Chef - Lakeside - Thurrock

Lounge Café Bars; Essex; On-site; GBP 24,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

A vibrant café establishment in Essex is seeking an enthusiastic Chef to join their team. You will prepare fresh, high-quality dishes from a flexible all-day menu while ensuring strict adherence to food safety practices. Ideal candidates will possess kitchen experience or a strong willingness to learn, along with excellent communication skills. This position offers great opportunities for personal development, team support, and numerous employee perks, like generous discounts and holiday allowances.

Benefits

Tips shared equally across the team

Paid breaks

Staff food on every shift

50% off food and drinks

28 days holiday

Christmas and Boxing Day off

Personal development opportunities

Company pension scheme

Qualifications

• Experience as Kitchen Porter, Kitchen Assistant, or Commis Chef preferred.
• Good communication skills and ability to work well in a team.
• Knowledge of allergens, kitchen essentials, and food safety.

Responsibilities

• Prepare dishes to spec in a clean kitchen.
• Follow the lead of the Head Chef for prep and par.
• Ensure all customers leave happy through great food.

Skills

Kitchen experience

Positive attitude

Good communication skills

Self-motivation

Knowledge of food safety

Job description

Chef - Lakeside - Thurrock

You love real cooking. We love real cooking. Customers love real cooking. It's a no-brainer so you wonder why so many other places don’t do it. We do it, and you’ll be doing it with us - fresh, customer‑led, and with high‑quality ingredients.

You’ll be part of a dedicated, supportive team, working from our flexible all‑day menu to give people food that’ll make their day. It’ll be your responsibility to make each dish to spec, in a clean and safe kitchen, and to follow the lead of your Head Chef to make sure all prep and par is completed for each shift. You’ll be helping every customer leave happy, which they tend to do, thanks to your great food.

The Good Stuff

• Tips shared equally across the team, based on hours worked
• Paid breaks
• Staff food on every shift, regardless of hours worked
• 50% off food and drinks (including alcohol) from day one at all three of our brands – Lounge, Cosy Club and Brightside
• 28 days holiday (inclusive of Bank Holidays) pro‑rate
• Competitions and incentives (like jetting off on an all‑expenses‑paid trip with one of our suppliers)
• Christmas and Boxing Day off!
• The best staff party – Loungefest
• Emotional and practical support via the Licenced Trade Charity
• Power over your pay with Wagestream
• Company pension scheme
• Long service awards
• Great opportunity for personal development and career progression in a fast‑growing business

What you’ll bring

• You may already have some kitchen experience as either a Kitchen Porter / Kitchen Assistant / Commis Chef, or this might be something brand new to you.
• Driven and relentless, with a positive can‑do attitude.
• Good communication skills and a team player.
• Self‑motivated to work at pace, with limited supervision
• Strong knowledge of best practice when it comes to all things allergens, kitchen essentials and food safety.

If you want to find out more about us, follow us on LinkedIn or @life.at.loungers on TikTok and Instagram