CPU Head Chef - Fixed Term Contract

HEAD CHEF (Central Production Unit/Kitchen)
 💷 £36,000 - £40,000 + Bonus + Share Options
⌛ 6 Month Fixed term Contract - Beginning September 25
Potential to become permanent 
 🗓️ Monday - Friday Role
 🚆London Based, Vauxhall - Mission Kitchen

WHO ARE SESSIONS?

We're Sessions, and we're on a mission to bring non-stop originality to every kitchen.

Founded in 2020, Sessions has launched and scaled 10 unique food brands, partnered with over 300 licensee kitchens, and delivered more than 3 million orders. We're now expanding rapidly into franchising, using our own technology to grow our portfolio across high streets throughout the UK.

Our line-up includes cult favourites like SoBe Burger and Little Bao Boy, alongside collaborations with globally recognised names—such as Netflix-associated experiences like the Squid Game Korean Chicken menu —and internationally acclaimed concepts like Ivan Ramen (featured on Chef’s Table).

Led by former executives from Deliveroo, BrewDog and Soho House, Sessions is backed by industry-leading investors Imbiba and Guinness Ventures.

🚀 We are Agile - Customer-obsessed, adapting quickly to meet their needs
🌍 We are Ambitious - We create on-trend brands and aim to be tastemakers
🎉 We are Fun - Playfulness is at the heart of our culture
📊 We are Data-Driven - We challenge assumptions and focus on insights

THE ROLE

You’ll be responsible for establishing all kitchen processes, procedures, and the day-to-day execution of operations at our CPU, based at Mission Kitchen in Vauxhall. Working independently, you'll take ownership of preparing high-quality mise en place and base products to be delivered to our sites, ensuring consistency, efficiency, and exceptional standards.

As this is a brand-new function for the business, you’ll work closely with our Culinary Development, Validation, and Studio teams, and maintain strong daily communication with our Franchisee partners to ensure alignment and smooth rollout.

The initial focus will be on supporting our ‘Ivan Ramen’ brand, playing a critical role in reducing in-service prep time on-site while maintaining premium quality. Over time, we may decide to expand and include other brands in the CPU.

You’ll be involved in every aspect of making this unit a success—from setup to ongoing operations—delivering a best-in-class central kitchen on time and to spec.

• Establish and document SOPs for all kitchen processes, from ingredient receiving to final product dispatch


• Plan, prepare, and execute production to the highest quality standards, ensuring full recipe compliance


• Manage daily kitchen operations independently, including prep schedules, equipment use, and workflow optimisation


• Maintain strict food safety and hygiene standards, according to HACCP documentation


• Coordinate production and delivery schedules to meet the needs of all franchise sites and avoid service delays


• Conduct quality control checks on all outputs before distribution to ensure premium brand standards are met


• Collaborate with Culinary Development, Validation, and Studio teams to test, refine, and roll out recipes and processes


• Communicate regularly with franchise partners to gather feedback, adjust production volumes, and resolve operational issues quickly


• Oversee ingredient sourcing and stock control, including order placement, supplier liaison, and waste reduction


• Train and guide additional kitchen staff as the CPU operation grows, ensuring consistent skills and procedures


• Monitor and maintain kitchen equipment, coordinating maintenance or repairs to minimise downtime


• Track and report on production KPIs (yields, waste, prep time, delivery accuracy) for continuous improvement

WHAT YOU WILL NEED

✅ 3+ years in a professional kitchen environment
✅ Previous experience in a central production unit (CPU), commissary kitchen, or high-volume prep environment (preferred)
✅ Track record of implementing and refining kitchen processes to improve efficiency and consistency
✅ Experience collaborating with culinary development or R&D teams to test and roll out new menu items
✅ Proven ability to manage kitchen operations independently, from ordering to dispatch
✅ Experience across multiple food concepts and cuisines.
✅ High standards for food quality and hygiene.
✅ Charismatic and energetic with a passion for food
✅ Strong commercial awareness.
✅ Proactive problem-solving mindset.
✅ Fluent English communication skills.
✅ Right to work in the UK.

Sessions is a Living Wage & Equal Opportunity Employer. We review applications anonymously—hiring based on experience and skills alone. Everyone is welcome, regardless of background, gender, neurodiversity, or any other factor.