Sous Chef

Smoking Goat; Greater London; On-site; GBP 28,000 - 35,000; Full time

Job summary

A busy open-fire Thai barbecue restaurant in Greater London is looking for an experienced kitchen team member. This role involves supporting the Head Chef in maintaining high standards of food preparation, fostering teamwork, and ensuring compliance with food safety standards. Candidates should have 5 years of experience in a fast-paced kitchen and demonstrate a passion for food and learning. The restaurant offers excellent benefits, including 28 days of annual leave and training opportunities.

Benefits

28 days of annual leave

50% discount at restaurants

Enhanced maternity leave and pension scheme

Subsidised mental health support

Work laptop contribution

Qualifications

• 5 years of experience in a fast-paced kitchen with consistent excellence.
• Full UK right to work documents are required.
• Flexibility to work varied shifts across 5 days out of 7.

Responsibilities

• Support the Head Chef in creating a harmonious kitchen environment.
• Maintain the highest standards of food preparation and presentation.
• Collaborate with the Head Chef to ensure product quality.

Skills

Passion for learning

Knowledge of food sourcing

Ability to thrive in a team environment

Job description

About Us

Smoking Goat is an open-fire Thai barbecue restaurant and bar, serving food inspired by the street food of Bangkok and the laab stalls of northern Thailand. We're a busy restaurant that works closely with exceptional farmers and offers a daily-changing menu. Our drinks programme includes unique beers, natural wines, and a growing vinyl record collection. We welcome applicants looking to grow and be inspired. Thai cooking experience is not required—just a passion for learning and being part of a strong, team-focused restaurant.

What you’ll be doing

• Support the Head Chef in creating a harmonious and efficient kitchen environment where the team feels confident and the culture is strong.
• Maintain the highest standards of food preparation and presentation to ensure guest satisfaction.
• Assist with regular tastings, training sessions, and briefings to keep the front-of-house and junior kitchen teams informed.
• Foster teamwork and collaboration by participating in 121 meetings, appraisals, and development plans for junior chefs.
• Encourage full participation in training and development opportunities to enhance skills and knowledge.
• Work with the General Manager and Head Chef to maintain the organisational structure, succession planning and develop effective plans for nurturing future talent.
• Collaborate with the Head Chef, Head of Sourcing, and Head Butcher to monitor product quality and consistency of produce, ensuring excellence in all dishes.
• Maintain in-depth knowledge of our produce and suppliers to ensure high-quality ingredient selection.
• Ensure compliance with food safety standards and legislative requirements to uphold a 5-star EHO rating.
• Assist the Head Chef and kitchen management team in delivering P&L responsibilities, helping to achieve gross profit, margin, and labour targets.

What you’ll bring

• Passion and knowledge of restaurants, good cooking, good sourcing of food and drink are a great headstart. But most important is the appetite to learn, grow and be a part of building the most exciting restaurant group in London.
• 5 years of experience in a fast paced kitchen, where excellence is consistent on every plate.
• You enjoy being part of a kitchin team that thrives off good energy and exciting dishes.
• Flexibility to work varied shifts across 5 out of 7 days.
• Full UK right to work documents.

What’s in it for you

• 28 days of annual leave, including bank holidays.
• Access to courses, resources, and training to enhance your career.
• 50% discount at all our restaurants, along with complimentary staff meals during your shifts.
• Discounted dining at various local establishments near Super 8 Restaurants.
• Enhanced maternity leave, pension scheme, subsidised mental health support, and a cycle-to-work scheme.
• Refer a Friend scheme—recommend someone to join Super 8 and receive a bonus!
• Opportunities for both international and national travel to visit our suppliers and learn about sourcing ingredients and beverages.
• £300 contribution towards the purchase of a work laptop for all salaried staff members.

If this role sounds like a great fit for you, we’d love to see your application! Please keep in mind that it may take us 1 to 2 weeks to get back to you due to the high volume of applications. Thanks for your patience!