Commis Chef

Houston & Hawkes; Greater London; On-site; GBP 29,000 - 35,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Birthday off every year

Enhanced maternity/paternity leave

Free meals on duty

Contributory pension scheme

Life assurance

Employee Assistance Programme

CODE Hospitality membership

Job summary

Houston & Hawkes is looking for an ambitious Commis Chef to join one of our prestigious London client sites. You’ll work alongside an experienced and talented chef, learning every day, developing strong foundations and gaining valuable experience across both vibrant retail food and refined fine dining hospitality.

This is more than a Commis Chef position; it’s an opportunity to learn from an experienced kitchen team, develop technique, and begin building a career you can be proud of.

Qualifications

• Some professional kitchen experience or relevant culinary training.
• Ambition to build a long-term career as a chef.
• A real passion for food and a strong desire to learn.
• Curiosity, enthusiasm and an interest in developing new techniques and skills.

Responsibilities

• Work closely with experienced chefs, learning strong kitchen techniques and professional standards.
• Prepare fresh ingredients and support the production of high-quality dishes from scratch.
• Gain hands-on experience across both retail food and fine dining hospitality.
• Support the preparation and delivery of seasonal dishes, working lunches and hospitality menus.
• Learn about presentation, flavour, consistency and the detail behind exceptional food.
• Develop your knife skills, preparation techniques and understanding of different cooking methods.
• Support the kitchen team throughout preparation and service.
• Help with stock rotation, deliveries and keeping ingredients organised correctly.
• Take pride in maintaining a clean, organised and professional kitchen.
• Learn and follow excellent food safety, allergen, hygiene and health and safety standards.

Skills

Professional kitchen experience

Ambition to build long-term career

Passion for food

Curiosity

Positive attitude

Good basic kitchen skills

Strong work ethic

Organisation

Team-focused

Education

Culinary training

Job description

Houston & Hawkes | London | £32,000 per
annum | Monday to Friday

A brilliant first step for a talented chef
who is serious about building an exceptional career in food.

Houston & Hawkes is looking for an
ambitious Commis Chef to join one of our prestigious London client sites.
Working alongside an experienced and talented chef, you’ll have the opportunity
to learn every day, develop strong foundations and gain valuable experience
across both vibrant retail food and refined fine dining hospitality.

This is more than simply a Commis Chef
position. It’s an opportunity for someone with real potential, curiosity and
passion to learn from an experienced kitchen team, develop their technique and
begin building a career they can be proud of. You’ll work with fresh
ingredients, learn different styles of service and be encouraged to grow your
confidence, creativity and skills.

THE ROLE

• Work closely with experienced chefs,
  learning strong kitchen techniques and professional standards
• Prepare fresh ingredients and support the
  production of high-quality dishes from scratch
• Gain hands-on experience across both retail
  food and fine dining hospitality
• Support the preparation and delivery of
  seasonal dishes, working lunches and hospitality menus
• Learn about presentation, flavour,
  consistency and the detail behind exceptional food
• Develop your knife skills, preparation
  techniques and understanding of different cooking methods
• Support the kitchen team throughout
  preparation and service
• Help with stock rotation, deliveries and
  keeping ingredients organised correctly
• Take pride in maintaining a clean,
  organised and professional kitchen
• Learn and follow excellent food safety,
  allergen, hygiene and health and safety standards

WHAT YOU’LL BRING

• Some professional kitchen experience or
  relevant culinary training
• A genuine ambition to build a long-term
  career as a chef
• A real passion for food and a strong desire
  to learn
• Curiosity, enthusiasm and an interest in
  developing new techniques and skills
• A positive attitude and willingness to
  listen, learn and take feedback
• Good basic kitchen skills and an
  understanding of professional kitchen standards
• A strong work ethic and pride in doing
  things properly
• Good organisation, reliability and
  attention to detail
• A team-focused approach and the confidence
  to ask questions and keep developing

WHY JOIN HOUSTON & HAWKES?

• £32,000 per annum
• Monday to Friday
• The opportunity to learn directly from an
  experienced chef and talented kitchen team
• Excellent exposure to both retail and fine
  dining hospitality
• A supportive environment where your
  development and progression genuinely matter
• Birthday off every year
• Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption
  leave
• Free meals on duty
• Contributory pension scheme
• Life assurance
• Employee Assistance Programme
• CODE Hospitality membership
• Foodie Socials bringing our chefs together
  to explore new flavours, techniques and ideas
• Ongoing learning, development and genuine
  career progression
• Summer Awards Party celebrating our people
  and achievements
• An unforgettable Christmas Party at one of
  London’s outstanding venues

ABOUT HOUSTON & HAWKES

Houston & Hawkes is an award-winning
independent caterer creating vibrant, creative and exceptional food and
hospitality experiences across some of the UK’s most prestigious client sites.

We’re a Certified B Corp, recipient of the
King’s Award for Enterprise in Sustainable Development 2026 and proud to be
ranked No. 14 in The Caterer’s Best Places to Work in Hospitality.

If you are serious about becoming a great
chef and want the training, experience and support to build an exciting career,
we would love to hear from you.