At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead a creative kitchen, ensuring top-notch food quality and inspiring your team.
- Company: Join a fun, friendly team that values passion and creativity in the kitchen.
- Benefits: Enjoy sociable hours, career growth opportunities, and a supportive work environment.
- Why this job: Make a real impact with your culinary skills while enjoying a great work-life balance.
- Qualifications: Strong culinary skills, leadership experience, and a passion for food safety.
- Other info: Consistent shifts with no late nights or split shifts, plus a culture of teamwork.
The predicted salary is between 33000 - 45000 £ per year.
Full time – Permanent – 39k per year – 45 hours week -5 days out of 7, including weekends, on rotation. Typical shifts are Monday to Friday or Sunday to Thursday, always with two consecutive days off and no split shifts.
The Role
We are looking for an exceptional Sous Chef to support our Head Chef/General Manager in leading a fast-paced, creative kitchen that delivers outstanding food to our clients and delivery catering clients. This is a hands-on, high-energy role for someone with serious culinary talent, strong leadership skills, and a genuine passion for exceeding customer expectations. You will play a key role in ensuring smooth kitchen operations, maintaining the highest food quality and safety standards, and inspiring the kitchen team to perform at their best. You will thrive in a busy central production kitchen environment, confidently juggling multiple priorities while remaining calm, organised, and solutions-focused.
Key Responsibilities
- Kitchen Leadership & Operations
- Support and deputise for the Head Chef as required
- Take responsibility for food production and execution in the Central Production Kitchen (CPU), client offices, and on-site event kitchens
- Open or close the kitchen as required, ensuring clear handovers
- Supervise Sunday kitchen operations and event kitchens when needed
- Food Quality, Safety & Compliance
- Maintain the highest standards of Health & Food Safety across all kitchen and BOH areas
- Ensure strict adherence to recipes, product specifications, allergen processes, and labelling
- Manage FIFO stock rotation and temperature, cleaning, and safety records via Alert 65
- Stock, Ordering & Cost Control
- Manage day-to-day food ordering in line with budgets and financial targets
- Oversee food, beverage, disposables, cleaning materials, and smallwares stock levels
- Complete accurate monthly stock takes and submit on time
- Build and maintain strong supplier relationships
- Team Leadership & Development
- Train kitchen staff on new menus and procedures
- Motivate, develop, and performance-manage the kitchen team
- Promote a positive culture of teamwork, flexibility, and shared responsibility
- Lead by example, supporting kitchen porters and brigade as required
- Menu Development & Planning
- Assist in menu development, recipe specifications, and dish costing
- Create and delegate production plans to maximise efficiency
- Anticipate trends and contribute profit-focused, cost-saving initiatives
- Collaboration & Communication
- Work closely with operational teams on bespoke menus, allergens, and sourcing
- Communicate positively and professionally to deliver an exceptional customer experience
What We Are Looking For
- Essential
- Excellent culinary skills at Sous Chef level
- Strong leadership and people-management skills
- Outstanding communication skills and genuine passion for the brand
- Excellent organisation and time management
- Ability to perform under pressure with minimal supervision
- High attention to detail and commitment to food safety and allergen compliance
- Proactive, self-motivated, and punctual
- Physically fit and comfortable lifting heavy loads
- Desirable
- Experience working in or running a busy central production kitchen
What’s in for you?
- Sociable hours – Enjoy great work-life balance with no late nights or split shifts
- A fun, friendly team – We laugh, we learn, and we cook great food together.
- Career growth – We are big on developing our people, with clear pathways to progress.
- Creative kitchen culture – Passion and ideas are always welcome here.
- A food-first ethos – If you love good food, you will feel right at home.
- Consistent shift patterns – 5 days out of 7, including weekends, on rotation. Typical shifts are Monday to Friday or Sunday to Thursday, always with two consecutive days off and no split shifts.
Sous Chef – W1T 1FB in London employer: Grazing
Contact Detail:
Grazing Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Sous Chef – W1T 1FB in London
✨Tip Number 1
Get your chef's whites ready and be prepared to showcase your culinary skills in a trial shift! Many kitchens, including ours, love to see you in action. It’s your chance to shine and show us what you can bring to the table.
✨Tip Number 2
Network like a pro! Chat with other chefs, attend culinary events, or even pop into local restaurants. Building relationships can lead to opportunities that aren’t always advertised. Plus, who doesn’t love a good kitchen gossip?
✨Tip Number 3
Don’t underestimate the power of social media! Follow us on our platforms, engage with our posts, and share your culinary creations. It’s a great way to get noticed and show off your passion for food.
✨Tip Number 4
When you apply, make sure to highlight your leadership skills and experience in a busy kitchen. We want to know how you can inspire a team and keep things running smoothly. So, let’s see that passion for teamwork!
We think you need these skills to ace Sous Chef – W1T 1FB in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Culinary Skills: When you're writing your application, make sure to highlight your culinary skills and experience. We want to see what makes you a standout Sous Chef, so don’t hold back on sharing your achievements in the kitchen!
Leadership is Key: Since this role involves leading a team, be sure to mention your leadership experience. Talk about how you've motivated and developed kitchen staff in the past – we love to see that passion for teamwork!
Attention to Detail Matters: We’re all about food safety and quality, so make sure to emphasise your commitment to these standards in your application. Share any relevant experiences that showcase your attention to detail and compliance with health regulations.
Apply Through Our Website: Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way for us to receive your application and get to know you better. We can’t wait to see what you bring to our kitchen!
How to prepare for a job interview at Grazing
✨Know Your Culinary Stuff
Brush up on your culinary skills and be ready to discuss your experience in a central production kitchen. Be prepared to share specific examples of dishes you've created or challenges you've overcome in the kitchen.
✨Show Off Your Leadership Skills
Since this role involves leading a team, think of instances where you've successfully managed or trained others. Highlight your ability to motivate and develop kitchen staff, as well as how you handle pressure and maintain a positive team culture.
✨Understand Food Safety Standards
Familiarise yourself with health and food safety regulations. Be ready to discuss how you ensure compliance in your previous roles, including managing allergen processes and maintaining high standards in food quality.
✨Be Ready for Menu Development Talk
Prepare to discuss your ideas for menu development and how you approach recipe specifications and dish costing. Show your passion for food and creativity by sharing any trends you've noticed and how you would contribute to the kitchen's success.