Sous Chef

Hornblower Corp; Greater London; On-site; GBP 28,000 - 38,000; Full time

Job summary

City Cruises UK, part of the Hornblower Group, operates public dining cruises and private charters across London. The Sous Chef will support the Head Chef in daily kitchen management, lead the kitchen during service, and help develop menus while ensuring top quality and safety standards for our public and private events.

The role requires hands-on leadership, mentoring of junior staff, and a focus on consistent food quality, cost control, and guest satisfaction.

Qualifications

• Previous experience as a Sous Chef or an experienced Chef de Partie looking to progress into a leadership role.
• Experience within high-volume catering, hospitality, banqueting, or event operations.
• Professional cookery qualification is desirable but not essential.
• Strong knowledge of food preparation, presentation, and kitchen operations.
• Good understanding of food hygiene, HACCP, allergen legislation, and Health & Safety requirements.
• Experience managing or supervising kitchen teams.
• Good organisational and time management skills with the ability to prioritise during busy service periods.
• Financial awareness, including stock control, food costs, and waste reduction.
• Experience using stock management or procurement systems (such as Procure Wizard or equivalent) is advantageous.
• Passion for producing high-quality food with excellent attention to detail.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Flexible approach to working hours, including evenings, weekends, and seasonal events as required.

Responsibilities

• Support the Head Chef in the daily management and operation of the kitchen.
• Supervise and motivate the kitchen team to ensure food is prepared and presented to the highest standards.
• Lead the kitchen in the absence of the Head Chef, ensuring smooth and efficient operations.
• Assist with menu preparation, seasonal menu changes, recipe development, and food presentations.
• Ensure all food is produced consistently in line with company specifications and quality standards.
• Support stock management, including ordering, stock rotation, wastage control, and weekly stock takes.
• Assist with food costing and portion control to help achieve budget and GP targets.
• Ensure compliance with all Food Safety, HACCP, allergen management, and Health & Safety procedures.
• Train, coach, and support junior chefs and kitchen assistants to develop their skills and confidence.
• Ensure all kitchen equipment is maintained, cleaned, and used safely.
• Maintain accurate kitchen records, including temperature logs, cleaning schedules, and food safety documentation.
• Work closely with the Events and Operations teams to ensure successful delivery of public dining cruises and private events.
• Promote a positive team culture and demonstrate the company's RESPECT Service values.
• Support recruitment, onboarding, and development of kitchen team members where required.
• Continuously identify opportunities to improve food quality, efficiency, and guest satisfaction.

Skills

Leadership

High-volume catering

Food safety HACCP

Menu development

Stock management

Budgeting/Cost control

Cooking skills

Communication skills

Flexibility

Education

Professional cookery qualification

Job description

Cherry Garden Pier, Cherry Garden Street, Rotherhithe SE16 4TU, UK

Job Description

Posted Tuesday, July 21, 2026 at 2:00 AM

Hornblower Group is a global leader in experience and transportation. Spanning a 100-year history, Hornblower Group’s portfolio of international offerings includes water- and land-based experiences and ferry and transportation services. City Experiences, Hornblower Group’s premier experience division, offers dining and sightseeing cruises and walking and food tours through the City Cruises, Walks, and Devour brands. City Ferry, part of Hornblower Group’s Ferry and Transportation Division, is the largest private operator of high-speed passenger and vehicle ferries in the United States, carrying more than 10 million passengers annually and operating services including NYC Ferry, Puerto Rico Ferry, and other regional ferry systems . Hornblower Group’s subsidiaries include Hornblower Marine, which provides vessel outhaul and maintenance services at Bridgeport Boatworks in Bridgeport, Connecticut, and Seaward Services, Inc., a full-service shipping, waterfrontlogisticsand management company that specializes in the operation and maintenance of government and commercial vessels. Additionally, Anchor Operating System, LLC, a Hornblower Group subsidiary and independent entity, provides reservation,ticketingand website integration services for clients in the transportation,tourismand entertainment industries. Today, Hornblower Group’s global portfolio covers over 10 countries, over 50 U.S. cities and serves more than 20 million guests annually. Headquartered in Orlando, Florida, Hornblower Group’sadditionalcorporate officesresidein San Francisco, California; Boston, Massachusetts; Chicago, Illinois; London, United Kingdom; New York, New York; Dublin, Ireland; and across Ontario, Canada. For more information, visithornblowercorp.com.

