Dakota Newcastle is looking for a creative and forward-thinking Head Chef with a passion for celebrating exceptional produce. We are seeking a talented and driven individual to shape our culinary direction and lead our kitchen team with skill and dedication.

CONTRACT AND PAY RATE

The gross annual salary is £42,500 plus an annual incentive bonus to earn up to £4k, plus an anticipated tronc payment of £5,000, plus any surplus roughly in the range of £3,800, equating to £55,500.

The role carries a permanent contract of a minimum of 45 hours per week, across any 5 days out of 7. This role will include working regular weekends.

PRIMARY ROLE RESPONSIBILITIES

• Work to continuously improve the identity of the food offering within the Hotel which are in line with the high-end and dynamic young brand we are. Be responsible for sourcing crockery and developing an evolving menu with artistic dish presentation, working closely with the front of house F&B team to ensure there is continuous training and the highest levels of menu knowledge.
• Be ultimately responsible for adhering to best practice in Food Hygiene/Safety legislation as well as Health and Safety in the kitchen and leading the team to do so consistently. This includes maintaining the highest standards of cleanliness in the kitchen and strict food safety processes, writing HACCP’s, and maintaining the completion of due diligence documentation to maintain our high food audit scores.
• Carry out managerial responsibilities including providing daily guidance and coaching to the team, attending meetings and communicating with other departments, holding interviews and trial shifts, holding appraisals, and performance management. 
• Drive the commercial performance of the kitchen by writing rotas and managing holidays, developing costed menus in line with the desired GP, carrying out stock take, and places orders.
•  Work closely with the Hotel Manager and Bar & Grill Manager to develop menus which are in line with our guests expectations and exceeds the quality of our competitive set in the city. This pertains to all food menus including a la carte, room service, breakfast, bar food, bar snacks, events, and guest amenities.
• Be committed to working wholeheartedly as part of the wider hotel team, effectively and positively communicating with all members of the kitchen and front of house team.
• Have a passion and display a willingness to train junior Chefs and apprentices in an open working environment of ongoing improvement.
• Display a willingness to continuously learn and improve your skills as a professional Chef, responding to guest feedback

BENEFITS

In addition to being part of a culture infused with positivity and opportunity for ongoing development, tangible benefits you could enjoy when you join our team include:

• Special discounts on stays and dining at any Dakota
• Access to our Employee Assistance Program which includes free private mental health support and counselling sessions, video GP consultations and private prescription services, as well as access to daily rewards to be cashed out for shopping vouchers
• Support from our inhouse Mental Health Champions
• Additional holiday day on the first anniversary of your employment
• Family-friendly flexible working options
• Meals on duty and uniforming
• Bonuses to recommend a friend to join our team and every time you are mentioned on Trip Advisor
• Accredited, certified compliance training given on employment
• Access to a suite of external, certified resources via our Learning Management System
• Supportive continuous professional development culture with an annual appraisal and objectives, or a Personal Development Plan
• Opportunities to undertake both internal and external training courses, including potential for in-house Apprenticeships

ABOUT DAKOTA HOTELS

Dakota is a growing UK-based lifestyle brand, known for our stylish hotels, bustling brasserie Grills and upscale cocktail Bars. Dakota’s story started with two boutique hotels on the outskirts of Edinburgh, in South Queensferry, and Glasgow, in Eurocentral. We have now expanded into prime city centre locations in Glasgow, Leeds, Manchester and Newcastle with Manchester Airport coming soon and more in our pipeline.

Dakota is synonymous for delivering attentive and genuine guest service. We attract hard-working individuals who are passionate about working to the highest standards and have been voted within The Caterer’s Top 15 Best Employers in Hospitality for the last six years in a row. We were also featured within the Top 10 employers in the Sunday Times Best Places to Work in the UK for the last two years, as well as being awarded the Spotlight Award for Best Places to Work for LGBTQIA+ employees and 16-24 year olds.

As recent winners of The Cateys ‘People Team of the Year’, we have award-winning internal training programmes within Dakota Academy fostering continuous development and ongoing training. As a result, over 75% of our leaders have been promoted internally and, for five consecutive years, a member of our team has won a prestigious Acorn Award awarded by The Caterer to the ‘Top 30 under 30’ in the industry, demonstrating our success in developing talent.

Eurocentral | Edinburgh | Glasgow | Leeds | Manchester | Newcastle| Manchester Airport (coming soon)

Dakota Hotels are coming to Newcastle city centre in early 2025.

Ideally situated by the Gateshead Millennium Bridge on the quayside, our hotel will boast 118 bedrooms including stunning 33 suites. Dakota Newcastle will host our renowned Bar & Grill, Champagne Room, Cigar Terrace, and an events space for up to 60.

APPLICANT REQUIREMENTS

The successful applicant will have/be:

• A minimum of 8 years professional cooking experience in restaurant of a high calibre.
• A minimum of 2 years experience as a Sous Chef or above.
•  A minimum of two years experience in stock management and purchasing, writing creative menus, and cooking to high standards.
• Trained and knowledgeable in food hygiene to level 2 or above, HACCP and allergens.
• Experience in using rota writing and using procurement systems.
• Experience in preparing a kitchen for food hygiene audits and maintain food safety documentation.
• Demonstrate effective leadership and communication skills which are in line with our positive and inclusive working environment.

• Be hardworking and a team-player.
• Be task oriented with a great pride for the work they do and attention to detail.
•  Successful candidates must demonstrate a genuine enthusiasm for the role as well as their ability to show a long-term commitment to the brand as a real team player.
• Be computer literate with an ability to use Microsoft Office programs.
•  An enthusiastic individual who will promote our culture of positivity.
• Able to be proactive and work at pace.
• An enthusiastic individual who will promote our culture of positivity.
• Be task oriented with a great pride for the work they do and attention to detail.
• Flexible with shift patterns and available around the needs of our business.
• Successful candidates must demonstrate having researched our brand and a genuine desire to be part of our team.

APPLY

Please send us your up to date CV. 

For more information on our luxury hotel, visit our Careers page to learn about current opportunities and find your #DreamRolesAtDakota – we’d love to hear from you!