Head of Culinary

We are seeking an experienced and commercially astute Head of Culinary to lead our global restaurant operations and drive culinary excellence across all regions.

About the Role

Reporting to the Director of Restaurants and Kitchens, this senior management position is a key role within the executive team. As the Head of Culinary, you will be responsible for overseeing culinary operations for our 27 UK restaurants and a growing international portfolio. At Harrods restaurants we aspire to ensure we are a global authority in Hospitality bringing the world’s best restaurants and bars to our one iconic store. In the last 4 years we have grown our in-store trade by 88% and now call ourselves home to more Michelin star chefs than anywhere else in Europe. A team of almost 900 serve from over 27 restaurants and 32 kitchens over 40,000 covers weekly to the highest standards we and our customers set.

Outside of the store we have multiple F&B concepts across the UK supporting our H Beauty retail offering and restaurants internationally which includes our private members club in Shanghai, one of Shanghai’s most allusive spaces to be a part of. In our future we aim to continue to raise the bar, staying close to trends that allow us to be the leader and not the follower, so now is the perfect time to join our fast paced, agile, and dynamic team. This is a critical leadership role, driving transformation, strategy, and innovation to ensure our culinary offering remains ahead of the competition. You will lead a senior team of chefs, fostering a high-performance culture and ensuring financial and strategic goals are met.

Key duties include:

• Leading culinary operations across UK and international restaurants, shaping the global culinary strategy.
• Setting benchmarks for excellence, continually raising standards to keep pace with market trends.
• Managing and mentoring senior chefs, driving team performance, and creating a high-performing culture.
• Ensuring commercial outputs meet financial targets, driving revenue growth and managing P&L.
• Developing and implementing performance frameworks to ensure culinary teams achieve key goals.

About You

You will be a strategic leader with a strong commercial mindset and the ability to drive change across a dynamic and evolving business. You will be have an analytical mind, excellent communication skills, and the ability to navigate complexity whilst building strong relationships with key stakeholders. You will have a proven track record of leading high-performing culinary teams and driving operational and financial success in a fast-paced, competitive environment.

You will also have:

• Strong leadership experience within a culinary environment, with a focus on multi-site or global operations.
• Proven ability to manage P&L and deliver financial results in line with strategic objectives.
• Deep knowledge of global culinary trends and the ability to translate these into innovative business strategies.

About Us

Harrods is one of the world’s leading luxury department stores and we’re becoming a destination for top designers, and the most sought-after brands from around the globe. Our combined mission is to make visiting our iconic Knightsbridge store one of the world’s most inspiring shopping experiences.

Our Promise to You

Help us make the impossible possible for our customers and we’ll do something remarkable for you. As well as offering a friendly environment to inspire your best work, we provide abundant opportunities and support to build an exceptional career across the varied specialisms of our business. 

In return you’ll receive an excellent benefits package, including a company pension, flexible working, 25 days’ holiday, and your birthday off, up to 33% in-store discount (including across our food hall and restaurants) and a season ticket loan.

Uniquely You

Whilst our job adverts outline the ideal qualities, skills, and prior experience for the role, we believe in the potential for growth and value individual strengths. If you can demonstrate the majority of skills and strong experience to thrive in this role, we would encourage you to apply. 

At Harrods we believe the personality and authenticity of our people sets us apart. We celebrate and invite applications from all cultures, backgrounds, tastes, and experiences and are proud of our culture where people from all walks of life can grow and thrive. What makes you unique makes us exceptional.

If you want to know more about our people and our culture, search #TogetherHarrods on LinkedIn, Facebook or follow us on Instagram @togetherharrods