Sous Chef

Houston & Hawkes; City of Westminster; On-site; GBP 34,000 - 46,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Birthday off

Enhanced leave

Free meals on duty

Pension scheme

Life assurance

Employee assistance program

Masterclasses with Sally Abé

Career progression

Job summary

Houston & Hawkes is seeking a talented Sous Chef to join a new Central London opening within a premium workplace. You will work with the Head Chef to deliver a fresh, modern food offer, focusing on quality ingredients, seasonality and creativity.

You will lead across workplace dining and high-end hospitality, preparing seasonal dishes and elegant canapés, while maintaining food safety and high standards. This role offers exciting development and a chance to shape an exceptional new opening.

Qualifications

• Experience as Sous Chef or competent Junior Sous Chef ready for next step.
• Experience in premium contract catering or high-quality fresh-food environment.
• Experience across workplace dining and high-end hospitality.
• Excellent cooking skills and passion for fresh, seasonal food.
• Confidence delivering fine dining, events and canapé service.
• Creativity and strong eye for modern food presentation.
• Excellent organisation and calm, positive leadership style.
• Good commercial awareness with understanding of food cost, stock and wastage.
• Desire to develop and inspire other chefs.
• Exceptional attention to detail and consistently high standards.

Responsibilities

• Support Head Chef in delivering an exceptional culinary offer from day one.
• Help lead the kitchen across workplace dining and high-end hospitality.
• Prepare and deliver fresh, seasonal food with outstanding flavour and presentation.
• Support fine dining, events, working lunches and canapé service.
• Contribute ideas to seasonal menus, specials and new concepts.
• Take responsibility for kitchen standards in Head Chef's absence.
• Lead, support and develop junior chefs.
• Maintain consistency and attention to detail across every service.
• Manage preparation, stock, ordering, portion control and wastage.
• Work with hospitality team to deliver events and client requirements.
• Maintain excellent food safety, allergen, hygiene and compliance standards.

Job description

SOUS CHEF

Great food, beautiful presentation and the opportunity to help create something genuinely special from the very beginning.

Houston & Hawkes is looking for a talented Sous Chef to join an exciting new Central London opening within an exceptional luxury workplace. Working closely with the Head Chef, you will help deliver a fresh, modern food offer where quality ingredients, seasonality and creativity are at the heart of every service.

From vibrant everyday dishes to elegant fine dining, beautifully executed canapés and high-end events, you will bring skill, consistency and real pride in food to everything you produce.

THE ROLE

• Support the Head Chef in delivering an exceptional culinary offer from day one
• Help lead the kitchen across workplace dining and high-end hospitality
• Prepare and deliver fresh, seasonal food with outstanding flavour and presentation
• Support fine dining, events, working lunches and canapé service
• Contribute ideas to seasonal menus, specials and new food concepts
• Take responsibility for kitchen standards and service in the Head Chef’s absence
• Lead, support and develop junior chefs
• Maintain exceptional consistency and attention to detail across every service
• Manage preparation, stock, ordering, portion control and wastage effectively
• Work closely with the hospitality team to ensure events and client requirements are delivered seamlessly
• Maintain excellent food safety, allergen, hygiene and compliance standards

WHAT YOU’LL BRING

• Strong experience as a Sous Chef or an exceptional Junior Sous Chef ready for the next step
• Experience within premium contract catering or another high-quality fresh-food environment
• Strong experience across workplace dining and high-end hospitality
• Excellent cooking skills and a genuine passion for fresh, seasonal food
• Confidence delivering fine dining, events and canapé service
• Creativity and a strong eye for modern food presentation
• Excellent organisation and a calm, positive leadership style
• Good commercial awareness with an understanding of food cost, stock and wastage
• A genuine desire to develop and inspire other chefs
• Exceptional attention to detail and consistently high standards

WHY JOIN HOUSTON & HAWKES?

• £40,000 per annum
• 40 hours per week
• Monday to Friday
• The opportunity to help shape an exceptional new opening
• Birthday off every year
• Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption leave
• Free meals on duty
• Contributory pension scheme
• Life assurance
• Employee Assistance Programme
• CODE Hospitality membership
• Exclusive masterclasses with award-winning chef Sally Abé
• Foodie Socials bringing our chefs together to explore new flavours, techniques and ideas
• Ongoing learning, development and genuine career progression
• Summer Awards Party celebrating our people and achievements
• An unforgettable Christmas Party at one of London’s outstanding venues

ABOUT HOUSTON & HAWKES

Houston & Hawkes is an award‑winning independent caterer creating vibrant, creative and exceptional food and hospitality experiences across some of the UK’s most prestigious workplaces.

We’re a Certified B Corp, recipient of the King’s Award for Enterprise in Sustainable Development 2026 and proud to be ranked No. 14 in The Caterer’s Best Places to Work in Hospitality.

If you are a Sous Chef who loves great food, takes pride in every plate and wants to help create an outstanding food offer within a very special new opening.