Cross Hands Hotel, Old Sodbury, BS37 6RJ
Head Chef/ Kitchen Manager
Salary - £33,000 - £37,000 + Bonus
Love great food, leading a team and creating memorable dining experiences? Join us at The Cross Hands Hotel!
We're looking for a passionate, hands-on Kitchen Manager to lead our kitchen at The Cross Hands Hotel near Bristol. If you're an experienced kitchen professional who takes pride in food quality, enjoys developing people and knows how to run an organised, successful kitchen, this could be the perfect next step in your career.
With a traditional pub and restaurant at the heart of a beautiful historic hotel, this is an opportunity to bring great food and hospitality together, delivering an excellent experience for hotel guests, local customers and visitors exploring the surrounding countryside.
Why join The Cross Hands Hotel?
This is a fantastic opportunity to lead a kitchen within a historic hotel that offers something a little different from a traditional pub. With hotel guests, local diners and visitors exploring the surrounding area, there's plenty of variety and an opportunity to make a real impact.
You'll have the chance to develop your team, take ownership of the food operation and help make The Cross Hands Hotel a destination guests return to.
What's the opportunity?
The Cross Hands Hotel is a stunning 14th-century posting house in Old Sodbury, blending historic charm with modern comforts. Ideally located on the edge of the Cotswolds, within reach of Bristol, we're a welcoming destination for overnight guests, countryside explorers and those looking to enjoy a hearty meal.
Our bar and restaurant serve a range of traditional pub favourites, from sizzling steaks and succulent burgers to classic dishes, alongside a great selection of Greene King beers, wines and soft drinks.
As Kitchen Manager, you'll take ownership of the kitchen operation, leading your team to deliver consistently great food while ensuring the kitchen runs smoothly, efficiently and commercially.
You'll be responsible for:
Leading from the front: Motivate, coach and develop your kitchen team, creating a positive environment where everyone can thrive.
Delivering great food: Maintain excellent quality, consistency and presentation across the menu, ensuring every dish meets our standards.
Running an efficient kitchen: Manage stock, ordering, waste and labour costs to support strong commercial performance.
Planning for success: Organise rotas, preparation and service to ensure the kitchen is ready for busy periods.
Maintaining high standards: Ensure food safety, allergen management, cleanliness and kitchen compliance are always a priority.
Working collaboratively: Build strong relationships with the General Manager and front-of-house team to deliver outstanding guest experiences.
Making the most of our setting: Help create a welcoming food offer that appeals to hotel guests, local customers and visitors exploring the Cotswolds and Bristol.
What we're looking for
We're looking for someone with previous experience as a Kitchen Manager, Head Chef or in a similar senior kitchen role, who is ready to take ownership and make a real difference.
You'll bring:
Experience leading a kitchen team in a pub, restaurant or hospitality environment.
A passion for great food and consistently high standards.
A hands-on leadership style and the confidence to lead by example.
Strong organisational skills, including rota planning and preparation for service.
Good commercial awareness, with knowledge of stock control, ordering, waste and labour costs.
A sound understanding of food safety, allergens and kitchen compliance.
The ability to motivate your team, solve problems and stay calm under pressure.
Above all, you'll be someone who takes pride in their kitchen, enjoys developing people and understands the importance of delivering excellent food and service every day.
What's in it for you?
At Greene King, we believe in rewarding our teams and helping them build careers they can be proud of.
Career development: Training, apprenticeships and opportunities to progress across Greene King.
Discounts: 33% off food and drink in our pubs, plus 15% off for friends and family.
Greene King Inns: 50% off stays and 25% off for friends and family.
Wellbeing support: Access to our Employee Assistance Programme.
Family-friendly benefits: Enhanced policies to support you through life's important moments.
Recognition: Recommend a friend and earn up to £1,500.
Financial wellbeing: Access to Wagestream.
Extra savings: Retail discounts, including Superdrug and Three Mobile.
Greene King is one of the UK's leading pub companies and brewers, with over 220 years of history and a team of around 39,000 people. We're passionate about pouring happiness into lives and becoming the pride of great British hospitality.
🚀 Ready to make your mark?
If you're an experienced kitchen leader who loves great food, knows how to bring a team together and wants to build your career in a unique hotel setting, we'd love to hear from you.
Bring your passion. Lead your kitchen. Make The Cross Hands Hotel yours.