Head Chef

Chefs Bay recruits head chefs on an ongoing basis for relief and interim cover: holiday cover, long-term sickness cover, and holding kitchens through recruitment gaps at hotels, restaurants, contract caterers, care homes, and B&I sites.

This is casual agency work, not a permanent vacancy: there are no guaranteed hours and no fixed schedule. You choose shifts through the Ubeya app. Pay runs monthly through PAYE with weekly Earned Wage Access, so you can draw the pay you have already earned before payday, and holiday pay accrued. Pay is agreed per assignment before you accept a shift; typical UK agency pay for this role in 2026 is £20 to £30+ per hour depending on venue, booking length, and region.

Requirements: right to work in the UK (verified before first shift), experience running a kitchen including ordering, allergen records, and team briefing, Level 2 Food Safety as a minimum (we can arrange training), and an Enhanced DBS for care or education sites (we arrange this where needed). References checked; most candidates are approved within 48 hours.

Locations: shifts at client venues across Merseyside, Greater Manchester, the East Midlands, and London, coordinated from our Wallasey, Manchester, Leicester, and London offices.

To apply, email your CV to [email protected] with the role name in the subject line, or register at chefsbay.co.uk/candidates/.