What is an Executive Chef
What Is an Executive Chef? Role, Responsibilities and How to Get There
If you've ever wondered who really runs a professional kitchen, the answer is the executive chef. This is the most senior culinary leadership role in UK hospitality, responsible not just for cooking, but for shaping the entire food operation, from menu strategy and team development to budgets and compliance.
Whether you're a commis chef mapping out your career, a sous chef eyeing the next step, or a head chef ready to move into multi-site leadership, understanding what executive chefs actually do, and how to become one, can help you plan your progression with confidence.
What Does an Executive Chef Do?
At executive level, the role sets the culinary direction for a venue or group and takes responsibility for how food performs across the operation. This often includes oversight of multiple kitchens, outlets or sites, particularly within hotels, restaurant groups and contract catering.
Core responsibilities reflect how an executive chef manages both people and performance within a hospitality business:
Menu development and direction: Designing menus and new dishes that reflect the brand, meet guest expectations and support sustainable margins. At this level, the executive chef creates a clear framework that head chefs and their teams can execute consistently. Leadership and team development Recruiting, mentoring and supporting head chefs, sous chefs and wider kitchen staff, while setting standards across the entire kitchen team. A great executive chef combines clear leadership abilities with the judgement to empower a good head chef rather than override them. Quality and consistency: Maintaining food quality across services and locations, protecting the restaurant’s reputation by ensuring dishes meet agreed standards regardless of who is on shift. Supplier, stock and cost control. Managing purchasing, stock levels and inventory management, while controlling food costs and waste to meet gross profit targets. Budgets and financial planning Overseeing kitchen labour models, food costs and performance reporting in line with wider business objectives. Compliance and governance: Ensuring food safety, hygiene and allergen processes are embedded, including maintaining food safety standards consistently across all kitchens. Collaboration with senior management Working closely with general managers, F&B directors and ownership on launches, events and longer-term planning.
Taken together, these responsibilities place the executive chef at the intersection of food, people and commercial performance, working alongside senior managers and restaurant owners to deliver a sustainable operation.
The Kitchen Hierarchy: Where the Executive Chef Sits
Most UK kitchens still operate within a version of the brigade system, although titles and layers vary depending on the size and style of the business.
Where an executive chef is in place, they sit above the head chef. The head chef remains responsible for the daily running of a kitchen, while the executive chef provides direction, support and accountability across the wider operation.
In smaller independent venues, these responsibilities are often combined. In larger or multi-site businesses, separating them allows greater consistency, clearer leadership and more sustainable performance.
The table below outlines how the kitchen hierarchy typically functions in UK professional kitchens:
Level
Typical titles
Core focus
Executive level
Executive Chef / Executive Head Chef
Sets the culinary vision, oversees multiple kitchens or outlets, manages budgets, standards and senior kitchen leaders.
Head of kitchen
Head Chef / Chef de Cuisine
Runs the day-to-day operation of a specific kitchen, delivering the executive chef’s direction through service and team leadership.
Senior support
Sous Chef / Senior Sous Chef
Second in command, supports the head chef, runs service and manages the brigade during shifts.
Section leaders
Chef de Partie / Junior CDP
Manages a specific section such as larder, sauce or pastry, and supervises junior chefs.
Junior chefs
Commis Chef / Apprentice Chef
Builds core cooking skills, rotates sections and supports food preparation.
Support roles
Kitchen Porter / Kitchen Assistant
Maintains cleanliness, assists with prep and supports smooth kitchen operations.
Understanding this structure helps chefs assess when they are ready to move beyond running a single kitchen and into a broader leadership role.
How Do Chefs Become Executive Chefs?
There is no single route to becoming an executive chef, but most professional chefs follow a path built on progressive responsibility and breadth of experience.
Many start as commis or apprentice chefs, often after training at culinary schools or through on-the-job development, building core cooking techniques, pace and discipline. Moving into a chef de partie role brings ownership of a section and responsibility for supporting junior team members, while developing confidence across various cooking techniques and kitchen settings.
