Sous Chef

Recruit Genie; Birmingham; Hybrid; GBP 26,000 - 32,000; Full time

Job summary

The Hotel in Birmingham is seeking an experienced Sous Chef to oversee the preparation, quality and presentation of all dishes across breakfast, restaurant, and banqueting services. You will lead the kitchen team and support the Head Chef in delivering a world‑class culinary experience.

You will manage menus, stock and cost control, develop staff, and ensure strict adherence to food safety standards while maintaining exceptional guest service at all times.

Qualifications

• Proven experience as Sous Chef in a hotel or banqueting environment.
• Strong leadership with ability to coach kitchen staff at all levels.
• Solid knowledge of food safety regulations and cost control.

Responsibilities

• Prepare and cook dishes to high standards across all menus.
• Supervise and motivate kitchen team, ensuring consistency and presentation.
• Support Head Chef in menu development and seasonal innovations.
• Oversee stock, costing, waste reduction and budget adherence.
• Ensure compliance with health and safety regulations and hotel policies.
• Participate in recruitment and development of kitchen staff.

Skills

Leadership

Team management

Food safety

Menu development

Cost control

Job description

We’re proud to be a certifiedB Corp– one of only seven hotels/hotel groups in the UK to earn this prestigious accreditation. This means we’re part of a global community of businesses committed to using profits and purpose to make a positive impact on people and the planet. If you want to be part of a team that values sustainability, inclusivity and meaningful work, we’d love to hear from you.

We are seeking an experienced and motivated Sous Chef to oversee the organisation, quality and presentation of all dishes served across the Hotel, from breakfast to a la carte and banqueting.

You will be joining us at an exciting stage in our development as we continue to refine and enhance our menus and kitchen offerings, striving to deliver a world‑class culinary experience for our guests.

What you’ll be doing

• Prepare and cook all dishes to the highest standards, ensuring consistent quality and presentation.
• Supervise, motivate, and engage the Kitchen team, encouraging excellence in both food production and service.
• Support the Deputy Head Chef and Head Chef in all culinary aspects, taking charge of the kitchen in their absence to ensure smooth and efficient operations.
• Demonstrate exceptional customer care, ensuring the culinary service meets the expectations of our guests at all times.
• Assist in the creation, development, and implementation of all menus, staying aware of food trends and innovation.
• Oversee food stocktakes and manage ordering to maintain cost efficiency, minimise waste and maximise profitability.
• Support the Head Chef in preparing departmental budgets in line with the Hotel’s overall financial objectives.
• Participate in the recruitment, training, coaching and development of all kitchen staff to build a motivated, skilled, and efficient team.
• Ensure full compliance with food safety regulations, statutory training requirements and all Hotel policies.

About You

You will bring previous experience in a similar Sous Chef role, ideally within a hotel or conference and banqueting environment. You will have a proven ability to lead, engage, develop and coach kitchen teams at all levels, ensuring high standards of food quality and service are consistently delivered.

You will also demonstrate:

• Strong leadership and team management skills
• Excellent organisational and communication abilities
• A passion for producing high-quality, creative dishes
• Knowledge of food safety legislation, cost control and stock management

Above all, you will be committed to delivering exceptional cuisine and an outstanding guest experience, while fostering a positive, professional, and collaborative kitchen environment.

The Hotel reserves the right to close the vacancy early, should suitable applicants be found.