Junior Sous Chef

Hamdale Ltd; Greater London; On-site; GBP 24,000 - 30,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Refer a friend bonus

Dining discount

20% off wine retail

24/7 Employee Assistance Programme

Wisdom App for wellbeing

Job summary

Hamdale Ltd's Shoreditch bistro is seeking a talented Junior Sous Chef to help lead a small, ambitious kitchen in a fast-paced, quality-driven environment. You’ll work closely with the Head Chef to develop seasonal menus and mentor a tight-knit team, while ensuring consistent, high-quality dishes across service.

Join a creative, British-French concept with a strong wine program and a generous refer-a-friend bonus.

Qualifications

• Proven experience as a Junior Sous Chef or strong Senior Chef de Partie in a high-quality, busy kitchen.
• Passion for seasonal, European-inspired cooking and working with the best produce available.
• Excellent leadership and communication skills, with the ability to motivate and support a small team.
• Organised, proactive, and confident in managing service under pressure.

Responsibilities

• Leading the Kitchen in Service: Ensuring consistency, pace, and quality in every dish.
• Cooking with the Seasons: Help shape and deliver a menu that evolves with the produce, focusing on bold, fresh, and balanced flavours.
• Training & Mentoring: Support and develop both senior and junior team members, creating a positive, learning-focused kitchen culture.
• Quality Control: Maintain high culinary standards, ensuring every plate meets our expectations.
• Operational Excellence: Manage kitchen organisation, prep schedules, and section set-ups to ensure smooth service.
• Food Safety: Oversee hygiene, allergen procedures, and health & safety compliance.
• Menu Development: Work with the rest of the management team to create and test new dishes, bringing ideas to the table.

Skills

Leadership

Team management

Food preparation

Menu development

Job description

Bistro Freddie is a design lead and atmospheric 45-cover British-French bistro and counter-top in the heart of Shoreditch. The menu is decadent with some seriously nostalgic French classics, which show case the best of British produce. The wine menu is classic, grown up and highlights the fantastic wines of un-sung French wine producers.
Our elevated service is led by General Manager, Piotr Maruszczak, (previously Frenchie) who’s joined by Head Chef, Alex Reynolds (previously Eline).

We’re now looking for a
talented and driven Junior Sous Chef to
take a key leadership role in our creative kitchen team. This is a brilliant
opportunity for a chef who’s passionate about seasonal cooking, thrives in a
fast-paced, quality-led environment, and is ready to help lead a small but
ambitious kitchen in one of Shoreditch's most exciting food and wine spots.

Why You’ll Love This Role
As Junior Sous Chef, you’ll be working alongside the rest of the BOH management team to deliver exceptional dishes and a
smooth-running service. You’ll play a hands-on role in menu development, manage
sections during busy services, and help lead and inspire a small, close-knit
team. If you’re looking to work with outstanding produce, take ownership of
your craft, and grow as a leader, this is the role for you.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Leading the Kitchen in
  Service: Ensuring
  consistency, pace, and quality in every dish.
• Cooking with the Seasons: Help
  shape and deliver a menu that evolves with the produce, focusing on bold,
  fresh, and balanced flavours.
• Training & Mentoring: Support
  and develop both senior and junior team members, creating a positive, learning-focused kitchen
  culture.
• Quality Control: Maintain
  high culinary standards, ensuring every plate meets our expectations.
• Operational Excellence: Manage
  kitchen organisation, prep schedules, and section set-ups to ensure smooth
  service.
• Food Safety: Oversee
  hygiene, allergen procedures, and health & safety compliance.
• Menu Development: Work
  with the rest of the management team to create and test new dishes, bringing ideas to the table.

What We’re Looking For

• Proven experience as a Junior Sous Chef or strong Senior Chef de Partie in
  a high-quality, busy kitchen
• Passion for seasonal, European-inspired cooking and working with
  the best produce available
• Excellent leadership and communication skills, with the ability
  to motivate and support a small team
• Organised, proactive, and confident in managing service under
  pressure
• Strong understanding of kitchen operations, costing, and
  ordering
• A collaborative, hands-on approach to leadership

What You’ll Get

• A welcoming, supportive, and inclusive team environment
• Opportunity to develop skills and take on greater leadership
  responsibilities
• Delicious team meals on every shift
• Flexible shift patterns, with daytimes and evenings available
• Refer a friend bonus –
  earn £1000 when your referral joins
• 50% off dining across all HAM. Restaurant locations
• 20% off wine retail
• Access to Stream (formerly Wagestream) benefits
  & flexible pay
• Be part of a creative, growing hospitality group with a strong
  track record
• Enhanced parental leave packages – including paw-ternity for pet
  parents
• Up to 28 days annual leave – increasing with length of service
  (up to 36 days!)
• Access to 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme & Wisdom
  App for health & wellbeing support