junior sous chef

wagamama; Thornaby-on-Tees; On-site; GBP 22,000 - 28,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Biweekly pay + tips

Staff discounts (50% off)

Free meals on shift

Early access to earned pay (Wagestream

Parental leave benefits (26 weeks full

30% off TRG brands

Pension scheme

Holiday

Training

Cycle to work

Discounted gym memberships

Long service awards

Job summary

wagamama is seeking a junior sous chef in the United Kingdom to support the kitchen leadership and ensure every dish is prepared with care. You will help manage shifts, coach the team on the fly, and uphold rigorous food safety and quality standards.

You’ll partner with management to drive best-in-class kitchen performance, inspire growth, and foster a positive, collaborative environment where every team member can thrive and take pride in their work.

Qualifications

• You are passionate about supporting your team and maintaining high standards.
• You can manage the line, plan shifts, coach on the go.
• Understand health & safety standards and kitchen financials (gross profit, stock and labour cost).
• You enjoy celebrating success and recognizing individuals' needs.

Responsibilities

• Working closely with the management team to run a vibrant and high-performing kitchen.
• Ensuring food quality and kitchen vibes stay sky-high.
• Helping your team feel seen, supported, and proud of what they do.
• Nurturing your team to grow, not just hit targets.
• Adopting a kaizen mindset to spot and implement small improvements.

Job description

junior sous chef | full time

at wagamama, food is life. our kitchens are all about fresh food, prioritising good ingredients and serving dishes that are made to order every time. as a junior sous chef, you’ll support leading the shifts, and the kitchen team while making sure every bowl is something to be proud of

what you’ll be doing

• working closely with the rest of the management team to run a vibrant and high-performing kitchen
• making sure food quality and kitchen vibes stay sky-high
• helping your team feel seen, supported, and proud of what they do
• nurturing your team to grow, not just hit targets
• thinking with a kaizen mindset - constantly spotting the little ways we can do things better, then making them happen

you’ll love this role if you...

• are passionate about supporting your team and helping others be the best they can be and maintaining high standards
• are ready to manage the line, planning shifts to make sure we have the right cover, and love working with the team and coaching on the go
• understand your kitchen’s food, health and safety standards, with comprehension of the financial performance of a kitchen including gross profit, stock control and labour cost
• love to celebrate success with your team, recognising what drives individuals and their needs

what you’ll get

• a culture that backs your growth, wellbeing and individuality
• biweekly pay and a share of tips
• 50% off for friends and family
• free meals on shift
• early access to earned pay with wagestream
• 26 weeks full pay and 13 weeks half pay for new parents
• 30% off at other TRG brands (brunning & price pubs, barburrito + more)

in addition to this, we offer the usual benefits such as pension scheme, holiday, training, cycle to work scheme, retail and leisure discounts, discounted gym memberships and long service awards

we’re proud to be a disability confident employer. no matter where you’re from or who you are, you’ve got a seat at our bench