Location
Stratford, London, East London

Hours
45 hours per week over 5 days

Salary
Up to £46,500 per year + tronc + bonus

About the Role
Pizza Pilgrims is opening at Westfield Stratford this August and we are excited to welcome new neighbours, guests, and an amazing new team. If you love proper Neapolitan pizza, enjoy leading a great kitchen team, and take pride in making people genuinely happy, this role is for you. As Head Chef, you will be a specialist in creating the best Neapolitan pizzas, ensuring every guest leaves satisfied and eager to return.

You will be responsible for team management and engagement, recruitment, training, and succession planning. You will ensure health and safety compliance, manage stock, oversee successful guest pizza launches, maintain kitchen standards, audit food quality, and handle reporting.

Pizza Pilgrims was founded in 2012 by Thom & James, who journeyed from Sicily to London to learn the secrets of perfect Italian pizza. Today, with over 20 award-winning pizzerias across the UK and our own Pizza Academy, we pride ourselves on using the finest ingredients from Naples, including Caputo flour and fresh fior di latte, to craft authentic Neapolitan pizzas daily.

We aspire to create an inclusive environment where everyone can be themselves, feel genuinely cared for, and have equal opportunities for growth and progression. Our values shape our team culture:
- Push Yourself: We believe learning new skills and stepping out of your comfort zone helps us improve as a team.
- Be Yourself: Bring your personality to work; we celebrate individuality.
- Respect Others: We are committed to an inclusive environment where everyone feels they belong.
- Enjoy Yourself: We love hospitality and want every team member to create happiness and have fun at work.

What's in it for you? Serious career development with multiple new pizzerias opening soon, 28 days holiday plus an extra day per year up to 5 years, a paid 4-week sabbatical after 5 years, and unique perks including team trips to Naples, referral bonuses, free food and espresso daily, after-work drinks, and company-wide parties where all pizzerias close to celebrate.

Experience
Proven experience leading a kitchen team, preferably in a busy hospitality environment with a focus on pizza or Italian cuisine.

About you
Passionate about Neapolitan pizza and hospitality, a strong leader who values team engagement and development. You embrace our values of pushing yourself, being yourself, respecting others, and enjoying your work. You are committed to maintaining high standards of food quality, health and safety, and kitchen operations.

Qualifications
Relevant culinary qualifications are advantageous but not essential. A positive attitude, willingness to learn, and alignment with our company values are most important.