POSITION SUMMARY

City Cruises UK is part of the City Experiences division of the Hornblower Group, a global leader in world-class experiences and transportation services. We operate public dining and sightseeing cruises as well as private charters for corporate events, birthday parties, weddings, or other special occasions across London.

The Sous Chef plays a key role in supporting the Head Chef in the day-to-day operation of the kitchen, ensuring consistently high standards of food quality, presentation, food safety, and service delivery. Working from our land-based production kitchen, you will help prepare and deliver food for our public dining cruises and private events while leading the kitchen team during service and in the Head Chef's absence.

This is a hands-on leadership role for a passionate chef who enjoys mentoring others, maintaining exceptional standards, and contributing to menu development and continuous improvement.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

• Support the Head Chef in the daily management and operation of the kitchen.
• Supervise and motivate the kitchen team to ensure food is prepared and presented to the highest standards.
• Lead the kitchen in the absence of the Head Chef, ensuring smooth and efficient operations.
• Assist with menu preparation, seasonal menu changes, recipe development, and food presentations.
• Ensure all food is produced consistently in line with company specifications and quality standards.
• Support stock management, including ordering, stock rotation, wastage control, and weekly stock takes.
• Assist with food costing and portion control to help achieve budget and GP targets.
• Ensure compliance with all Food Safety, HACCP, allergen management, and Health & Safety procedures.
• Train, coach, and support junior chefs and kitchen assistants to develop their skills and confidence.
• Ensure all kitchen equipment is maintained, cleaned, and used safely.
• Maintain accurate kitchen records, including temperature logs, cleaning schedules, and food safety documentation.
• Work closely with the Events and Operations teams to ensure successful delivery of public dining cruises and private events.
• Promote a positive team culture and demonstrate the company's RESPECT Service values.
• Support recruitment, onboarding, and development of kitchen team members where required.
• Continuously identify opportunities to improve food quality, efficiency, and guest satisfaction.

REQUIREMENTS & QUALIFICATIONS

• Previous experience as a Sous Chef or an experienced Chef de Partie looking to progress into a leadership role.
• Experience within high-volume catering, hospitality, banqueting, or event operations.
• Professional cookery qualification is desirable but not essential.
• Strong knowledge of food preparation, presentation, and kitchen operations.
• Good understanding of food hygiene, HACCP, allergen legislation, and Health & Safety requirements.
• Experience managing or supervising kitchen teams.
• Good organisational and time management skills with the ability to prioritise during busy service periods.
• Financial awareness, including stock control, food costs, and waste reduction.
• Experience using stock management or procurement systems (such as Procure Wizard or equivalent) is advantageous.
• Passion for producing high-quality food with excellent attention to detail.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Flexible approach to working hours, including evenings, weekends, and seasonal events as required.

All employees must commit to upholding our RESPECT values. They are as follows:

• Respect We will value, appreciate and respect each other. We will foster diversity and inclusivity.
• Environment We will Respect our planet. We will conserve, protect, and educate. We will practice environmental stewardship.
• Safety #1 We will think and work safely. We will follow safety standards and instructions. We will create a safe and secure workplace.
• Professionalism We will conduct ourselves professionally. We will take responsibility for our actions. We #will own the problem until it is solved.
• Exceed We will continuously improve. We will exceed standards and expectations.
• Communication We will be open and honest. We will choose a respectful approach. We will share information with others effectively.
• Teamwork We will exist to serve others. We will anticipate the needs of others. We will have fun and practice “enthusiastic friendliness”.

As an equal opportunities’ employer, we are committed to the equal treatment of all current and prospective employees and do not condone discrimination on the basis of age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race or ethnicity, religion or belief, gender identity, or marriage and civil partnership.

We aspire to create a diverse and inclusive environment. Candidates for employment or promotion will be assessed objectively against the requirements for the position.

Cherry Garden Pier, Cherry Garden Street, Rotherhithe SE16 4TU, UK