Assistant Head Chef / Sous Chef

Zizzi; Royal Leamington Spa; On-site; GBP 28,000 - 36,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Earned wage access (Stream)

Free meals on shift

50% off meals when not on shift

24/7 Virtual GP

Employee Assistance Program

Discounts on travel, cinema & brands

Career development opportunities

Job summary

Zizzi in the United Kingdom is seeking an Assistant Head Chef to lead shifts, run the pass, and inspire a team in a high-volume kitchen. You will balance a bustling dining room with delivery channels, while maintaining Italian quality and speed.

Join us to develop your career in a supportive, fast-paced environment with benefits like earned wage access, free meals on shift, and employee support programmes.

Qualifications

• Experience in a high-volume, fast-paced kitchen.
• Strong leadership and team coaching abilities.
• Solid understanding of stock, wastage and labour control.
• Passion for Italian food and consistent quality.

Responsibilities

• Lead the kitchen and run the pass when the Head Chef is absent.
• Ensure fast, flawless service with consistent food quality.
• Support management with stock, labour, prep and cost control.
• Coach and develop junior chefs to build confidence and talent.
• Maintain safety, cleanliness and food hygiene standards.

Skills

Leadership

Stock management

Wastage control

Labour control

Calm under pressure

Italian cuisine

Job description

Our story:

Zizzi started in 1999 with one oven and a big dream of doing Italian food, our way. We don’t do bland food, people or restaurants. You'll know us for bubbly pizza, fresh pasta, and good times.

About the role:

As an Assistant Head Chef, you have a vital leadership role in our open kitchen. Partnering with the Head Chef, you’ll step up to lead shifts, run the pass, and inspire the team during high-volume rushes. We're looking for someone hands‑on who can balance a buzzing restaurant floor with our fast‑paced out‑of‑restaurant delivery channels. If you have the drive to step up, we’ll give you the platform to grow.

What you’ll do:

• Lead the kitchen and run the pass in the Head Chef’s absence, keeping service flawless, fast, and on point.
• Deliver exceptional food quality and picture‑perfect consistency across dine‑in and out‑of‑restaurant delivery orders.
• Support the management team by hitting kitchen performance metrics with stock, labour, managing prep, and cost control.
• Coach and develop junior chefs, sharing your skills to build confidence, talent, and team spirit.
• Act as a role model for safety, ensuring kitchen cleanliness, compliance, and food safety are always spot on.

What’s in it for you:

• Career development opportunities to fast‑track your career to Head Chef.
• Flexible hours and the guaranteed stability of a minimum‑hour contract.
• Access your earned wages whenever you need them with Stream.
• Free meals when you're on shift, and 50% off when you aren't.
• 24/7 Virtual GP and Employee Assistance Program.
• Discounts on travel, cinema, and big brands

What we’re looking for:

• Experience as a Sous Chef, Junior Sous, or Senior Chef in a high-volume, fast‑paced environment.
• A love of Italian food, consistency, and high standards.
• A confident leader who can run a shift and motivate a team.
• The ability to stay calm, organised, and ready to guide the team during our busiest times, including evenings, weekends and holiday periods.
• A solid understanding of kitchen operations, including stock management, wastage, and labour control.

Why you’ll fit right in:

We want you in the kitchen, as you are, from day 1. We love individuality - bold tattoos, bad singing, big laugh, brave choices. We're a Times Top 500 Employer because we celebrate everyone's differences. While we're on that, we're also the only Italian restaurant in the FT's UK’s Best Employers 2026 Special Report (for working conditions, salary, potential for development and company image).