Sous Chef

St Johns Tavern; Greater London; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 42,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Brand new opening

Training and development

Career progression

Staff discounts

Team trips

Free meals

EAP

Referral scheme

Birthdays off

Cycle to work

Job summary

St Johns Tavern in London is seeking an outstanding Sous Chef to join our busy kitchen, featuring seasonal food from a wood fired grill and a premium drinks list.

The successful candidate will lead the kitchen in the Head Chef's absence, train the team to deliver exceptional service, and work with the Head Chef and General Manager to develop menus and maximise guest satisfaction.

Qualifications

• Gastro pub / frontline kitchen experience.
• Ability to act as Head Chef in their absence.
• Committed to training staff and maintaining standards.
• Experience with seasonal menus is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead kitchen team during busy periods.
• Train and develop kitchen staff.
• Prepare and present dishes to high standards.
• Assist Head Chef with menu development and costing.
• Collaborate with GM to maximise sales and guest experience.

Skills

Leadership

Training

Food presentation

Menu development

Job description

We are looking for an outstanding and talented Sous Chef to join our the team at the St Johns Tavern an iconic British pub serving seasonal food from a wood fired grill. We compliment our menu with a selection of outstanding cocktails, wines and craft beers. We're found in the lively area of Archway, North London.

Welcome to London's biggest independent pub company !

Urban Pubs & Bars was founded in 2014 and has since expanded to an estate of over 67 pubs, bars and restaurants across London.

In 2018, Urban Pubs & Bars was ranked number 28 in the Sunday Times Virgin Atlantic Fast Track 100 list, recognising Britain's private companies with the fastest-growing sales. We were then nominated for 2 Publican Awards in 2020, winning the award for ‘Best Managed Pub Company - 2-50 sites’ on the night. In 2021, Urban was awarded 'Best Food-led Pub Company 2021' at the R200 awards, Urban once again won ‘Best Managed Pub Company - 2-50 sites’ in 2023 and most recently won ‘Best Managed Pub Company - 2-50 sites’ and Best food offering in 2026 and In 2025 & 2026 we were recognised by Sunday Times in the Top 100 Companies to work for.

This amazing opportunity is ideal for someone who loves working with fresh premium and seasonal products and preferably experience within gastro pubs; loves working in a busy kitchen; understands and delivers a perfect service with or without the Head Chef present; can lead the kitchen team to success consistently and is excited by innovation and change to secure outstanding results for the business.

You Are:

• Able to take responsibility for our kitchen team in absence of the Head Chef to ensure service, safety and security expectations are all met to the the highest of standards
• Passionate about training our team to ensure they have the knowledge needed to excite our customers and deliver outstanding food
• Able to work with the Head Chef to train and uphold the agreed standards
• Able to assist the General Manager and Head Chef in identifying potential opportunities and products to maximise sales and enhance the customer experience
• Able to prepare and present all our food dishes to an outstanding standard of presentation as appropriate for the day of the week and time of day
• Able to support the Head Chef in the development, implementation and review of the menu to maximise sales in line with pub vision and business plan

What's in it for me:

• Competitive salary + bonus
• Be part of a brand new opening
• Training and development
• Career progression and promotion opportunities with regular new openings around the corner
• Get out and about, you automatically get discounts across all our pubs, bars and restaurants
• Team trips, regular incentives and socials – a fun, family atmosphere
• Goes without saying, but we’ll feed you during your shift
• Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to support you across those tough times
• Good people know good people - an awesome referral scheme where you can earn up to £1000 per successful referral
• Birthdays are for celebrating, so have the day off on us
• Cycle to work scheme

Interested in hearing more?

Get in touch so we can schedule a show around, rub some shoulders together, have a laugh and make some magic!