About Us
Optimal Chef Services connects outstanding chefs and hospitality professionals with businesses that need reliable, well-matched support. We operate as a relief chef agency across the East Midlands, while also supporting permanent hospitality placements nationwide.
Founded in 2016, the business was built on a simple frustration: too many recruiters placing chefs without understanding kitchens, teams, or the realities of service. Skill matters, but temperament, attitude, and fit matter just as much.
That belief continues to shape how we work.
A chef-run agency built around real kitchen experience
Optimal Chef Services is run day to day by Chris and Tony, both career chefs with experience across a wide range of professional kitchens.
Chris has held multiple Head Chef positions, spanning fine dining restaurants and high-volume city centre gastropubs. He appeared on MasterChef: The Professionals in 2015 and led both a pub and a restaurant to number one on TripAdvisor in Derby during his time as Head Chef.
Tony has worked across the kitchen spectrum, from Chef de Partie through to Head Chef, including experience in 600-cover-a-day gastropubs and 2 and 3 rosette kitchens. He also spent over five years working as a relief chef through Optimal Chef Services, giving him first-hand experience of the realities chefs face when working agency shifts. That experience shapes how we approach every placement.
A chef agency with
real kitchen experience
From its beginnings in Derbyshire, Optimal Chef Services has grown into a trusted East Midlands based chef agency, supporting businesses across Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, and Lancashire, alongside permanent recruitment throughout the UK.
Despite that growth, the business remains intentionally small. Clients and chefs deal directly with us, which allows relationships to develop naturally and communication to stay clear and consistent over time.
Our approach
Effective placements are built on understanding the realities of the kitchen.
Our work focuses on:
Matching experience to the practical demands of the role
Placing chefs who integrate well into existing teams
Prioritising reliability, cleanliness, and professionalism
Clear communication before and during placements
We are also happy to share complimentary, practical insight or an outside perspective based on our experience in kitchens. This is informal, experience-led, and part of the way we support the people we work with.
Working relationships that last
Some clients use us occasionally, others rely on us regularly. Some chefs work with us between permanent roles, others build long-term relationships through ongoing relief work.
Across all of this, the focus remains the same: consistency, familiarity, and placements that work well for both chefs and clients.
Who we support
We work with a broad range of hospitality businesses, including:
Restaurants and gastropubs
Hotels
Care homes and schools
Event caterers and large-scale operations
Our relief chefs operate at Chef de Partie, Sous Chef, and Head Chef level, with placements ranging from single shifts through to longer-term temporary and permanent roles.
If you are in need of chef cover, would like to discuss recruitment options, or are interested in working with us, please call 07841319589 or use the links above for more information. Alternatively head to our Contact Us page and one of our team will be in touch shortly.
Get in touch
Whether you are a chef considering working with us, a business looking for support, or simply want to understand how we operate, we are always happy to talk.
You can find more information on our Work With Us and Hire a Chef pages, or click the button below to start chatting directly with us.