Sous Chef in Wimborne Minster

To assist the Executive Head Chef in managing all aspects of the Catering function at Canford ensuring that a high standard of catering is provided for pupils, staff and visitors to the school. During term-time the kitchens prepare food for up to 1000, over 7 days per week. This includes breakfast and evening meals for boarding pupils and staff on duty and midday meal for all pupils and staff. The catering team also prepare and present food for various internal events and occasions as well as for external lets and weddings, usually outside of term-time.

CORE OBJECTIVES

• To ensure that you and your staff adhere to the Schools Allergen SOP and Food Safety Management System (FSMS).
• To ensure your team remain professional and produce the highest possible standards in all aspects whether through catering output or conduct.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Management

• To provide unstinting support to Exec Head Chef in all aspects.
• To collaborate and support your fellow Sous Chefs and colleagues.
• To show strong transformational leadership and management skills by enthusing, inspiring and motivating your team of chefs to achieve the highest possible standards.
• To demonstrate a management style that enables an ability to multitask, delegate and coordinate multiple daily commitments.
• To plan ahead and deliver in order to meet the catering departments present and future commitments, whilst providing an efficient and cost-effective service.
• To performance manage your chefs to enable them all to reach their potential. This involves carrying out 1:1’s, mentoring and coaching and producing annual appraisals on the Standards Tracker.
• To support the Exec Head Chef by ensuring rotas are completed monthly for the chefs and submit to the delegated assistant manager.
• To work alongside the Exec Head Chef to keep within budgets.
• To be competent and confident in placing food orders and using the ordering/stock management system.
• To manage and work in a collaborative manner with the Senior Storeman by ensuring stock, food orders are maintained. Cover when applicable.

Service Quality

• To deliver a consistently high standard of food service to the Canford Community or to any other external site responsibilities that may come under our remit.
• Ensure that the catering staff have the necessary resources and training to meet and exceed standards on a day-to-day basis.
• To assist in overseeing and leading your team on the delivery of all services, internal and any external functions.
• To generate cost effective and seasonal dishes that is innovative and appealing whilst conforming to allocated budgets.
• To keep abreast of industry best practice and trends.

Staff

• To manage day-to-day staff activities for your team of chefs.
• To implement new ideas and transfer skills to the catering team by focusing on higher culinary skills.
• To manage and report any breaches of staff conduct to the Exec Head Chef.

Resources

• To support head chef or senior storeman by placing orders only with approved suppliers and monitor their product quality and food safety controls.
• To receive and sign for deliveries.
• To minimise resource wastage, including food, disposables, and energy.
• To assist in managing stock control on a monthly basis.

Community Liaison

• To engage and respond constructively to feedback from colleagues and management and members of the Canford Community.

Health & Safety

• To ensure that any food allergies and intolerances are catered for and that food contamination risks in production and service are minimised or eliminated where possible through effective policies and staff training.
• To supervise on-going, daily cleaning activities in adherence to the cleaning schedule.
• To ensure that the departments Food Safety Management System and Health and Safety policy is adhered to.
• To maintain the safe operation of the working environment including equipment, fixtures and fittings, in conjunction with the School’s maintenance staff.

General

• To carry out any other tasks reasonably requested by the Exec Head Chef, Assistant Managers, Catering Manager or School Services Manager.
• When required to cover for the Exec Head Chef to report at regular intervals to management team, relevant food forums/meetings.

Training and Development

As part of your role as Sous Chef you are required to proactively support and at times lead on all aspects of training and development. This may include but not exhaustive:

• Nurturing, coaching, and mentoring your junior chefs on any additional development requirements. This may include NVQ’s, specific training or apprenticeship programs.
• Liaise with Canford Training Team and any external providers by ensuring your chefs are kept informed, and on track within their training program/targets, and complete to given timeframes.
• Proactively work with Exec Head Chef on any menu development whether internal or external commitments.

Knowledge / Experience

• C & G 2061/2 or equivalent NVQ Level 3 (E).
• Evidence of training skills (E).
• A minimum of three years’ experience in a four-star Hotel or equivalent environment at CDP level or above (E).
• Previous experience of managing staff (E).
• Previous experience in a training role (D).
• Good communication and organisational skills (E).
• Excellent attention to detail (E).
• Basic IT skills (E).
• Articulate (E).
• Smart personal appearance (E).
• Enthusiastic and bubbly personality (E).
• Able to motivate others and be self-motivated (E).
• A passion for food (E).
• Ability to work as part of a team (E).

Canford School is committed to equity, diversity and inclusion in all areas of our Community and encourages applications from all suitably qualified candidates. Canford School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. The successful applicant will be required to undergo child protection screening.