School Junior Sous Chef

Compass Group UK; City Of London; On-site; GBP 21,000 - 30,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Term Time Only

Free meals

Contributory pension scheme

Career Pathways & MyLearning

Digital GP & wider healthcare benefits

Discounts on travel and shopping

Job summary

Wimbledon High School is seeking a passionate Junior Sous Chef to lead daily catering and hospitality. The role is term‑time only with a 07:00–15:30 schedule, supporting fresh, high‑quality meals for pupils and staff.

You will manage food production, ensure safety standards, and contribute to a varied hospitality programme including events and buffets. Competitive salary and development opportunities are on offer within Compass Group UK&I.

Qualifications

• Strong culinary and food presentation skills.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal abilities.
• Experience leading a team in a busy kitchen.
• Understanding of food costing, budgeting and margins.
• Ability to manage staff calmly and inspire excellence.

Responsibilities

• Lead daily food production with a hands‑on approach.
• Ensure high standards of food safety and COSHH compliance.
• Oversee purchasing, costing and budget adherence.
• Provide leadership and develop junior kitchen colleagues.

Skills

Culinary excellence

Presentation skills

Communication & interpersonal skills

Staff management (inspiring leadership

Wastage prevention

Passion for food

Team player

Organisation

Numeracy & financial awareness

Tools

Computer literacy

Job description

Tired of late nights, split shifts and working every weekend?

Wimbledon High School is a prestigious independent school with an excellent reputation. Our catering team prepares fresh, nutritious meals from scratch, serving 1000pupils and staff each day. Alongside our breakfast and lunch service, we deliver a varied hospitality programme throughout the year, including canapé receptions, three-course fine dining events and buffets. We are looking for a Junior Sous Chef who is passionate about quality food and has the creativity and experience to lead both our daily catering and hospitality offering, on a term time only basis.

In return we offer support and development to grow within our business alongside a competitive salary.

More about the role:

• We are seeking an experienced and talented Junior sous Chef to joinour fantastic team who produce outstanding food using the finest and freshest ingredients.
• Taking responsibility for the food production with a hands-on approach
• Responsible for all aspects of food safety, HS and COSHH

Who you are:

• Excellent and Innovative culinary and presentation skills
• Excellent Communication and Interpersonal skills
• Energetic with a passion to do a great job
• Able to manage staff in a calm, inspirational manner
• A forward-thinker who can prevent wastage
• Demonstrates a passion for food
• Team Player
• Excellent organisation skills
• Numerate and computer literate with an understanding of financial drivers
• A clear understanding of profit margins, purchasing policy, budgeting and food costing

We ensure you're rewarded for all your hard work, which is why we offer a comprehensive benefits package which includes but is not limited to:

• Term Time Only
• Monday to Friday 07:00-15:30
• Free meals
• Contributory pension scheme
• Grow your career with our Career Pathways and MyLearning programmes
• Quick access for you and your immediate family to a Digital GP, and wider healthcare benefits
• Exclusive travel discounts with TUI, Expedia, Booking.com and many more
• Save money on your food shop with discounts on Tesco, Sainsbury's, Morrisons and many more
• Up to 44% off cinema tickets to enjoy your favourite blockbuster
• Receive cash rewards every time you spend and use them on a wide range of brands
• Un-wind with us with free wellness, mindfulness and exercise classes
• You can share all discounts and offers with your friends and families

As part of Compass you'll help to feed people, fuel progress and forge connections in around 6,000 venues. Join us to grow your career with the industry leader, and get competitive pay, great perks and unrivalled opportunities for learning and development, at one of the UK's biggest businesses.

Compass Group UK&I is committed to fostering an environment where every individual can truly be themselves at work and has equal opportunities to advance in their careers. We strive to build a culture that respects and celebrates the unique talents, beliefs, backgrounds, and abilities of all our team members. We want our colleagues to feel valued, empowered to reach their full potential, and to thrive - because diversity is our strength!