Junior Sous Chef

Sodexo; Shrewsbury; On-site; GBP 31,000 - 32,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary and benefits

No unsociable hours and holidays off

Job summary

Sodexo at Shrewsbury School is seeking a passionate Junior Sous Chef to lead the kitchen on a dynamic, high-volume site serving around 2,200 pupils and staff.

You will work with the Head Chef, develop the team, and drive exceptional food quality and service across dining halls, events, hospitality and fine dining. This role offers strong progression within Sodexo and benefits.

This is a 40-hour week with patterns 7:00am-3:00pm or 11:30am-8:00pm, and a weekend pattern of 5 days out of 7.

Qualifications

• Experience as a chef in a busy professional kitchen.
• Experience working with large-scale catering operations and maintaining quality at volume.
• Ability to lead, motivate, coach and develop kitchen team.
• Strong organisational and time management skills.

Responsibilities

• Oversee food production during and after service, ensuring dishes are prepared and presented to the highest standards.
• Deputise for the Head Chef when required, taking responsibility for the kitchen operation and supporting the team to deliver an excellent service.
• Bring creativity, innovation and flair to the food offer, helping to create memorable experiences for pupils, staff and visitors.
• Work across different catering environments, from large-scale student dining to smaller events, hospitality and fine dining.
• Support food ordering and collaborate with Stores Supervisor to ensure the kitchen has the right products at the right time.
• Monitor and manage food waste, recording data and identifying opportunities to improve efficiency.
• Lead recruitment, induction, training and development of kitchen team members.

Skills

Leadership

Cooking skills

Food safety

Attention to detail

Time management

Communication

Allergen awareness

Numeracy

Creativity

Education

NVQ Level 2 Food Production or equivalent

Job description

Junior Sous Chef - Lead with Passion, Cook with Purpose!

Location: Shrewsbury School, The Schools, Shrewsbury, SY3 7BA
Salary: £14.94 per hour
Hours: 40 hours per week
Working Pattern: 5 days out of 7,(7:00am-3:00pm or 11:30pm-8:00pm)
Weekend Pattern: Weekend on, weekend off

Staff workplace meals provided | Exceptional Sodexo benefits | Great discounts & recognition | Potential progression within Sodexo

Are you an experienced chef ready to take the next step in your career?

At Sodexo, we’re looking for an ambitious and passionate Junior Sous Chef to join our team at Shrewsbury School, a prestigious independent school with a vibrant and diverse catering operation.

This is much more than a traditional school kitchen. You'll be part of a large-scale operation serving around 2,200 pupils and staff, across multiple catering environments, from busy student dining to smaller events, hospitality and fine dining.

You'll have the opportunity to bring your creativity to the menu, develop your leadership skills and play an important role in maintaining exceptional food and service standards.

Working closely with the Head Chef and wider management team, you'll help lead the kitchen brigade, support the development of talented chefs and deputise for the Head Chef when required.

If you're ready to lead from the front, inspire your team and make your mark, this could be your next opportunity.

What You'll Do:

As JuniorSousChef, you'll be a visible and approachable leader on shift, helping the kitchen team deliver consistently high standards across every service.

You'll:

• Oversee food production during and after service, ensuring dishes are prepared and presented to the highest standards.
• Deputise for the Head Chef when required, taking responsibility for the kitchen operation and supporting the team to deliver an excellent service.
• Bring creativity, innovation and flair to the food offer, helping to create memorable experiences for pupils, staff, parents and visitors.
• Work across different catering environments, from large-scale student dining to smaller events, hospitality and fine dining.
• Support food ordering and work closely with the Stores Supervisor to ensure the kitchen has the right products at the right time.
• Monitor and manage food waste, recording data and identifying opportunities to improve efficiency.
• Work with the Head Chef and wider management team to achieve strong financial and commercial performance while maintaining quality.
• Support recruitment, induction, training and development of kitchen team members.
• Lead by example, motivating and coaching colleagues to achieve their full potential.
• Organise effective team briefings and huddles, keeping colleagues informed, engaged and supported.
• Build strong working relationships with pupils, school staff, visitors, colleagues and Sodexo management.
• Help maintain a positive Food Safety and Health & Safety culture across the kitchen.
• Set, maintain and continuously improve standards of food quality, cleanliness, presentation and service.
• Identify opportunities to improve the operation and introduce new ideas that create surprise and delight for customers.
• Carry out any reasonable request from the management team to support the smooth running of the operation.

What You're Bringing:

We're looking for an experienced chef who combines strong technical skills with leadership, creativity and a genuine passion for food.

You'll ideally have:

• NVQ Level 2 Food Production or equivalent.
• Proven experience working as a chef in a busy professional kitchen.
• Strong all-round knowledge of cooking processes, food preparation and finished dishes.
• Experience working with large-scale catering operations and the ability to maintain quality at volume.
• Excellent organisational and time management skills.
• The ability to lead, motivate, coach and develop other members of the kitchen team.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• The confidence to set standards and ensure they are consistently maintained.
• A flexible approach and the ability to remain calm and effective under pressure.
• Good understanding of food safety, health & safety and allergen requirements.
• Basic numeracy skills to support recipe building, ordering and commercial awareness.
• A passion for fresh food, creativity and delivering memorable customer experiences.

What We Offer:

A dynamic and supportive work environment

• Competitive salary and benefits
• Full training and protective uniform provided
• No unsociable hours and public holidays off-including Christmas!
• Unlimited access to mental health and wellbeing support
• Employee Assistance Programme for legal, financial, and personal support
• Discounts, cashback schemes, and financial benefits
• Career progression, learning opportunities, and apprenticeships
• Cycle to Work Scheme and volunteering opportunities

At Sodexo, we believe everyone deserves a place to belong. This isn't just a job-it's a chance to be part of something bigger. If you're ready to lead with passion and cook with purpose, we want to hear from you!

Note: Sodexo and our clients are committed to safeguarding children. All roles require pre-employment screening, including DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) and past employer checks.

Sodexo reserves the right to close this advert early if we receive a high number of applications.