Pastry Chef de Partie

KOKO; Hampstead; On-site; GBP 26,000 - 34,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health & Wellbeing platform

Birthday off

Staff meals on shift

Pension scheme

Staff discounts

Ticket access

Brand perks

Refer a Friend bonus

Job summary

The House of KOKO is seeking a Pastry Chef de Partie to lead a pastry section, crafting high-quality desserts and pastries for our restaurant, events and guests. You’ll work closely with senior chefs to maintain standards, accuracy and presentation across our live hospitality operation.

You’ll need strong pastry techniques, a passion for detail and the ability to work under pressure while developing new ideas and mentoring junior team members.

Qualifications

• Experience in pastry chef roles at high-volume operations.
• Ability to manage a pastry section and deliver desserts to spec.
• Strong organisation, cleanliness and food safety practices.

Responsibilities

• Own your pastry section and plan preparation for service.
• Create and finish desserts and pastries to required recipes.
• Apply precision with ingredients, measurements and temps.
• Maintain dessert quality across service and events.
• Support menu development with seasonal ideas.
• Manage mise en place and prep to ensure smooth service.
• Follow safety, allergen handling and stock rotation.
• Communicate with the brigade and assist juniors.
• Stay calm and deliver desserts on time during busy services.

Skills

Pastry techniques

Attention to detail

Creativity

Time management

Team collaboration

Job description

About The House of KOKO

The House of KOKO is a private members' club in the heart of Camden, bringing together food, drink, music and culture under one roof.

At the heart of the club is a diverse hospitality offering, encompassing three restaurants and eight bars, each contributing to the experience we create for our members and their guests. Our culinary operation is an integral part of The House of KOKO, from restaurant dining to exciting events and bespoke hospitality experiences.

We're looking for a talented and passionate Pastry Chef de Partie to join our growing kitchen brigade. This is an opportunity for a chef who takes pride in their craft, has a keen eye for detail and is passionate about creating exceptional desserts and pastry that complement our wider food offering.

Working alongside our Head and Sous Chefs, you'll play an important role in delivering consistently high standards across our operation, bringing technical skill, creativity and care to every stage of pastry preparation and presentation.

You'll be joining a collaborative kitchen team where quality, consistency and attention to detail matter, with opportunities to develop your skills and contribute to the continued success of The House of KOKO.

Why Join The House of KOKO?

We believe your work should inspire you and reward you, too. Alongside the opportunity to develop your career within a unique hospitality environment, you'll enjoy a range of benefits, including:

• Health & Wellbeing: Wellbeing platform, cash plans, Employee Assistance Programme and virtual GP service.
• Work & Lifestyle: Your birthday off, staff meals on shift and contributions towards late-night taxi fares.
• Pay & Progression: Internal development opportunities, tailored training, fortnightly pay with tronc and a pension scheme.
• Culture & Perks: Staff discounts, ticket access, brand perks, local partnerships and our Refer a Friend bonus scheme.

We offer full-time and part-time contracts, with flexibility where operationally possible. As our kitchens operate around live hospitality services, availability for evening shifts, late finishes and weekends is essential.

The Role

As a Pastry Chef de Partie, you'll take responsibility for your section, helping to deliver high-quality desserts, pastries and other sweet creations across our hospitality offering. You'll combine technical ability with creativity and precision, ensuring every product meets our standards for flavour, texture, consistency and presentation.

Working closely with the wider kitchen brigade, you'll help ensure the pastry operation runs smoothly, from preparation and production through to service, while maintaining excellent standards of organisation, hygiene and food safety.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Own your section: Organise your workstation, plan preparation and manage your workload to ensure the pastry section is ready for service.
• Create exceptional pastry: Prepare, bake and finish desserts, pastries and other sweet items to the required recipes, specifications and presentation standards.
• Bring precision to your craft: Apply strong technical skills, accuracy and attention to detail when working with ingredients, measurements, temperatures, timings and finishing techniques.
• Maintain consistency: Ensure every dessert and pastry meets our expectations for quality, flavour, texture and presentation, across both restaurant service and events.
• Support menu development: Work with senior chefs on new ideas, seasonal ingredients and menu changes, contributing creativity and knowledge where appropriate.
• Manage preparation and production: Plan ahead, prioritise tasks and ensure sufficient mise en place is available to support smooth and efficient service.
• Maintain exceptional standards: Follow food safety, hygiene and health and safety procedures, including correct storage, labelling, allergen management and stock rotation.
• Control stock and minimise waste: Monitor ingredient usage, maintain appropriate stock levels, follow portioning standards and handle ingredients responsibly.
• Work as one brigade: Communicate effectively with colleagues, coordinate with other kitchen sections and contribute to a positive, collaborative working environment.
• Support and develop others: Share knowledge, assist junior team members and contribute to maintaining high standards across the pastry section.
• Thrive during service: Stay organised, focused and calm under pressure, ensuring desserts are delivered on time and to specification during busy services.

About You

We're looking for a pastry chef who combines technical skill with creativity, organisation and a genuine passion for their craft. You'll take pride in the details, understand the importance of consistency and be motivated to deliver excellent results as part of a professional kitchen team.

You'll ideally have:

• Previous experience in a Pastry Chef de Partie role, or equivalent professional pastry experience demonstrating the ability to manage a section.
• A strong foundation in pastry techniques, including the preparation, baking and finishing of desserts and sweet products.
• A genuine passion for pastry, an interest in developing new ideas and a desire to continue refining your technical skills.
• Excellent organisation, preparation and time-management skills, with the ability to plan production around service requirements.
• A keen eye for detail and a commitment to consistent quality, flavour, texture and presentation.
• A good understanding of food safety, hygiene, allergen management and kitchen best practice.
• The ability to work independently while communicating effectively and collaborating with the wider brigade.
• The confidence to maintain standards and composure in a fast-paced kitchen environment.
• A willingness to learn, share knowledge and contribute to the wider success of the kitchen.

Above all, we're looking for someone who cares about their craft, takes pride in every detail and understands that exceptional pastry requires a balance of creativity, precision and consistency.

As a Pastry Chef de Partie at The House of KOKO, you'll have the opportunity to contribute to a distinctive hospitality experience, develop your skills and play an important role in delivering memorable food for our members and their guests.

As part of a live hospitality operation, evening services and weekend working are an essential part of the role. Flexibility is available where operationally possible, but candidates should be comfortable working in line with our service and trading hours.

Please note that we can only consider applicants with the right to work in the UK.