Sous Chef

NHS; Elstree; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 35,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent elderly care provider in the UK is seeking a dedicated Sous Chef to support the Head Chef in leading a culinary team and ensuring high-quality meal preparation. Candidates must hold a relevant catering qualification and have at least one year of catering experience. This role involves supervising staff, ensuring food safety, and preparing appealing modified diets for residents. If you are compassionate and flexible, join the award-winning culinary team to make a difference.

Qualifications

• Minimum of one year of catering experience required.
• Demonstrate compassion and commitment to high-quality culinary services.
• Ability to cover a range of responsibilities at short notice.

Responsibilities

• Support the Head Chef in supervising the culinary team.
• Prepare modified diets in accordance with IDDSI guidance.
• Ensure food preparation meets hygiene standards.

Skills

Food safety management

Catering experience

Supervisory skills

Flexibility

Compassion

Education

Relevant catering qualification (City & Guilds 706/1 and 706/2 or NVQ)

Job description

Avery Healthcare is one of the UK's largest providers of luxury elderly care homes, offering exceptional care across their growing network of over 100 homes. They are passionate about creating meaningful experiences for their residents and team members, and are looking for a warm, enthusiastic, and dedicated Sous Chef to join their award‑winning culinary team.

Main duties of the job

As a Sous Chef at Avery Healthcare, your focus will be to support the Head Chef in leading a culinary team that provides a nutritionally balanced, comprehensive, and high‑quality culinary service, which contributes to the overall well‑being of the residents and is achieved within budget. Your responsibilities will include preparing modified diets that look appealing and are well‑balanced, supervising and directing the work of culinary staff, understanding the principles of safe food handling, and supporting the culinary team in fully understanding the Avery Food safety management system.

About us

Avery Healthcare is a leading provider of luxury elderly care homes in the UK, with a vision of "creating meaningful lives together". They are committed to offering exceptional care and creating a supportive and inspiring environment where employees feel valued and empowered every day.

Job responsibilities

Package Description:

• Preparing modified diets that look appealing and are well‑balanced and in accordance with IDDSI guidance.
• Supervising and directing the work of culinary staff, as directed by the Head Chef, providing instruction and demonstration to unqualified staff on simple food preparation activities.
• Understanding the principles of safe food handling to ensure that all food preparation undertaken in the kitchen meets the highest hygiene standards.
• Supporting all culinary team members in fully understanding the Avery Food safety management system.

About you

To be successful in your application, you must live our values of caring, support, honesty, respect, and accountability in all that you do.

Our ideal candidate must:

• Hold a relevant catering qualification (City & Guilds 706/1 and 706/2 or NVQ or equivalent) and have a minimum of one year of catering experience.
• Demonstrate compassion and commitment to the delivery of high‑quality culinary services to residents.
• Be able to be adaptive and flexible to cover a range of responsibilities at short notice.

About Avery

At Avery, we are not just one of the UK's largest providers of luxury elderly care homes but a place where people love to work. With our vision of "creating meaningful lives together," we proudly offer exceptional care across our growing network of over 100 homes, building a supportive and inspiring environment where employees feel valued and empowered every day. Join us and see why Avery is the preferred choice for residents and team members alike.

This role will require:

• ABDS Disclosure check, the cost of which will be met by Avery Healthcare.
• Proof of eligibility to work in the UK.

Person Specification

To be successful in this role, you must hold a relevant catering qualification (City & Guilds 706/1 and 706/2 or NVQ or equivalent) and have a minimum of one year of catering experience. You must also demonstrate compassion and commitment to the delivery of high‑quality culinary services to residents, and be able to be adaptive and flexible to cover a range of responsibilities at short notice.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.