Executive Sous Chef

El Pastor; Greater London; On-site; GBP 73,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

50% Off Food & Drink across El Pastor

Career development and training

Annual holidays 33 days

Staff volunteering days

Supplier trips to Mexico/Spain

Job summary

El Pastor Group in London is seeking an Executive Sous Chef to lead our culinary teams across multiple sites. You will work closely with Head Chefs to uphold authentic Mexican cuisine, sustain top quality, and mentor chefs across the estate.

This senior role combines hands-on service with strategic kitchen leadership, overseeing food safety, cost control, menu launches, and staff development while delivering exceptional dining experiences for our guests.

Qualifications

• Proven experience as Senior Head Chef, Exec Sous Chef or Exec Chef in a multi-site, high-volume restaurant group.
• Strong knowledge of authentic Mexican cuisine with 2+ years’ professional Mexican cooking experience.
• Lead kitchen teams, recruit, train, schedule, and uphold day-to-day standards.
• Maintain food quality, taste, presentation and authenticity across all El Pastor kitchens.
• Hands-on in service, leading the pass and setting high standards across the estate.

Responsibilities

• Be the senior operational partner across the El Pastor Group and work with Head Chefs to strengthen kitchen teams.
• Spend time in service coaching teams, running the pass and providing leadership during busy periods.
• Support GP, food costs, stock, wastage, labour and payroll while ensuring profitability.
• Standardise kitchen systems, ordering, opening/closing procedures and handovers across restaurants.
• Use KPIs to drive improvements in food, service and overall performance.
• Lead new restaurant openings and major kitchen projects, including recruitment and training.
• Maintain high standards of food safety, allergen management, hygiene and health & safety.

Skills

Leadership

People management

Kitchen leadership

Service leadership

Attention to detail

Food safety

Job description

Executive Sous Chef | El Pastor Group | London

We are looking for a great Executive Sous Chef to join our exceptional Culinary team at El Pastor Group in London.

El Pastor is a small group of Mexican taquerias in London, inspired by the decade the founders spent in Mexico City, running a cult nightclub and searching for the city’s best taco al pastor.
We pour our hearts into top quality, authentic produce, making fresh tortillas daily using heritage corn and working directly with suppliers and cooperative farmers in Mexico.
Our chefs celebrate real flavours and honest cooking, with generosity, energy and joy at the heart of everything we do.
We’re proud to have been awarded a Star by the Sustainable Restaurant Association and to be part of a team driven by the goal of serving the best tacos outside of Mexico.

Meaningful Rewards at Harts Group

• Executive Sous Chef starting salary of £73,000 plus potential bonuses

• 50% Off all Food & Drink across all Harts Group restaurants

• Company trips to meet our top suppliers in Mexico, Spain, and across the UK

• Increasing holiday allowance on top of your 33 days paid holidays

• Career development and training opportunities

• Enhanced Maternity & Paternity packages

• Access to the Stream Platform where you can access your wages early and manage your money

• A paid volunteering day to support our communities and causes that matter to you

• Cycle to Work Scheme

• Access to Hospitality Action to support your wellbeing in and out of work

• CODE membership with amazing discounts across the hospitality industry

• Test drive our new openings, you’re invited to a brilliant meal with the teams from our other restaurants

Harts Group Way

We’re excited to hear from candidates who bring curiosity, commitment, and a passion for Hospitality. We believe in creating an inclusive, diverse, and equal workplace where everyone is valued. In return, we offer competitive salaries, opportunities for career development, and continuous training, all within a supportive and friendly team where camaraderie and mutual respect are at the heart of everything we do.

The Executive Chef Role

As Executive Sous Chef, you’ll be the senior operational partner across the El Pastor Group, working closely with our Head Chefs to strengthen kitchen teams, improve consistency and ensure every restaurant delivers exceptional food quality, authenticity and service.

You’ll be highly visible across the kitchens, spending time in service, coaching teams, running the pass and stepping in wherever the business needs senior operational support. Head Chefs remain accountable for their individual kitchens, with you providing the coaching, challenge and follow-through needed to keep standards high across the estate.

• Proven experience as a Senior Head Chef, Executive Sous Chef or Executive Chef within a multi-site, high-volume restaurant group.
• Strong knowledge of authentic Mexican cuisine, with at least 2 years’ professional experience working with Mexican food, ingredients and traditional cooking techniques.
• Maintain consistent food quality, taste, presentation, authenticity and execution across all El Pastor kitchens.
• Work closely with Head Chefs to strengthen kitchen leadership, team performance, recruitment, training, rotas, service and day‑to‑day standards.
• Coach and develop Senior Sous Chefs and future Head Chefs, giving them greater exposure to leadership, commercial management and service.
• Be hands‑on in service, confidently leading the pass, supporting busy services and setting the standard for organisation, communication and execution.
• Carry out regular food and kitchen quality checks, covering mise en place, seasoning, cooking, portioning, presentation, cleanliness and service speed.
• Support menu launches, tastings, seasonal changes and new product rollouts, ensuring teams are trained and ready before launch.
• Work with Head Chefs to manage GP, food costs, stock, wastage, labour, rotas and payroll, identifying issues and following through on agreed actions.
• Help standardise kitchen systems, ordering, opening and closing procedures, handovers and operational processes across the restaurants.
• Use agreed KPIs and performance information to identify priorities and improve food, and commercial performance.
• Provide senior operational cover during holidays, vacancies, openings, restructures and periods of pressure.
• Support new restaurant openings and major kitchen projects, including recruitment, brigade set-up, training, equipment readiness, systems and pre‑opening organisation.
• Help stabilise new or underperforming kitchens, working alongside the team until the required standards, leadership and operating rhythm are established.
• Work closely with the CPU / Group Production Chef, Procurement and support teams to ensure products, recipes, packing, labelling, traceability and deliveries meet restaurant requirements.
• Maintain high standards of food safety, allergen management, hygiene and health & safety, supporting audits, inspections and internal reviews.
• Has an excellent eye for detail, a strong palate and a relentless drive to improve the food, service and team experience.
• Is collaborative, forward‑thinking and thrives in a creative, fast‑paced environment, leading with genuine care and pride in everything they do.

Harts Group is a community of talented individuals creating award‑winning food and hospitality. Our portfolio includes Barrafina, Parrillan, Quo Vadis, El Pastor Restaurants, The Drop, Two Drops, El Siete, Los Primos and Bar Daskal in London.