About us
Part of Iconic Hotels & Resorts, The Lensbury is located on the banks of the River Thames at Teddington and is home to an exclusive leisure club, a 155 bedroom hotel, meeting and events space, restaurant and bar, Spa and 25 acres of gardens and grounds.
The Role
The Executive Sous Chef is the second-in-command of the kitchen, working closely with the Executive/Resort Head Chef to lead the day-to-day operation. The role is responsible for delivering consistently high food standards, driving kitchen performance, and ensuring effective cost control, while leading, developing and motivating the kitchen team.
This role deputises for the Executive/Resort Head Chef in their absence and plays a key role in shaping culture, standards and operational delivery across all kitchen areas.
Key Responsibilities
Leadership and team development
- Lead the day-to-day management of the kitchen, ensuring smooth and efficient operations across all services
- Direct service delivery, ensuring food is produced and served to required standards, on time and under pressure
- Take full operational responsibility in the absence of the Executive/Resort Head Chef
- Ensure consistently high standards of cleanliness, organisation and hygiene across all kitchen areas
- Proactively identify, prioritise and resolve operational issues to protect service delivery
- Take responsibility for the day-to-day performance and development of Sous Chefs, Junior Sous Chefs and wider kitchen team
- Provide clear, constructive feedback to maintain performance and improve standards
- Address performance issues promptly, fairly and consistently, escalating where appropriate
- Support recruitment, onboarding and retention in collaboration with HR
- Conduct performance reviews and training plans
- Manage rotas in line with budgets
Food quality and service delivery
- Take overall accountability for the quality, consistency and presentation of all food leaving the kitchen
- Drive consistent delivery of food standards in line with brand, specification and food safety requirements
- Ensure all preparation and service meet company, brand and legislative standards
- Lead the implementation of menus, recipes and specifications, ensuring effective portion control and minimal waste
- Continuously review and improve food quality, consistency and service standards
- Support menu development and innovation
- Respond to guest feedback
Financial and commercial
- Take ownership of stock management across the kitchen, ensuring accurate handling, rotation and portion control
- Drive effective cost control through minimising waste and improving yield
- Lead stocktakes, ensuring discrepancies are investigated and resolved
- Ensure all purchasing and ordering activity is controlled and aligned with budget and company guidelines
- Contribute directly to the delivery of departmental food GP targets and drive cost awareness through the team
Compliance and Health & Safety
- Ensure full compliance with all food safety, health & safety, COSHH and company policies
- Maintain excellent personal hygiene and enforce uniform and hygiene standards across the team
- Ensure all team members follow safe systems of work and meet required food safety standards
- Support food hygiene training compliance across the kitchen
- Adhere to all company emergency, accident and fire procedures
What we’re looking for:
To be successful in this role, you must possess the following qualifications, attitude, behaviours, skills, and values:
- Proven Sous or Executive Sous Chef experience in a similar environment
- Strong leadership skills
- Excellent organisation and attention to detail
- Ability to work under pressure
- Results-driven
- Collaborative leadership
- Problem-solving mindset
- Positive, flexible approach
- Flexibility including evenings and weekends and holidays.
