Senior Sous Chef

The Leicester Arms Country Inn; Penshurst; On-site; GBP 38,000 - 46,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Tronc / tips

Career progression

Job summary

Little & Large Pub Company is seeking an ambitious Senior Sous Chef to join the Leicester Arms Team and help shape a high-performing kitchen. You will work closely with the Head Chef and Executive Head Chef, stepping in during their absence and leading day-to-day operations with passion for quality pub cooking.

This role offers progression towards Head Chef, involvement in menu development, and the chance to recruit and build a kitchen brigade within a growing independent pub company.

Qualifications

• Experience in a quality pub, restaurant or gastropub kitchen.
• Able to lead busy services and maintain high standards.
• Strong classical cooking skills and passion for seasonal ingredients.
• Understand GP, stock control and kitchen organisation.
• Good food safety and allergen knowledge.
• Calm, organised and reliable under pressure.
• Enjoy training and developing younger chefs.
• Willing to take responsibility when the Head Chef is away.
• Ambition to progress into a Head Chef role.

Responsibilities

• Support the Head Chef with day-to-day kitchen operations
• Lead services and maintain consistently high standards
• Develop and implement menus, including seasonal changes
• Train and develop junior chefs
• Oversee ordering, stock control and waste management
• Maintain food GP and portion control
• Support rotas and labour management
• Ensure food safety, allergens and kitchen compliance
• Maintain cleanliness and organisation in the kitchen
• Collaborate closely with front-of-house team
• Foster a positive, professional kitchen culture

Skills

Leadership

Pub kitchen experience

Busy service leadership

Classical cooking

Seasonal ingredients

GP knowledge

Food safety

Allergens

Training junior chefs

Head Chef cover

Job description

Little & Large Pub Company is looking for an ambitious Senior Sous Chef to join the Leicester Arms Team.

This is a fantastic opportunity for a strong chef who wants to be part of something and play a key role in shaping a kitchen, team and food offering.

We are an independent pub company passionate about brilliant pubs, great food and proper hospitality. Our approach is simple: quality ingredients, confident cooking, generous plates and consistently high standards.

Our motto says it best: it's the little things that make the large difference.

The role

As Senior Sous Chef, you will work closely with the Head Chef and Executive Head Chef to help build and run a high-performing kitchen.

You will act as a key leader within the brigade and be capable of running the kitchen confidently in the Head Chef's absence.

You will be involved in:

• Supporting the Head Chef with day-to-day kitchen operations

• Leading services and maintaining consistently high standards

• Menu development and seasonal menu changes

• Training and developing junior chefs

• Ordering, stock control and waste management

• Maintaining food GP and portion control

• Supporting kitchen rotas and labour management

• Food safety, allergens and kitchen compliance

• Maintaining excellent cleanliness and organisation

• Ensuring consistency in preparation, cooking and presentation

• Working closely with the front-of-house team

• Helping create a positive, professional kitchen culture

The food

We want to serve the kind of food you genuinely want to eat in a great British pub.

Seasonal, produce-led cooking built around excellent ingredients, strong pub classics and dishes with personality.

Think fantastic Sunday roasts, properly cooked meat and fish, seasonal vegetables, great sauces, brilliant bar snacks and food that feels generous and familiar while still allowing the kitchen to be creative.

We are not interested in unnecessary gimmicks.

We want proper cooking, great ingredients and consistently delicious plates.

About you

You may already be an experienced Senior Sous Chef or an ambitious Sous Chef ready to take the next step.

You will ideally:

• Have experience in a quality pub, restaurant or gastropub kitchen

• Be confident leading busy services

• Have strong classical cooking skills

• Be passionate about seasonal, ingredient-led food

• Understand GP, stock control and kitchen organisation

• Have strong food safety and allergen knowledge

• Be calm, organised and reliable under pressure

• Enjoy training and developing younger chefs

• Be comfortable taking responsibility when the Head Chef is away

• Have genuine ambition to progress into a Head Chef role

Why join Little & Large?

We are a growing independent pub company, and we want to develop our chefs as the business grows.

This role would suit someone who wants more responsibility, more involvement and a genuine pathway towards running their own kitchen.

You'll work closely with our Head Chef, Executive Head Chef and senior operations team and have the opportunity to contribute ideas rather than simply follow instructions.

What we offer

• Competitive Senior Sous Chef salary

• Tronc / tips

• Genuine involvement in a brand-new opening

• Input into menu development

• Support and development from our Executive Head Chef

• Clear progression towards Head Chef

• Opportunity to help recruit and build the kitchen brigade

• Supplier and menu development involvement

• Staff food and company benefits

• Career progression within a growing independent pub company

If you're an ambitious chef looking for the next step and want to help build a kitchen from the ground up, we'd love to hear from you.