Sous Chef

NHS; London; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 44,000; Full time

Job summary

A prestigious hospital in London seeks a skilled chef to manage kitchen operations, ensuring high-quality food service and compliance with health standards. The role involves menu planning, ingredient sourcing, and maintaining a professional image. Join a diverse team committed to excellent patient care.

Qualifications

• Significant experience as a chef in a high standard catering service environment.
• Good understanding of Health & Safety and Food Hygiene.

Responsibilities

• Manage a section within the kitchen to the standards set by the Head Chef.
• Prepare all food to the highest standard.
• Assist in menu planning and stock-takes.

Skills

Customer Service

Organizational Skills

Communication

Teamwork

Knife Skills

Education

NVQ Level 3 in Professional Cookery

4 GCSE's C Grade or above including English and Maths

Food and Hygiene Certificate

Tools

Large Kitchen Equipment

Microsoft Office

Job description

Job summary

This role is based at a prestigious hospital, in the London area. Business is open Monday to Sunday, including evenings. You will be working in a team of 50 to provide staff & patient ward dining and hospitality services for our client over the restaurant and meeting rooms. We offer a range of catering services including tea & coffee, breakfast, lunches, canaps events and drinks receptions.

Main duties of the job

• To manage a section within the kitchen to the standards set by the Head Chef.
• To prepare all food to the highest standard.
• To produce food in a timely fashion to ensure smooth service to the customers.
• To ensure that all appropriate ingredients are available for the menus being prepared and where necessary identify shortages and instigate action to source ingredients.
• To assist in menu planning.
• To assist in weekly and monthly stock-takes as directed.
• To assist in the costing of dishes and menus and work to deliver the GP in the related site.
• To ensure all food is labelled and dated in fridges and freezers.
• To understand and comply with statutory health, hygiene and safety, quality standards including COSHH and HACCP ensuring all tasks are carried out in accordance these standards.
• To maintain a professional and friendly image with the client and customers at the relevant site.
• Work effectively with all colleagues to ensure excellent customer service.

About us

GOSH is committed to recruiting the best person for the job, based solely on their ability and individual merit as measured against the criteria for the role; through a process that is fair, open, consistent and free from bias and discrimination.

We are committed to being a diverse and inclusive employer and foster a culture where all staff are valued, respected and acknowledged. All applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, colour, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, age, disability status or length of time spent unemployed.

We particularly welcome applications from BAME communities, people with disabilities and/or long-term health conditions and LGBT+ community members.

We have policies and procedures in place to ensure that all applicants and employees are treated fairly and consistently. We are proud to be accredited as a Disability Confident Employer, a member of Business Disability Forum and a Stonewall Diversity Champion.

We have active and Executive supported BAME, LGBT+ and Allies, Disability and Long-Term Health Conditions and Women's staff networks. Staff networks are employee-led groups formed around interests, issues and a common bond or background. Staff network members create a positive and inclusive work environment at Great Ormond Street Hospital by actively contributing to the Trust's mission, values and efforts specific to inclusion. All of our staff networks are open to any employee.

Details Date posted

15 May 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 5

Salary

£35,964 to £43,780 a year per annum inclusive

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

271-SP-7173552

Job locations

Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust

Great Ormond Street Hospital

London

WC1N 3JH

Job description Job responsibilities

The full job description provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role, and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience, and knowledge required. For both documents please view the attachment/s below.

Job description Job responsibilities

The full job description provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role, and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience, and knowledge required. For both documents please view the attachment/s below.

Person Specification GOSH Culture and Values Essential

• Our Always values

Academic/Professional qualification/Training Essential

• NVQ Level 3 in Professional Cookery (kitchen & larder or pastry)
• 4 GCSE's C Grade or above including English and Maths
• Food and hygiene certificate

Experience/Knowledge Essential

• An understanding of GOSH and hospital catering in general - will have researched prior to interview
• Significant experience as a chef in a hotel, restaurant, or high standard of catering service delivery environment
• A sound knowledge of cookery techniques must be demonstrated
• Good knowledge of large kitchen equipment
• knowledge of Health & Safety and Food Hygiene
• Good understanding of cost control & GP

Desirable

• Previous experience as a Chef de Partie in a 4 star hotel or equivalent restaurant kitchen
• An understanding of seasonality of ingredients and menus
• A knowledge of pureed and texture modified diets

Skills/Abilities Essential

• Ability to provide excellent customer service
• Effective organisational skills and ability to prioritise own and team workloads to meet service demands
• Quality fast and safe knife skills
• Able to perform as part of a team and develop junior chefs working in the team
• Ability to work well under pressure
• PC literate with a working knowledge of Microsoft Office packages
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills

Person Specification GOSH Culture and Values Essential

• Our Always values

Academic/Professional qualification/Training Essential

• NVQ Level 3 in Professional Cookery (kitchen & larder or pastry)
• 4 GCSE's C Grade or above including English and Maths
• Food and hygiene certificate

Experience/Knowledge Essential

• An understanding of GOSH and hospital catering in general - will have researched prior to interview
• Significant experience as a chef in a hotel, restaurant, or high standard of catering service delivery environment
• A sound knowledge of cookery techniques must be demonstrated
• Good knowledge of large kitchen equipment
• knowledge of Health & Safety and Food Hygiene
• Good understanding of cost control & GP

Desirable

• Previous experience as a Chef de Partie in a 4 star hotel or equivalent restaurant kitchen
• An understanding of seasonality of ingredients and menus
• A knowledge of pureed and texture modified diets

Skills/Abilities Essential

• Ability to provide excellent customer service
• Effective organisational skills and ability to prioritise own and team workloads to meet service demands
• Quality fast and safe knife skills
• Able to perform as part of a team and develop junior chefs working in the team
• Ability to work well under pressure
• PC literate with a working knowledge of Microsoft Office packages
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

Additional information Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

Employer details Employer name

Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust

Great Ormond Street Hospital

London

WC1N 3JH

Employer's website

https://www.gosh.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details Employer name

Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust

Great Ormond Street Hospital

London

WC1N 3JH

Employer's website

https://www.gosh.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)