Junior Sous Chef - Epping

Lounge Underwear Ltd.; Epping Forest; On-site; GBP 15,000 - 22,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Up to £13.30/hr + tips

Paid breaks

Staff food every shift

50% off food & drinks from day one

Free meal on every shift

Evening and weekend work

Career development

Job summary

Carpino Lounge is hiring a Junior Sous Chef to join the kitchen team, supporting the Head Chef and Sous Chef. You will help deliver great shifts, manage prep, and ensure every dish leaves the pass up to standard.

You are an experienced line chef or Chef de Partie looking to step up, with a passion for high-quality dishes, strong allergen practices, and teamwork. This role offers flexible hours and opportunities for growth.

Qualifications

• Previous experience as Junior Sous Chef or Chef de Partie.
• Ability to work with fresh ingredients and maintain high hygiene.
• Strong knowledge of allergens and food safety.
• Reliable team player who leads from the front and works at pace.

Responsibilities

• Support Head Chef and Sous Chef to deliver great shifts, ensuring prep is done for each day and every dish goes out to spec.
• Help maintain a clean, well-organised kitchen and uphold high food standards every shift.
• Take ownership of your section, keeping on top of prep, par, cleanliness, hygiene and food safety at all times.
• Follow allergen processes at all times and ensure the kitchen is compliant and safe.
• Support and work alongside the wider kitchen team, helping newer chefs develop their skills and confidence.
• Know the dish specs inside out and ensure every plate that goes out is something to be proud of.

Skills

Knife skills

Food safety

Allergen knowledge

Team player

Self-motivated

Lead from front

Work at pace

Hygiene practices

Job description

As Junior Sous Chef you'll be a key part of the Carpino Lounge kitchen; supporting the Head Chef and Sous Chef, helping the team deliver great shifts every week, and making sure every dish that leaves the pass is something to be proud of. If you love real cooking, care about the people around you, and want to grow into a senior kitchen role, you'll fit right in.,

• Support the Head Chef and Sous Chef to deliver great shifts, ensuring the prep is done for each day and every dish goes out to spec
• Help maintain a clean, well-organised kitchen and uphold high food standards every single shift
• Take ownership of your section, keeping on top of prep & par, cleanliness, hygiene and food safety at all times
• Follow allergen processes at all times and ensure the kitchen is compliant and safe
• Support and work alongside the wider kitchen team, helping newer chefs develop their skills and confidence
• Know the dish specs inside out and make sure every plate that goes out is something to be proud of

  You are probably an existing Junior Sous Chef, or an experienced Chef de Partie or Senior Chef looking to take the next step in their career

• Someone the team can count on - you show up, you're on time, and you give it everything when you're there
• Experience working with fresh ingredients and able to demonstrate strong kitchen skills (food prep hot and cold, cleaning, knife skills, good hygiene practices)
• A natural team player who rolls their sleeves up, leads from the front, and genuinely cares about the food that goes out
• Self-motivated and able to work at pace with limited supervision
• Strong knowledge of best practice when it comes to allergens, kitchen essentials, and food safety

  We're a growing hospitality brand across England and Wales with over 300 sites and plenty of opportunity to grow with us.

  We're hiring a Junior Sous Chef to be part of the kitchen team at Carpino Lounge, a local caf bar. Part of Loungers, proudly named Casual Dining Group of the Year 2026. Offering up to 13.30/hr + tips, paid breaks, staff food every shift, and 50% off food & drinks from day one. This is a great next step for an experienced Chef de Partie, Senior Chef, or line chef ready to take on more responsibility., Hourly pay + tips. Tips are shared equally across the team, based on hours worked

• Hourly paid flexible contract. Ideal for part-time, full-time, or flexible work seekers. This role is likely to include evening and weekend work.
• Free meal on every shift no matter the length
• Christmas and Boxing Day off
• Genuine career development with our career pathways and bitesize training courses
• 50% discount on food and drinks from day one. Including alcohol across all our brands (Lounge, Cosy Club, & Brightside) from day one
• The most talked-about staff party in hospitality - Loungefest!
• Long service awards - Vouchers/Extra money
• Early access to your pay with Stream
• Emotional and practical support via the Licensed Trade Charity