Sous Chef

SmartRecruiters, Inc.; Dadford; On-site; GBP 36,000 - 44,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

28 days holiday

Volunteer days

Grandparent leave

Enhanced maternity leave

Training & development

Pension & life insurance

Perkbox discounts

Wellbeing & EAP

Free meals

Apprenticeships

Job summary

Holroyd Howe, a leading contract caterer in the UK, is seeking a committed Sous Chef to join the kitchen team at Stowe School. You will support food preparation, maintain high standards, and help deliver daily meals and special events.

The ideal candidate will have contract catering experience, a passion for fresh seasonal food, strong food safety practices, and excellent teamwork and communication skills. Right to work in the UK required.

Qualifications

• Experience as a Sous Chef in contract catering, ideally in independent education or similar environment.
• Passion for fresh, seasonal food and creative presentation.
• Strong attention to detail and high food safety standards.
• Excellent teamwork and communication skills.
• Flexible and proactive approach to work.

Responsibilities

• Support Head Chef in daily kitchen operations.
• Motivate the team to deliver high standards of food and service.
• Ensure food safety and allergen controls are met.
• Contribute to menu planning.
• Manage mise en place and timing for service.
• Support events alongside school activities.

Skills

Sous Chef experience

Contract catering

Food safety

Teamwork

Communication

Flexible

Job description

Job Title: Sous Chef
Location: Stowe, Buckingham MK18 5EH
Contract Type: Full Time
Salary: £40,000 per annum

Why Join us?

• 28 days holiday (including bank holidays)
• 3 volunteering days to give back to causes you care about
• 3 days grandparent leave for those special family moments
• 24 weeks enhanced maternity leave
• Bespoke training & development opportunities
• Pension & life insurance
• Discounts on high street brands, cinema & holidays via the Perkbox App
• Wellbeing hub & access to employee assistance programme
• Free meals while at work
• Career development through apprenticeships for all experience levels.

About the role:

We are looking for a committed and enthusiastic Sous Chef to join the kitchen team at Stowe School You’ll support food preparation, help maintain high standards, and play a vital role in the delivery of daily meals and special events.

You will be joining Holroyd Howe, one of the UK’s leading contract caterers, providing fresh innovative food services solely to independent schools and colleges. We are a team of experienced professionals who tailor our catering service provision specifically to suit children of all ages in order to meet the bespoke requirements of each school.

Our mission is simple: To provide our teams with the right skills to succeed in their jobs, we invest in their training and development. Our exceptional teams of seasoned specialists customise our catering services to fit children of all ages and satisfy the unique needs of our clients.

Job Description

Key Responsibilities:

• Support the Head Chef in daily kitchen operations
• Motivate the team to deliver high standards of food and service
• Ensure food safety and allergen controls are consistently met
• Contribute to innovative menu planning
• Manage mise en place and ensure smooth, timely service
• Support events and functions alongside school life

  Qualifications

  Candidate Profile:

  • Ideally, you will have experience as an Sous Chef, Sous Chef within a contract catering environment, preferably in independent education, or a high-profile business and industry setting.
  • Passionate about fresh, seasonal food and creative presentation
  • Strong attention to detail and high food safety standards
  • Excellent teamwork and communication skills
  • A flexible and proactive approach to work

  Additional Information

  We pride ourselves on:

  People first
  We’re a company of individuals, united in doing our best for our clients.

  Great food, always
  Using only the best ingredients, our food is fresh, authentic and tailored to each school, age group, and specific needs and preferences.

  Food education
  We educate pupils through food, encouraging them to understand and develop their own personal tastes and make informed food choices.

  Respect in everything we do
  Our respectful codes of conduct inform how we behave towards our clients and customers, suppliers and business partners, and each other.

  Fresh thinking
  New ideas for food, service and ways of working help us maintain our position as creative leaders in school catering.

  In order to be considered for this role you must be able to demonstrate that you have the Right to Work in the UK.

  Holroyd Howe is an equal opportunities employer. We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expect all employees to share this commitment. All roles within Holroyd Howe involve regulated activity. It is a criminal offence for individuals barred from working with children to apply for such roles. An Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, including a Barred List check will be required for all successful applicants. Shortlisted applicants will be asked to provide information about relevant criminal offences and will be subject to an online search of publicly available information. This search helps identify any issues that may affect suitability to work with children.

  This appointment is offered on the return of satisfactory professional references.