Junior Sous Chef (term-time only) – Brentwood, England

Holroyd Howe; Brentwood; On-site; GBP 22,000 - 26,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading catering service provider is seeking a Junior Sous Chef for a term-time only role at Brentwood School, England. The position involves assisting with meal preparation, ensuring high standards of food service, and providing excellent customer service. Ideal candidates will hold an NVQ qualification, possess a passion for food, and have relevant experience. This role offers competitive salary and benefits, including career development opportunities and a supportive work-life balance.

Benefits

Free meals while at work

Career development opportunities

Pension scheme

Qualifications

• Good craft skills background required.
• Ability to display a real passion for food and customer service.
• Ability to work on own initiative.

Responsibilities

• Ensure food production and menu planning are timely.
• Assist Head Chef with food orders and concepts.
• Ensure compliance with health and safety regulations.

Skills

Organizational skills

Customer service

Craft skills

Communication

Education

NVQ qualification or equivalent

Food Hygiene Certificate

Job description

Junior Sous Chef (term-time only) – Brentwood, England

Company Description

Title:Junior Sous Chef

Location: Brentwood School, Brentwood.

Salary:Up to £26,000 per annum (term-time only, 175 working days a year)

Brentwood School, a leading independent school in the UK, serves 1,700 pupils and 300 staff daily, providing exceptional facilities and a strong community atmosphere. We’re seeking an organized, experienced, and enthusiastic Junior Sous Chef to support our executive, head, and sous chefs in creating high-quality, innovative meals with attention to detail and creative flair. Partnered with Holroyd Howe—renowned caterers for independent schools—we’re dedicated to nourishing both minds and bodies with fresh, tailored cuisine. If you’re ready to grow with a team committed to your career development, apply now to join us!

At our school, we operate for just 40 weeks, or 175 days a year, following a structured Monday to Friday term-time schedule. This framework promotes a healthy work-life balance. Additionally, there are numerous opportunities for overtime during special events, enabling you to enhance your earnings. While you may be asked to work an occasional evening or weekend to meet business needs, this will typically be limited to just one or two instances per term, and we ensure that these shifts are distributed fairly across our large team.

Job Description

Key Responsibilities

• To ensure food production, standards, costs & menu planning are carried out in a timely fashion, as agreed with the Head Chef.
• To carry out the smooth and efficient running of the section as appropriate.
• To assist the Head Chef and sous chef with compiling food orders and developing new food concepts.
• To plan, prepare, cook and present food to the standards required by the company and the client.
• To ensure that the company’s reputation for excellent food and service is enhanced with the client and customers.

CLIENT SERVICE:

• To ensure that customers are given a prompt and efficient service and expectations are consistently exceeded.
• To be customer focused at all times; approachable and quick to exceed expectations in fulfilling customer needs.
• To ensure all food is cooked, presented and served in line with company standards, using innovation in the method and style of presentation and food service.

PEOPLE:

• To assess kitchen team performance and recognise training needs and potential as appropriate.

• To assist in the development of the kitchen team by empowering it, supporting it, encouraging it and maintaining an ‘open door’ policy.
• To motivate and lead by example, ensuring you and your team have fun at work and are proud of your efforts.
• To treat your team at location as you would expect to be treated.

FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT:

• To ensure all financial controls, costings, wastage and orders are met within the client budget.
• To ensure purchasing is made using nominated suppliers and a system for quality and credit controls is maintained.

HEALTH & SAFETY, FOOD SAFETY, THE ENVIRONMENT:

• To ensure that the kitchen meets statutory and company requirements of Health and Safety, Food Safety and environmental legislation and procedures.
• To ensure all equipment is well maintained and is in good working order.
• To ensure safe working practices are followed and equipment faults are reported to the Head Chef.
• To ensure that all company procedures and work instructions are fully understood and practised by all employees.
• To promote and encourage environmental improvement initiatives as appropriate within the business.

ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

• To ensure compliance with the company’s policy on safer recruitment and safeguarding children and young adults at all times whilst at work.
• To take responsibility for contributing towards your own development with the guidance of the Head Chef and attending training courses as identified.
• To show commitment to company values in all aspects of your role.
• To act as a positive ambassador for the business.
• To attend to any reasonable request made by the client or Holroyd Howe Management.
• To assist / deputise for the Head Chef.

Qualifications

• NVQ qualification or equivalent

• Good craft skills background

• Successful progressive background in catering

• Food Hygiene Certificate

• Ability to display a real passion for food and customer service

• Successful progressive background in education catering

• Good organisational skills

• Ability to plan ahead

• Ability to work on own initiative

• Good communicator at all levels

Additional Information

There are many advantages to working for us and we provide our employees with bespoke benefits which include:

• Free meals whilst at work
• Career development opportunities
• HIT Apprenticeships for all experience levels
• Reward & recognition schemes
• People awards to celebrate our employees
• Work/life balance
• Employee Benefits Platform
• Employee Assistance Program
• Recommend a friend scheme
• Company sick pay scheme
• Prestigious working environments
• Team events scheduled throughout the year
• Pension scheme
• We invest in the training and development of our teams to give them the appropriate skills necessary to thrive in their job roles. We have outstanding teams of experienced professionals who tailor our catering service provision specifically to suit children, of all ages, meeting the bespoke requirements of our clients.

“Holroyd Howe is an equal opportunities employer. We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expect all employees to share this commitment. All roles within Holroyd Howe are regarded as regulated activity and therefore we require an Enhanced DBS which includes a Barred List Check for all successful applicants. We will also require shortlisted applicants to provide appropriate information regarding their criminal offences.”

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