Are you an experienced Head Chef looking for your next leadership role in Birmingham?

We’re looking for an experienced Head Chef in Birmingham to lead the kitchen at Gas Street Vaults, a major new canalside pub destination in the heart of Birmingham city centre.

Head Chef – New Pub Opening, Birmingham City Centre
Gas Street Vaults | Joule’s Brewery
Salary: £40,000–£48,000 + up to 10% bonus + tips
Location: Gas Street Basin, Birmingham B1 2JT
Job type: Full-time, permanent
Opening: January 2027

The Opportunity

This is a unique opportunity to help shape the food offer within a major Birmingham hospitality project and play a leading role in building one of the city’s most exciting new pub and dining destinations.

Set in a prime canalside location, you’ll lead the kitchen team, drive standards and help deliver a quality food offer that complements exceptional beer, live music and warm hospitality.

Joining before launch, you’ll play a key role in building the kitchen team, establishing standards and creating an operation from the ground up. You’ll help shape the kitchen operation and food offer, build a team culture and create an experience that keeps customers coming back.

The Vision

A major new canalside pub destination coming to Birmingham in January 2027.

Gas Street Vaults is being transformed from a former bistro restaurant into a characterful Joule’s Brewery Taphouse inspired by Birmingham’s industrial heritage, canal history and pub culture.

Our ambition is to create a destination pub made up of unique spaces, each with its own atmosphere and experience.

The food offer will play a central role in that vision, delivering quality pub food from breakfast through to evening service. Built around fresh ingredients, seasonal specials and classic pub dishes done well, the kitchen will complement exceptional beer, warm hospitality and a vibrant city-centre setting.

Operating across multiple trading spaces and serving customers throughout the day, Gas Street Vaults will be a vibrant food, drink and hospitality destination at the heart of Birmingham city centre, with the kitchen playing a key role in its success.

The Food Vision

A pub that does brilliant food, not a restaurant that serves beer.

That’s our approach to food across our managed pubs and Gas Street Vaults will be no different. The focus is on a strong, accessible pub food offer that complements our beer and wine and gives customers a reason to visit throughout the day.

There’ll be the classics you’d expect – great sandwiches, pies, sausage & mash, fish & chips and Sunday roasts but plenty of room to have some fun too. Think loaded burgers, sharing food, beer snacks and regularly changing specials, with our Shropshire roots running through the offer.

Gas Street Vaults is a significant new venture for Joule’s, being developed as a high-volume operation with big ambitions for both the pub and its food offer.

For our Head Chef, that means joining ahead of opening, helping shape the menu, building your kitchen team and setting the standards for how the kitchen operates from day one.

Recent Joule’s Developments

Take a look at some of our recent pub developments across the Joule’s estate.

Why Join Joule’s?

  • Join before the launch and build your kitchen team from day one

  • Help shape a major Birmingham launch

  • Work alongside the General Manager to establish the culture and standards

  • Create a kitchen operation you can be proud of

  • Independent brewer with over 200 years of history

  • Help shape menus and seasonal specials

  • Real autonomy & trusted leadership

  • A supportive business that understands the importance of work-life balance and long-term career sustainability in hospitality.

  • A business passionate about people, quality, standards & pubs done properly

  • Big plans for food, events & atmosphere

What You’ll Get Up To

  • Leading, motivating and developing the kitchen team

  • Delivering a consistent, high-quality food offer

  • Managing food GP, labour and kitchen costs

  • Maintaining high standards of food safety and compliance

  • Working closely with the General Manager to grow the business
  • Supporting menu development and seasonal changes

  • Managing stock, ordering and kitchen organisation

  • Driving standards during busy service periods

  • Helping shape the food offer ahead of launch and beyond

Who We’re Looking For

  • Proven experience as a Head Chef, or an exceptional Sous Chef ready to take the next step in their career

  • Experience within a busy food-led pub or hospitality venue

  • Strong leadership and team development skills

  • Good understanding of food GP, labour control and kitchen operations

  • Experience delivering quality food in a high-volume environment

  • Passion for quality food and consistency

  • A hands-on approach and ability to thrive in a fast-paced kitchen

  • Experience supporting a new opening or major relaunch would be advantageous

What You’ll Get Back

Package

  • £40,000 – £48,000 depending on experience

  • Performance related bonus opportunity of up to 10%

  • Tips shared across the team

Benefits

  • Annual leave increasing with length of service

  • Extra day off to celebrate your birthday

  • Work-life balance that matters –  you’ll have the support to build and develop your kitchen team, creating an operation that works for both the business and the people in it.

  • Access to our Employee Assistance Programme for wellbeing support

  • A supportive and people-focused culture

  • Ongoing support, training and development to help you grow in your career

  • The opportunity to lead your own kitchen and make your mark on a major new opening

  • Team celebrations and pub launch events

  • Annual awards evening

Ready to Make Your Mark?

If you’re an experienced Head Chef looking for the opportunity to join a major opening before the doors open, build your team and help shape the food offer from day one, we’d love to hear from you.

FAQs

Where is Gas Street Vaults?
Gas Street Vaults is at Waterside House, 46 Gas Street, Birmingham B1 2JT, on Gas Street Basin in Birmingham city centre.

How much does the Head Chef role pay?
The Head Chef salary is £40,000–£48,000 depending on experience, with a performance-related bonus opportunity of up to 10% plus shared tips.

When does Gas Street Vaults open?
Gas Street Vaults is due to open in January 2027, with the Head Chef joining ahead of opening to help recruit the kitchen team and establish the operation.

Do I need previous Head Chef experience?
Yes. We’re looking for an experienced Head Chef with a proven track record of leading a kitchen team and delivering consistently in a busy, high-volume food operation.

What type of food will Gas Street Vaults serve?
Gas Street Vaults will serve great, accessible pub food from breakfast through to evening service. Expect pub classics alongside great sandwiches, loaded burgers, sharing food, beer snacks and regularly changing specials, with Joule’s Shropshire roots running through the offer.

Will the Head Chef be involved in creating the menu?
Yes. The Head Chef will play a key role in shaping the food offer at Gas Street Vaults, working with the wider team on menu development, seasonal dishes and regularly changing specials ahead of opening and beyond.

Interested in finding out more?