Kitchen Team Leader

Kitchen Team Leader – CPU (Kitchen)

Reports to: Kitchen Manager

Location: CPU

Salary: Up to £15 per hour + approx. £2 per hour in Tronc

The Role

An Kitchen Team Leader is a hands-on leader who brings the WatchHouse Core Values to life in our central kitchen environment. This role supports the smooth, efficient, and high-quality production of food across the business, while creating a calm, professional, and motivating workplace for the CPU team.

Working closely with senior food leadership, the Kitchen Team Leader plays a key role in maintaining exceptional food standards, operational excellence, and team development. They lead from the front, balancing people leadership with operational delivery, ensuring the CPU consistently supports our Houses with quality, consistency, and care.

At WatchHouse, we are committed to developing our leaders. If you bring the drive, accountability, and passion for food and people, we’ll support your growth every step of the way.

Key Responsibilities

People & Team Support

• Support the Kitchen Manager in motivating and guiding the CPU team, helping to maintain a positive, professional, and inclusive working environment.
• Lead by example on shift, reinforcing expected behaviours, standards, and ways of working.
• Support onboarding and day-to-day training of team members, flagging development needs or concerns to the Kitchen Manager.
• Act as a first point of contact for minor day-to-day issues during shifts, escalating more complex people matters to the Kitchen Manager.
• Encourage clear communication and teamwork across shifts.

Operations & Production

• Support the smooth day-to-day running of the Kitchen, ensuring food production meets WatchHouse standards of quality, consistency, and presentation.
• Work hands-on alongside the kitchen team to deliver daily production requirements for WatchHouse Houses.
• Monitor production output on shift, ensuring recipes and specifications are followed accurately.
• Assist with receiving, checking, and putting away deliveries, reporting any issues or discrepancies.
• Support the accurate preparation and fulfilment of production orders from Houses.
• Help maintain appropriate prep levels to meet business needs.

Stock & Admin Support

• Assist with daily ordering and stock checks, following guidance from the Kitchen Manager.
• Support stock control and waste reporting, highlighting any concerns or trends.

Standards, Compliance & Safety

• Follow and reinforce all Food Hygiene, Health & Safety, and company policies at all times.
• Support the Kitchen Manager in maintaining cleanliness, food safety standards, and adherence to cleaning schedules.
• Maintain high personal standards of hygiene, uniform, and professionalism.
• Support audits, inspections, and due diligence processes when required.

Collaboration & Communication

• Communicate clearly and respectfully with Kitchen team members and wider business teams.
• Support strong working relationships between the Kitchen and House teams.
• Escalate issues promptly and constructively, offering solutions where possible.

What We’re Looking For

• A hands-on leader who thrives in a fast-paced, high-volume production environment.
• Strong food preparation and cooking experience within a premium or quality-led food business.
• A calm, organised approach with strong planning, time management, and attention to detail.
• Confident communicator who leads with empathy, clarity, and accountability.
• Solid understanding of Food Hygiene and Health & Safety standards.
• Flexible, reliable, and adaptable, with a genuine team-first mindset.
• Aligned with WatchHouse Core Values: Passion, Empathy, Diligence, and Can Do.