Progression into sous chef and head chef positions introduces commercial accountability, including rotas, ordering, training staff and compliance. This stage develops the ability to manage people and processes across an entire kitchen team. Previous experience at this level is critical before stepping into executive chef positions. This stage is often where chefs demonstrate their ability to balance food quality with operational realities.
These senior roles typically appear later in a career, often within larger hotels, restaurant groups or contract catering businesses. At this level, employers expect evidence of leadership at scale, successful menu development and consistent commercial results.
Some chefs reach executive level through group or regional development roles, particularly in branded environments.
Skills Employers Look for at Executive Level
As chefs progress, expectations shift from individual performance to collective results, drawing on a blend of culinary techniques, culinary science and management skills. At executive level, the executive chef’s vision sets direction for multiple teams rather than focusing on personal output. Employers recruiting executive chefs commonly look for:
Strong people leadership and the ability to build stable teams Commercial understanding, particularly around margin and forecasting Menu development that aligns with brand positioning and guest demand Operational discipline, especially around compliance and systems Clear communication with both kitchen teams and senior management
These skills tend to develop over time, often with exposure to different types of operations and leadership styles.
Executive Chef Salary in the UK
Salary is often a deciding factor when chefs consider moving into executive-level positions. In the UK, executive chef salaries vary widely depending on the size of the operation, location, sector and level of responsibility.
As a broad guide, the average salary for an executive chef typically sits above head chef level, reflecting the wider scope of the role. Positions within larger hotels, restaurant groups, contract catering businesses or multi-site operations tend to offer higher earning potential, particularly where responsibility covers multiple locations or sizeable kitchen teams.
At the top end, experienced leaders overseeing complex operations or high-profile venues can command significantly higher packages. These often include performance-related bonuses linked to food costs, cost control, food quality and overall business results.
While salary matters, many chefs find the executive chef role appealing for its longer-term career stability, leadership scope and influence over the direction of an entire kitchen operation.
Is the Executive Chef Role the Right Step?
For many chefs, moving into an executive role reflects a change in focus rather than a departure from cooking altogether.
The role suits those who enjoy developing others, thinking ahead and shaping how food performs across a business. It also brings broader accountability, with success measured over months and years rather than individual services.
Being clear about these realities helps chefs decide when, and whether, the move makes sense for them.
Taking the Next Step
Whether you are preparing for your first executive-level role or considering your next move within hospitality, having the right opportunity and guidance can make a significant difference.
At Quartz Recruitment, we work closely with hospitality businesses and professionals across the South West, supporting recruitment across a wide range of culinary and hospitality roles.
If you are thinking about your next step, or looking to strengthen your team, we can help you find the right people or the right opportunity.
Executive Chef FAQs
What are the key differences between a head chef and an executive chef?
The key differences lie in scope and responsibility. A head chef focuses on the day-to-day running of a single kitchen, while an executive chef operates at a broader level. The role of an executive includes setting the culinary vision, overseeing multiple kitchens or locations, and taking responsibility for budgets, standards and senior kitchen staff.
What are an executive chef’s responsibilities and duties?
Executive chef responsibilities extend beyond service. An executive chef’s duties typically include menu development, cost control, inventory management, food safety oversight, staff management and maintaining food quality across the entire operation.
Can chef de cuisine and head chef be used interchangeably?
In many UK kitchens, chef de cuisine is used interchangeably with head chef to describe the senior chef responsible for running a specific kitchen. An executive chef sits above this level, providing direction and leadership across multiple kitchens or sites.
What’s the best way to get started in a culinary career?
For many chefs, a culinary career begins with hands-on experience, often starting as a line cook or commis chef. Early roles focus on building core skills, learning cooking techniques and understanding how professional kitchens operate. Over time, this foundation supports progression into more senior positions across the culinary arts.
How can this career guide help aspiring executive chefs?
This career guide is designed to support chefs considering their next step, whether they are early in their culinary career or already operating at senior kitchen level. It outlines the skills, experience and responsibilities involved in moving into executive chef positions.
