Sous Chef

St. James's Hotel & Club - Kitchen; Greater London; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 42,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

50% off rooms and F&B for you and your

F&B staff meals

Continuous training and development

TFL monthly travel card up to £147.50

Discretionary service charge

Uniform and laundry service

28 days’ annual leave (increasing with

Introducao friend bonus scheme

Employee Assistance Programme

Job summary

St. James's Hotel & Club - Kitchen in Mayfair, London, seeks an experienced Sous Chef to support the Executive Chef and run the kitchen during service.

You will lead and mentor the kitchen team, ensuring high standards across all services and events. This is a hands-on role in a fast-paced hotel environment, requiring strong leadership, exceptional food hygiene, and the ability to deliver consistently excellent dishes for breakfast, lunch, dinner and special events.

Qualifications

• Previous experience as Sous Chef or Senior Chef in a hotel, restaurant or similar environment.
• Passionate about food and delivering high standards.
• Strong organisational and leadership skills.
• Confident working in a busy kitchen and able to remain calm under pressure.
• Excellent knowledge of food hygiene and kitchen safety.
• Supportive team player with a positive attitude.
• Good communication skills and enjoys developing others.

Responsibilities

• Support the Executive Chef with the day-to-day running of the kitchen.
• Lead, motivate and support the kitchen team during service.
• Prepare and cook high-quality food to hotel standards.
• Ensure consistency, presentation and portion control across all dishes.
• Assist with menu planning, development and daily specials.
• Ensure all food preparation and service areas meet food safety and hygienic standards.
• Monitor stock levels, assist with ordering and minimise food waste.
• Support with training and development of junior members of the kitchen team.
• Ensure the kitchen is clean, organised and efficiently operated at all times.
• Maintain high standards during busy breakfast, lunch, dinner and event services.
• Step up and take responsibility for the kitchen in the Executive Chef's absence.

Skills

Leadership

Team management

Organisation

Calm under pressure

Food hygiene

Job description

Nestled in a quiet cul-de-sac in the heart of Mayfair, St. James's Hotel and Club is a timeless sanctuary where British heritage meets contemporary luxury. Since its inception in 1857 as an elite gentleman’s club, it has served as a sophisticated "home away from home" for diplomats, authors, and stars of the silver screen.

Stepping through its doors, you leave the bustle of London behind for an atmosphere of refined intimacy. The hotel is renowned for its modern English elevated cuisine by Executive Chef William Drabble, whose menus celebrate the finest seasonal British ingredients with meticulous technique. The collection of suites feels more like private residences than hotel rooms, many featuring rare private terraces overlooking the St. James’s skyline.

What truly defines the "St. James’s story" is its blend of history and heart. Whether you are sipping a signature cocktail in the elegant bar or enjoying the celebrated Masterpiece Afternoon Tea, you are participating in a legacy of hospitality that has spanned over 160 years. It remains a hidden gem for those who seek the quintessential London experience: discreet, opulent, and utterly unforgettable.

We are looking for a talented and passionate Sous Chefto join our busy hotel kitchen team.

This is a fantastic opportunity for an experienced chef whoenjoys working in a fast-paced hotel environment and takes pride in deliveringconsistently high standards of food, service and kitchen operations.

As Sous Chef, you will work closely with the Executive Chef tolead and support the kitchen team, ensuring the smooth running of the kitchenand the consistent delivery of high-quality dishes across our hotel.

You will be involved in everything from daily service andmenu preparation to team supervision, stock control and maintaining excellentfood safety and hygiene standards.

Key Responsibilities

• Supportthe Executive Chef with the day-to-day running of the kitchen
• Lead,motivate and support the kitchen team during service
• Prepareand cook high-quality food to hotel standards
• Ensureconsistency, presentation and portion control across all dishes
• Assistwith menu planning, development and daily specials
• Ensureall food preparation and service areas meet food safety and hygienestandards
• Monitorstock levels, assist with ordering and minimise food waste
• Supportwith training and development of junior members of the kitchen team
• Ensurethe kitchen is clean, organised and efficiently operated at all times
• Maintainhigh standards during busy breakfast, lunch, dinner and event services
• Stepup and take responsibility for the kitchen in the Executive Chef's absence

We are looking for someone who:

• Hasprevious experience as a Sous Chef or Senior Chef in a hotel, restaurantor similar environment
• Ispassionate about food and takes pride in delivering high standards
• Hasstrong organisational and leadership skills
• Isconfident working in a busy kitchen and able to remain calm under pressure
• Hasexcellent knowledge of food hygiene and kitchen safety
• Is asupportive team player with a positive attitude
• Hasgood communication skills and enjoys developing others
• Isflexible and willing to support the wider kitchen operation when required

What We Offer

• 50%off from rooms and F&B outlets for you and your friends and family
• Continuoustraining and development for all staff of all levels
• TFLmonthly travel card up to £147.50 for zone 1 -2 paid after successfulcompletion of probation
• Staffmeals provided on shift
• Discretionaryservice charge
• Uniformand laundry service for all formal work attire
• 28days’ annual leave, including bank holidays, increasing to 1 additional day after two years ofservice and every two years thereafter, up to a maximum of 8 days.
• Introducea friend bonus scheme
• EmployeeAssistance Programme

Hours of work

Reporting to the Executive Chef, you will work 40 hours per week, 5 days out of 7 on a rota basis. You will be required to work a variety of shifts, including early breakfast shifts, daytime and evening shifts, as well as weekends and bank holidays as required.

If you are an experienced chef looking for your nextchallenge and would like to be part of our hotel team, we would love to hearfrom you.

In accordance with the requirements of the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006, you will be required to provide appropriate documentary evidence confirming your eligibility to live and work in the UK.