Sous Chef

Baxterstorey; Hartford; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading catering service is seeking a creative and confident culinary professional to enhance food experiences at a prominent venue. The role involves leading a kitchen team, developing menus, and ensuring safety standards while delivering exceptional dishes for large events. The ideal candidate will thrive in a dynamic environment, balancing quality with efficiency. Comprehensive benefits, including health cover and professional development, are offered.

Benefits

Medicash health cover

Discounts at gyms

Meals on duty

Paid professional subscriptions

23 days holiday + bank holidays

Discounts at National Theatre outlets

Qualifications

• Ability to create beautiful food for a variety of events.
• Experience in leading and supporting a culinary team.
• Knowledge of HACCP, allergens, and health & safety protocols.

Responsibilities

• Lead culinary team to deliver high-quality dishes.
• Develop menus and manage kitchen operations.
• Ensure food safety and training for kitchen staff.

Skills

Creativity

Leadership

Detail-oriented

Flexibility

Safety knowledge

Commercial awareness

Curiosity

Teamwork

Job description

Overview

Bring Your Creativity to Centre Stage. At NT Food & Drink, we’re not just another kitchen – we’re a collaboration between Levy and KERB, rooted in the heart of the National Theatre. This space is where food, craft, culture and creativity all meet. Our ambition is simple: to create unforgettable food moments that enhance the magic of this iconic arts venue.

Responsibilities

• Creating beautiful food for a wide range of events – thoughtfully planned and brilliantly executed.
• Inspiring, supporting and leading the culinary team to deliver consistent, high‑quality dishes.
• Working alongside the Head Chef to develop menus, manage stock and keep the kitchen running smoothly.
• Stepping up confidently to run the kitchen when needed.
• Championing food safety, allergen awareness and best practice across the kitchen.
• Leading training and onboarding for permanent and temporary chefs.
• Ensuring equipment, stock and prep are always event‑ready.
• Undertaking a hands‑on role in making every service feel seamless.

You Are

• Creative – love playing with ideas and flavours and bring passion to every plate.
• Confident – can lead a team, run a section and deliver for events of 200+ covers with ease.
• Detail‑driven – organised, reliable and ensures the small things are done right.
• Flexible – thrive in a dynamic, ever‑changing environment with lots happening at once.
• Safety‑led – know HACCP, allergens and H&S inside out and lead by example.
• Commercially aware – understand stock, wastage and staffing, balancing quality with efficiency.
• Curious – eager to learn, develop and grow in a project that constantly evolves.
• Culture shaper – bring positive energy, respect, inclusivity and teamwork to the kitchen.

Benefits

• Medicash health cover (including dental, optical & mental health) plus Aviva Digicare annual health check.
• Discounts at Nuffield Health & Pure Gym.
• Employee Assistance Programme.
• Great entertainment and travel discounts (cinema, Vodafone, Expedia, TUI & more).
• Meals on duty, life assurance, pension and paid professional subscriptions.
• 23 days holiday + bank holidays, your birthday off, extra leave options and family‑first support.
• National Theatre perks – 15% off outlets, 25% off Bookshop, complimentary show tickets.
• KERB Card – 50% off drinks + 20% off food at Seven Dials Market.
• VIP last‑minute O2 tickets (when available).
• £4/day discounted on‑site parking.
• Continuous training, development programmes and clear career pathways.

About Levy

Levy is the team behind world‑class food experiences at iconic venues like Wimbledon, Tottenham Hotspur and Twickenham. We are big on sustainability, big on people and committed to reaching Net Zero by 2027. We partner with the British Paralympic Association and ensure all our teams earn at least Real Living Wage or London Living Wage.