Head Chef

Head Chef

Market House is Reading’s grown‑up playground. High‑volume, games‑led, late‑night, fast‑moving, and not remotely precious. Food here matters, but it’s part of a bigger picture. Big nights, big energy, big expectations.

• Fully account for kitchen operation end to end: run the kitchen delivering our Loaded & Dirty food offer consistently.
• Own food GP, stock control, ordering and waste.
• Build, train and retain a strong kitchen team with clear structure and standards.
• Write and maintain specs, recipes and portion control.
• Manage rotas in line with budget and trade.
• Deliver food safely and compliantly every shift, no shortcuts.
• Support menu development, new launches and event food.
• Keep the kitchen calm, organised and professional even when the building is full.

• Proven experience as a Head Chef or strong Senior Sous ready to step up.
• Comfortable cooking for numbers, not just covers.
• Strong grip on GP, margins and kitchen admin, not just service.
• A leader who backs their team, holds standards, and doesn’t tolerate nonsense.
• Organised, level‑headed and solutions‑focused.
• Someone who understands this is a late‑night, games‑led venue with busy weekends and big events.

• It’s not a fine dining kitchen.
• It’s not a slow‑paced pub carvery.
• It’s not a role for someone who avoids weekends or big services.

• A busy, well‑established venue with consistent trade.
• A supportive GM and senior management team who actually care about food.
• Real input into menus and how the kitchen runs.
• Competitive salary & tronc.
• The chance to put your stamp on a kitchen in a landmark venue.

About us: Market House is set in the centre of Reading, 5 min walk from the train station and surrounded by shops, restaurants and bars. With 23 hotel rooms, private spaces, a roof terrace bar, shuffle boards, ping pong tables, darts and a karaoke booth we are anything but standard. We strive to provide the best eating, drinking, sleeping and gaming experiences possible, we want to make sure that everyone who walks through our door has the best time possible and most importantly wants to come back and have it again!

Skills: Menu Development
• Food Safety
• Food Preparation

• Seniority level: Mid‑Senior level
• Employment type: Full‑time
• Job function: Management and Manufacturing
• Industry: Hospitality