Sous Chef

Cherry Tree; Bolton; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 42,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Team meals

30% off food & drink

CPD-accredited training

Career development opportunities

Company pension

Free on-site parking

Job summary

The Cherry Tree in Blackrod is seeking a skilled Sous Chef to lead from the front in a busy kitchen. You’ll work with the Kitchen Manager to keep service organized, deliver dishes to a high standard and mentor the team as the restaurant grows.

With fresh Lancashire produce at the heart of our modern British menu, you’ll contribute to seasonal specials, manage ordering and costs, and help shape the next chapter for this award-winning independent restaurant.

Qualifications

• Experience cooking with fresh ingredients.
• Confidence in a busy kitchen.
• Ability to get the best from your team.

Responsibilities

• Lead during service, keeping the team focused, ticket times moving and food consistently up to standard.
• Cook and present fresh, seasonal dishes with care and attention to detail.
• Support and develop the kitchen team, sharing your knowledge and setting the example.
• Contribute ideas for seasonal specials, new dishes and menu development.
• Help manage ordering, stock rotation, food costs and waste.
• Support rota planning and organise the team effectively for service.
• Maintain high standards of food safety, hygiene and allergen management.
• Take charge of the kitchen when the Kitchen Manager is away.

Skills

Team leadership

Fresh ingredients

Busy kitchen experience

Job description

£35-£42,000 + inc tips & benefits | 48 hours per week | Full-time, permanent

Fresh Lancashire produce. A kitchen you can influence. A restaurant with ambition.

You know the satisfaction of a busy service done properly: food leaving the pass looking sharp, a team working together and standards holding strong from the first ticket to the last.

At The Cherry Tree in Blackrod, we're looking for a Sous Chef who takes pride in exactly that.

We're an award-winning, independently owned restaurant and bar, serving modern British food with contemporary European influences. Fresh, seasonal Lancashire produce sits at the heart of our menus, bringing together well-loved classics, creative flavours and modern presentation.

Join us and you'll have the opportunity to lead from the front, develop the people around you and put your ideas on the menu.

Your role in the kitchen

Working alongside our Kitchen Manager, you'll help run the kitchen day to day, keeping service organised and delivering dishes you're proud to send.

• Lead during service, keeping the team focused, ticket times moving and food consistently up to standard.
• Cook and present fresh, seasonal dishes with care and attention to detail.
• Support and develop the kitchen team, sharing your knowledge and setting the example.
• Contribute ideas for seasonal specials, new dishes and menu development.
• Help manage ordering, stock rotation, food costs and waste.
• Support rota planning and organise the team effectively for service.
• Maintain high standards of food safety, hygiene and allergen management.
• Take charge of the kitchen when the Kitchen Manager is away.

Ready for your next step?

You could be an experienced Sous Chef looking for somewhere to make your mark, or a capable Junior Sous Chef ready for more responsibility.

You'll need experience cooking with fresh ingredients, confidence in a busy kitchen and the ability to get the best from your team. You'll understand that a successful service depends on preparation, communication and consistency.

Above all, you'll care about the food, take ownership of your work and be someone the team can rely on.

What's on offer?

• £35-£42,000 basic salary, inc tips.
• 48-hour working week.
• Team meals while on shift.
• 30% off food and drink when dining with friends and family.
• Practical training and CPD-accredited courses and certificates.
• Career development opportunities.
• Company pension.
• Free on-site parking.
• The opportunity to contribute to menus and see your ideas reach the table.

Help shape what comes next

We have ambitious plans for 2027, exploring opportunities in weddings, corporate banqueting, private dining and larger celebrations.

As those plans develop, there could be opportunities to help create bespoke menus, develop new dishes and bring your skills to a wider range of events.

It's an exciting time to join an established restaurant and play a part in its next chapter.

Bring your experience, your ideas and your pride in good food.