investing in our business and we are seeing some great results. So, we want to continue to grow our pub family and we are looking to recruit passionate people into our team We are looking for great people to join us Our company is big enough to support you but small enough to care about your individual needs. We are a friendly, hands-on team who have a passion for running great pubs. We are always on the lookout for like-minded people who have the desire to work and grow with us.

Location: Hampshire, GB

Posted Date: 7/3/2025