Head Chef - Hai Hai Paddington

Hai Hai is looking for a culinary leader who can take our obsession with Japanese food including ramen and Izakaya menus.

As Head Chef, you’ll be the engine behind our OG shop in Paddington. Leading the team, pushing creativity, and setting the standards that make Hai Hai a cult-fave. This is your chance to build, innovate, and scale a brand that’s serious about growth.

Born in Paddington in 2016 and expanded to our flagship in West End.

Our ethos? Flavour without the fuss

Our bowls are crafted from raw ingredients and built for our customers.

Our izakaya dishes are built to stand alone, not just sides.

What You’ll Do

Run the Paddington Restaurant - own the pass, own the standards, own the systems.

Champion quality - every broth is made with care, from scratch, with every tare, topping and presentation consistent and at its peak.

Lead & mentor - train and grow a passionate kitchen crew who live for ramen like you do.

Innovate with freedom - work with our Exec Chef to create specials and evolve the menu.

Build for scale - refine processes, recipes, and costings so we’re ready for multi-venue growth.

Duties include but not limited to:

Running service within standards for time, quality & cleanliness

Manage kitchen compliance for cleanliness, health & food safety

Keeping Cost of Goods within set ranges

Keeping Wage Costs within set ranges

Ensuring all standards for recipes, portion control and taste guidelines are met

Train and oversee the continuous development of all BOH staff

Create dishes for specials and other menu development activities

Why HaiHai? (aka What’s In It For You)

We know top chefs have options. Here’s why this role stands out:
✅ Growth Stage Role - shape systems + standards as we expand beyond Paddington & West End.
✅ Legacy Opportunity - build a brand, not just a kitchen.
✅ Culture That Cares - no ego, no pretence, just soul food and soul people.
✅ Sponsorship Available - for the right chef, we’ll back you all the way.

Who We’re After

Ramen master. You’ve run a ramen kitchen and know broth, tare, and toppings inside out.

Business brain. You get COGs, wages, and how to run a profitable kitchen.

Creative edge. You’re excited by freedom to push izakaya beyond “side dishes.”

Natural leader. You train, mentor, and inspire - not just manage.

Growth mindset. You want to step into an executive role as HaiHai scales.

Non-Negotiables

⚠️ You must have:

Valid Commercial Cooker Qualifications

Minimum 2 Years as a Head Chef

Experience with Japanese cuisine including Ramen & Izakaya

Proven track record for process, quality, or consistency.

Desire to grow with the brand as it develops