Relief Head Chef

Relief Head Chef – Northern Region – Up to £50,000 + car allowance + expenses

Tonic is assisting our client in their search for a Northern Relief Head Chef to support their F&B operation across the northern estate. Working closely with site teams and regional leadership, you will step into kitchens across the region to cover holidays, transitions, sickness and openings — keeping standards high and operations running smoothly.

What’s in it for the successful Relief Head Chef?

• Competitive salary up to £50,000 basic
• Car allowance from day one, with a company car after six months (choose from the available list)
• All expenses covered, including overnight accommodation where required
• Five days out of seven, with some weekend work
• Daytime hours — no evenings, ever
• Discretionary, annual company-wide bonus
• A varied, autonomous role across multiple sites
• A long-term home with a stable, growing group

As Relief Head Chef, you will lead unfamiliar teams from day one, deliver to our clients’ high standards for fresh food across a high-volume food and beverage operation, and serve as the operational safety net for the northern estate. Variety is the job — no two weeks are the same, but the standards never move.

What key skills are we looking for in the successful Relief Head Chef?

• Senior kitchen experience — Head Chef or strong Senior Sous Chef level
• Multi-site, group or contract catering background ideal
• Natural leader who walks into any kitchen and earns respect quickly
• Calm under pressure, especially in unfamiliar teams
• Strong fresh food credentials — scratch cooking, prep, sauces, butchery
• Volume-comfortable and weekend-ready
• Highly organised and self-managing
• Adaptable and resilient — the relief mindset is real
• Clean driving licence and genuine flexibility for regular travel

We’re looking for someone living within easy reach of the northern region — ideally North Midlands. You’ll be on the road most days, so geography matters.

If you are interested in this role or actively looking for a new career opportunity, please get in touch today.