Head Chef Jobs
Working with Rick and Jack Stein, our Head Chefs lead and inspire from the front; growing the kitchen team, running the pass and planning and developing menus that our customers will love to choose from. Your role as Head Chef is pivotal to the success of the restaurant.
- Earn a salary of up to (and at times, beyond) £30,000, plus tips
- Receive an end of year management bonus
- Flexible work patterns to suit your lifestyle
- Work with passionate chefs in the industry
- Work for a ‘The Sunday Times Top 100 Best Company’
Leading from the front in the kitchen, you’ll be inspiring the team to excel in their fish cookery, presentation and consistency. Menu development is also a key part of your role at Head Chef – making seasonal changes and celebrating Rick’s new dishes too.
Progression is readily available around our restaurants, giving you the chance to experience different locations, teams, kitchens and styles of dishes to further your skill-set. Great careers are made at Rick Stein.
Develop your head chef career with us
We're not just passionate about food, we're passionate about developing our people too. Our Head Chef of the Seafood Restaurant, Pete Murt, has worked his way up through the chef ranks so he knows exactly how to support and develop your chef career with us. 75% of our managers have been promoted from within and we want to help you fulfil your potential. We'll invest in you with:
- Craft skills and training (wine and food tastings, supplier visits) to develop your knowledge and confidence
- Opportunities to move between parts of our business
- Regular encouragement and support from your manager

Perks
- Flexible shifts. Family time and work/life balance are important to us. We’ll work with you to find the shifts that work for your lifestyle, and full-time employees can request to work a four-day week.
- Brilliant tips. These are paid weekly into your bank, aren’t subject to NI deductions and you’ll even get tips when you’re on holiday!
- Social events. You’ll get the chance to meet Rick and the family at social events and parties.
- Holiday. You’ll get 28 days paid holiday every year.
- Staff discounts. You’ll get 50% off in our restaurants, 20% in our shops and online and discounted hotel stays and cookery courses.
- Free meal for two. After one year with us, you’ll get a complimentary 3 course meal for two people in one of our restaurants every year.
- Plenty of food. We provide great quality meals whilst on duty, the chance to taste all our dishes as well drinks and snacks whilst you’re on a break.
- Staff surprises. We like to make you smile, so there’ll be little treats from us throughout the year.

Good to know
Rick and Jill Stein started our family run business back in 1975, and today we employ over 600 happy staff. The business has grown from the first flagship Seafood Restaurant in Padstow to 10 restaurants across the south of England, plus hotel rooms, cookery school, shops and an online shop. Rick and Jill are still heavily involved in the business, as are their three sons Ed, Jack and Charlie. We see ourselves as being in the ‘cheering up industry’ trying to make people smile with great food, drink and experiences.
We’re in the business of making our customer smile, but to do that we know your happiness must come first – so our priority is always you. Our team tell us that they are proud to work for us and they voted for us as one of the top 100 best companies to work for.
Team spirit – we look out for each other, support each other to fulfil our potential and celebrate our successes.
Continuous improvement – we encourage ideas, embrace change and find better ways to do things.
Fair and honest – we encourage feedback, we listen and ask questions, we treat everyone with respect.
Generosity of spirit – we go the extra mile, we wow, and we do the right thing in the right way.
Say hello
Want to join the Rick Stein group as a Head Chef? We'd love to hear from you.
FAQs
As a Head Chef you are likely to earn a salary of up to (and at times, beyond) £30,000, plus a management bonus and tips.
You’ll need a minimum of 5 years of relevant culinary experience and a Level 4 in Food Safety or Health and Safety. If you have a Culinary Arts Degree, this would be desirable but not essential.
You’ll lead and inspire from the front; growing the kitchen team, running the pass and planning and developing menus that our customers will love to choose from. Your role as Head Chef is pivotal to the success of the restaurant. You’ll be inspiring the team to excel in their fish cookery, presentation and consistency. Menu development is also a key part of your role at Head Chef, working with Rick and Jack Stein – making seasonal changes and celebrating Rick’s new dishes too.
We provide all our Head Chefs with chef whites.