Head Chef – The Pheasant Inn
The Pheasant Inn, Higher Burwardsley, Tattenhall, CH3 9PF

The award winning Pheasant Inn is seeking an ambitious and talented Head Chef to lead our passionate kitchen team and help drive the business to even greater success. We take pride in serving fresh, locally sourced ingredients that are prepared and cooked on-site every day.

Our goal is to continue evolving our food offering and establish The Pheasant Inn as one of the North’s leading food destinations, working closely with an outstanding network of local producers. This role is perfect for a driven and passionate chef who wants to make a real impact within a progressive and exciting hospitality business.

Salary & Benefits

Be part of a hardworking team that enjoys what they do. As a member of our team, you’ll benefit from:

• A competitive salary package of up to £60,000, including a basic salary of up to £45,000, TRONC of up to £10,000 (your share of tips), and a Head Chef Bonus Scheme worth up to £5,000.
• 30% staff discount on food across all five Nelson Hotels & Inns venues.
• Excellent work-life balance with a flexible rota designed to suit you.
• Access to nationally recognised qualifications and professional development opportunities.
• An Employee Assistance Programme through the Licensed Trade Charity offering practical, emotional, and financial support.
• Preferential rates on hotel stays within the Nelson Hotels & Inns group.

About You

We’re looking for an experienced chef, hands on chef with a strong background in leading kitchen teams and delivering consistently high-quality, fresh gastro-pub food in a busy, fast-paced environment. The ideal candidate will be used to working within Rosetted businesses, be passionate about seasonal ingredients, confident in creating modern menus, and capable of maintaining strong GP margins and financial performance.

You’ll take real pride in the dishes your team produces, while creating a kitchen culture that is energetic, hardworking, and enjoyable to be part of.

Key Responsibilities

• Monitor menu item sales, reviewing the profitability and popularity of dishes and making adjustments in collaboration with senior management and directors.
• Contribute to menu development alongside the senior management, sales, and marketing teams.
• Lead and supervise the kitchen team, remaining hands-on during key service periods.
• Ensure the kitchen maintains the highest standards of cleanliness and complies with all internal and external audits and requirements.
• Produce and manage kitchen rotas in line with payroll targets.
• Utilise in-house systems for purchasing and stock control to achieve GP targets.
• Organise and oversee training for kitchen staff, encouraging skill development in food preparation and kitchen management while keeping accurate training records.
• Work closely with HR on recruitment, staff appraisals, and retention.

Due to our rural countryside location, reliable access to your own vehicle is essential, as public transport options to the site are extremely limited. This role also requires flexibility, as evening, weekend, and bank holiday working will be a regular part of the rota in line with the demands of a busy hospitality environment.

If this sounds like the opportunity you’ve been looking for, we’d love to hear from you — apply today.

100% of tips go directly to our teams. Actual tip amounts may vary by site and are left entirely at our guests’ discretion. Tips are not guaranteed and are not considered wages by the company. The Head Chef Bonus Scheme becomes available after successfully completing a three-month probationary period.