Coffee Shop Head Chef

Job description
Are you looking for a new challenge in 2025? Do you enjoy creating new cakes and bakes? Love producing fresh and seasonal salads? Enjoy the challenge of producing a grab-and-go range without sacrificing on quality? Have a passion for cooking from scratch, delivering consistently delicious food? We are looking for a self-motivated, results-driven chef ready to lead our kitchen and create a deli-counter style menu of fresh and flavourful food. Working 8am to 5pm Tuesday to Saturday, this role also offers a great work-life balance, whilst still getting to cook and bake quality food.

Mermaids is an independent coffee shop & roastery based on the picturesque banks of the River Hamble, Hampshire. We small batch hand roast our own coffee and bake our own cakes and treats, as well as offering a small range of grab-and-go savoury food. We have two coffee shop sites, one in Premier Universal Marina and one on the quay in Warsash Village; both on the Swanwick to Warsash coastal footpath.

We are looking for someone to join our growing company to take on a new Head Chef role, helping to expand and develop our current food range. Keeping a focus on our popular range of cakes, whilst expanding and developing new cake recipes, we are looking for someone who shares our passion for baking from scratch and serving up delicious, tasty but simple foods, which keep our customers coming back day after day.

This role would suit someone currently working as a head Chef but looking for a new challenge. Ideally you should an attention to detail, a love for cooking fresh, delicious food, with previous experience of leading a kitchen or section. Working fixed hours of 8am to 5pm Tuesday to Saturday, this is also a role that can fit in with your life, with no evenings or anti-social hours!

As a Head Chef you will be responsible for managing the kitchen, alongside one other chef and our team of KPs. You will also be supported by a large team of Baristas, who will deliver the final service of the menu and as part of the role you will need to train this team to ensure your menu is consistently delivered to the highest standard. Initially you will work closely alongside the owners and managers to understand the culture and processes within the company, before taking on responsibility for developing the food range and helping to drive forward further innovation in the kitchen as we look to build on the success of our second site opening. You will be both cooking and data driven, with a focus on designing menus that deliver consistent margins, minimal wastage, without sacrificing on quality.

As part of this role your responsibilities will include but will not be limited to:
• Leading our kitchen team - developing menus and overseeing the growth of our food range
• Baking a range of cakes, muffins, scones and cookies following recipes from the Company Cook Book, plus expanding the range with new recipes
• Creating our new grab-and-go range including creating fresh salads/quiches and more for the Deli Counter
• Developing a seasonal range of toasties and baguettes
• Maintaining food hygiene standards and a safe and healthy work environment
• Assisting in stock management and ordering

The ideal candidate would:
• Be passionate about creating fresh and delicious food
• Have previous experience working as a chef, ideally with a focus on pastry and fresh cooking
• Have the ability to multi-task and prioritise duties
• Be able to work on their own initiative
• Be flexible and reliable

Job Types: Full-time, Permanent

Pay: £33,000.00-£35,000.00 per year

Benefits:
• Company pension
• Discounted or free food
• Employee discount
• On-site parking

Schedule:
• Monday to Friday
• Weekend availability

Ability to commute/relocate:
• Southampton, SO31 7ZN: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (preferred)

Work Location: In person