Sous Chef

Holroyd Howe; Guildford; On-site; Full time

Job summary

A prestigious independent school in Guildford is seeking an experienced Pastry Chef to lead the kitchen team. This role offers a term-time schedule with a focus on delivering high-quality dining experiences for students aged 3-11. Enjoy a balanced work-life with competitive pay and various perks.

Benefits

28 days holiday

Enhanced maternity leave

Bespoke training and development opportunities

Pension and life insurance

Discounts via Perkbox app

Access to a wellbeing hub

Free meals while at work

Qualifications

• Proven experience working as a Sous Chef or similar role.
• Strong understanding of food safety and health & safety practices.

Responsibilities

• Support the Head Chef in kitchen operations and menu planning.
• Prepare high-quality baked goods and maintain food hygiene standards.

Skills

Communication

Teamwork

Attention to Detail

Education

Sous Chef Experience

Job description

Pastry Chef – Term-Time Only! (40 Working Weeks)
Location: RGS Prep, Guildford, GU1 2EL
Hourly Rate: £16.00 per hour
Working Hours: 7:00 AM – 3:00 PM

• 28 days holiday
• 24 weeks’ enhanced maternity leave
• Bespoke training and development opportunities
• Pension and life insurance
• Discounts via Perkbox app (high street shops, holidays & cinema)
• Access to a wellbeing hub and employee assistance programme
• Free meals while at work
• HIT Apprenticeships available for all experience levels

About the Role:

Are you an experienced and innovative Pastry Chef, or Baker with a passion for delivering high-quality dining experiences? If so, we have an exciting opportunity for you to lead and inspire a kitchen team at RGS Prep, Guildford, a prestigious independent school.

As our next Pastry Chef, you will play a key role in delivering exceptional food service, supporting the Pastry Chef in menu planning, kitchen operations, and maintaining high culinary standards. You will be part of a fast-paced, professional environment catering for boys aged 3-11 years, providing nutritious and delicious meals throughout the school day.

With a term-time schedule and working hours of 7:00 AM – 3:00 PM, this role offers an excellent work-life balance, allowing you to focus on your passion for cooking while maintaining personal time outside of work.

Job Description

Key Responsibilities

• Support the Head Chef in all aspects of kitchen operations, including menu planning, food preparation, and stock control

Prepare and produce a range of high-quality baked goods, pastries, and desserts from scratch.

Maintain consistency, creativity, and presentation standards across all bakery and pastry items.

• Assist in the preparation and service of breakfast and lunch, ensuring meals are well-balanced, appealing, and meet dietary requirements
• Maintain high standards of food hygiene and kitchen safety in line with company policies and food regulations
• Train and supervise kitchen staff to ensure smooth daily operations and a positive working environment
• Help to manage stock levels and control food costs while minimizing waste
• Support the preparation of hospitality events and school functions as required

Qualifications

• Proven experience working as a Sous Chef or similar role
• Knowledge of various cooking techniques and cuisines
• Strong understanding of food safety and health & safety practices
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment
• Excellent attention to detail and organisational skills
• Strong communication and teamwork abilities

Additional Information

Holroyd Howe is one of the UK’s leading contract caterers, providing fresh innovative food services solely to independent schools and colleges. We are a team of experienced professionals who tailor our catering service provision specifically to suit children of all ages in order to meet the bespoke requirements of each school.

To provide our teams with the right skills to succeed in their jobs, we invest in their training and development. Our exceptional teams of seasoned specialists customise our catering services to fit children of all ages and satisfy the unique needs of our clients.

We pride ourselves on:

Sustainability

Sustainability is at the heart of our thinking; always mindful of the ethics of our sourcing and how we prepare our meals.

We take nutrition seriously and understand the impact a healthy diet has on the fundamental years of development. Meals are always freshly prepared from scratch and packed with nutritious ingredients.

We offer a wide portfolio of training opportunities and experiences, which attracts chefs who are passionate about culinary excellence and menu innovation to our team.

From tasting tables, theme days and food theatre, to chef demonstrations and supplier showcases, we create engaging and fun dining experiences for our students. We work together to make mealtimes exploratory, quirky, and fun for our pupils, helping them build strong and healthy relationships with food.

“Holroyd Howe is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expect all employees to share this commitment. All roles within Holroyd Howe are regarded as regulated activity, it is an offence to apply for a role in regulated activity if you are barred from working with children, therefore we will require an Enhanced DBS which includes a Barred List check for all successful applicants. We will also require shortlisted applicants to provide appropriate information regarding any criminal offences and shortlisted applicants will be subject to an online search of public available information on suitability to work with children.“

This appointment is offered on the return of satisfactory professional references.