Sous Chef

Vacherin; Greater London; On-site; GBP 38,000 - 46,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Personal Development

Life assurance scheme

Pension scheme

Holiday allowance

Wellbeing programme

Healthcare support app

Family friendly support

Holiday purchase scheme

Social events

Volunteering days

Recognition schemes

Long service awards

Discount vouchers

Job summary

Vacherin in London is seeking a skilled Sous Chef to support the Head Chef and deliver breakfast, lunch and hospitality services for 120-160 covers daily, with a globally inspired menu.

This role is 40 hours per week, Monday to Friday, with occasional early evening events; benefits include pension, life assurance, health support and development opportunities.

Qualifications

• Proven experience as a Sous Chef in a high-quality, fast-paced culinary environment.
• Background in elevated or premium food, not traditional canteen catering.
• Excellent cooking skills with strong presentation and attention to detail.
• Good communication and a positive, collaborative approach.
• Relevant culinary qualification or certification is advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Support the Head Chef in day-to-day kitchen operations.
• Deliver high-quality breakfast, lunch and hospitality service with occasional evening events.
• Cater for 120-160 covers daily; adapt to busy and quieter periods.
• Prepare and deliver large-volume, globally inspired menus.
• Report to Head Chef and supervise agency staff when needed.
• Maintain food safety, hygiene and sanitation standards.

Skills

Sous Chef experience

Premium catering background

High-volume hospitality

Food safety knowledge

Communication skills

Education

Relevant culinary qualification

Job description

At Vacherin we celebrate diversity and embrace individuality. We genuinely like the people we work with, and love coming together to reset , refresh and have fun. We empower our people through togetherness , we give them the chance to shine and unlock their potential, and they fuel our strength and growth.

Are you passionate about food, drink and service, want to be part of an award-winning hospitality team- and still make it home for dinner? We are looking for a Sous Chef to join our team.

Salary: £42,000 per annum plus 1.5X Over time

Working pattern: 40 hours per week (Monday to Friday) Some flexibility is required for occasional very early evening events, depending on business needs.

Location: London, EC2N 4BQ

Key Responsibilities

• Support the Head Chef in the day-to-day running of the kitchen
• Deliver high-quality breakfast, lunch and hospitality service, with occasional evening buffet events
• Cater for approximately 120-160 covers per day, adapting to busier and quieter service periods
• Prepare and deliver large-volume, globally inspired menus
• Report directly to the Head Chef
• No direct team management responsibilities, but take responsibility for the agency chef and Kitchen Porter when the Head Chef is absent
• Identify opportunities to improve food quality and service
• Create a positive and supportive kitchen environment
• Maintain excellent food safety, hygiene and sanitation standards
• Demonstrate strong cooking skills with excellent attention to detail and presentation
• Work efficiently under pressure and manage multiple priorities
• Communicate effectively with the Head Chef and wider team
• Show passion for high-quality ingredients and authentic culinary traditions

Ideal Candidate

• Proven experience as a Sous Chef or similar, working in a high-quality, fast-paced culinary environment
• Ideally from premium contract catering, hotels, high-end/high-volume restaurants, commercial catering or hospitality
• A background in elevated or premium food is important, rather than traditional canteen-style catering alone
• Excellent cooking skills with a strong focus on food quality, presentation and attention to detail
• Experience delivering premium buffet or event catering would be highly desirable
• Confident working with high-quality ingredients and producing consistently high standards
• Strong knowledge of food safety and hygiene standards
• Able to work efficiently under pressure and manage multiple priorities
• Good communication skills and a positive, collaborative approach
• Relevant culinary qualification or certification would be an advantage

What's in it for you?

Working with Vacherin has its perks! People are at the heart of everything we do, so we've developed a range of benefits to keep you happy.

• Personal Development and Training opportunities
• Life assurance scheme
• Pension scheme
• Holiday allowance
• A great wellbeing strategy - including access to our Employee Assistance Programme, salary finance
• Access to Healthcare Support App which includes Annual health check, Digital GP, Mental Health Consultations, Nutritional Consultations, Second Medical Opinion
• Family friendly support
• A holiday purchase scheme
• Regular social events and communication with our leaders
• Volunteering days
• Recognition schemes and people award
• Long service awards
• Access to some great high street discount vouchers

Compass Group UK&I is committed to fostering an environment where every individual can truly be themselves at work and has equal opportunities to advance in their careers. We strive to build a culture that respects and celebrates the unique talents, beliefs, backgrounds, and abilities of all our team members. We want our colleagues to feel valued, empowered to reach their full potential, and to thrive - because diversity is our strength!