The Drawing Board

Is looking for a Head Chef to join the team.

Can someone find me a sharp, creative, inspirational, switched-on, food-obsessed, standards-driven, organised kitchen leader please?!! And for the love of God, let them have a sense of humour, keep a calm head, and not lose their mind when the tickets start flying. Oh and don’t let them be a complete tool, that’s worth saying.

For the award-winning DB it’s year 12 (which feels both impressive and mildly concerning) and we’re looking for someone to take proper ownership of the kitchen. Not a clipboard chef. Not a shouty tyrant. An actual leader.

We’re amassing a small independent army to (really) slowly take over the Midlands (obviously).

Right, reality check.

Hospitality hasn’t exactly had an easy ride lately — costs up, footfall all over the place, everyone a bit knackered — but we’re still here, still busy, and still pushing to be better.

So this role matters. Like really matters.

What you’ll actually be doing

You’ll be running the kitchen. Properly.

• Leading service from the front (not hiding in the office)
• Keeping food consistent, tight and worth paying for
• Organising the team so prep is done and service isn’t chaos
• Writing menus, changing them seasonally, keeping things interesting
• Managing GP, stock, suppliers and all the boring-but-important bits
• Sorting rotas and keeping wage spend sensible
• Keeping EHO happy (and us open)
• Training the team so they don’t hate their lives

You’ll work closely with the GM and me — decisions get made quickly here, not buried in head office emails.

What we’re looking for

• A Head Chef, or a very solid Sous ready to step up
• Someone calm under pressure (no kitchen screamers please)
• Someone who understands both food and numbers
• A proper team builder — not someone running their own little empire
• Someone who takes pride in standards, cleanliness and organisation
• Fresh food experience is absolutely essential

Also — and this is important — personality.

If you’re hard work in the wrong way, this won’t work.

If you’re hard work in the right way, you’ll thrive.

The kitchen culture

No shouting for the sake of it.

No chaos as a management strategy.

No egos (or dicks) swinging about.

We run a tight, respectful kitchen where people are expected to pull their weight and help each other out.

If you fix problems early, you’ll fit right in.

If you create them… less so.

The business bit

The Drawing Board has been going since 2015.

We’re independent, which means:

• Suppliers get paid
• Systems actually exist but need updating
• FOH and kitchen talk to each other
• The owner is around (hello)
• Decisions happen fast

• 
  

We’re not corporate — but we are properly run.




What you’ll get

A cracking salary (based on experience)

Tronc

A stable, established business

Actual input into menus and direction

A team that gives a shit.




We’re also realistic about hours and life outside the kitchen — we want this to work long term.

If this sounds like your cup of tea / pint / bacon sarnie - get in touch.




Send your CV and a bit of a nattery cover letter to:

• sam@thedrawingboard.pub