Pastry Sous Chef

HiStory Hospitality; Reading; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 54,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Staff accommodation

Dining and wellness experiences

Career progression opportunities

Job summary

HiStory Hospitality is opening a boutique 5-star country house hotel and seeks a Pastry Sous Chef to shape the pastry offering from day one. You will help deliver desserts, breads and pastries of the highest standard, working with an exceptional leadership team.

Based in a countryside setting, you will lead menu development, supervise the pastry brigade, and ensure quality, cost control and food safety across all pastry production for restaurant, afternoon tea and events.

Qualifications

• Proven experience as Pastry Sous Chef or Senior Pastry Chef de Partie in luxury hotels or high-end restaurants

Responsibilities

• Support Head Pastry Chef in day-to-day pastry kitchen operations
• Develop seasonal desserts, breads, pastries and afternoon tea offerings
• Recruit, train and develop pastry brigade
• Maintain quality, consistency and presentation across pastry production
• Assist with stock control, ordering and food cost management
• Ensure pastry kitchen operates efficiently with excellent organisation
• Collaborate with wider kitchen team to deliver guest experience
• Maintain highest standards of food safety and hygiene

Skills

Pastry leadership

Michelin experience

Team training

High-pressure environment

Job description

We're looking for a talented and ambitious Pastry Sous Chef to join the opening team of a new boutique 5-star country house hotel. This is a rare chance to help shape the pastry offering of a luxury destination from the very beginning, working alongside an exceptional leadership team to create desserts, breads and pastries of the highest standard.

Set within beautiful countryside surroundings, the property will combine refined hospitality with a relaxed sense of luxury, placing food and guest experience at the heart of the operation. The Pastry Sous Chef will play a key role in establishing the pastry kitchen, supporting menu development and delivering exceptional standards across the restaurant, afternoon tea, private dining and events.

What the Role Involves

• Supporting the Head Pastry Chef in the day-to-day running of the pastry kitchen
• Assisting with the development of seasonal desserts, breads, pastries and afternoon tea offerings
• Helping recruit, train and develop a talented pastry brigade
• Maintaining exceptional quality, consistency and presentation across all pastry production
• Supporting stock control, ordering and food cost management
• Ensuring the pastry kitchen operates efficiently with excellent organisation and preparation
• Working closely with the wider kitchen team to deliver a seamless guest experience
• Maintaining the highest standards of food safety, hygiene and kitchen organisation

What is Required

• Proven experience as a Pastry Sous Chef or Senior Pastry Chef de Partie within a luxury hotel or high-end restaurant environment - Michelin experience is essential
• Strong classical pastry skills with experience across plated desserts, viennoiserie, breads and afternoon tea
• A genuine passion for seasonal ingredients and refined pastry
• Excellent organisational skills with the ability to thrive in a high-pressure environment
• Experience training and developing junior pastry chefs
• A collaborative, hands-on approach with exceptional attention to detail
• Pre-opening experience would be advantageous

What is on Offer

• The opportunity to be part of an exciting luxury hotel opening
• Creative input within a premium, food-led environment
• Competitive salary and performance-related incentives
• Potential staff accommodation
• Excellent long-term career progression opportunities
• Staff benefits including dining and wellness experiences

Why Apply?

This is a unique opportunity to be part of a landmark opening, helping to establish a pastry programme that will become a destination in its own right. Ideal for an ambitious pastry chef looking to take the next significant step in their career within one of the UK's most exciting luxury hospitality projects.

Interested in joining the opening team?