Sous Chef

Cairn Group Hotel; Newton Aycliffe; On-site; GBP 28,000 - 36,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Discounted stays across Cairn hotels

Service charge incentives

Career development programmes

Health care plan

Wellbeing resources

Employee assistance programme

Job summary

Redworth Hall Hotel, part of the Cairn Group, seeks an experienced Sous Chef to be the Head Chef’s right hand in a high-volume kitchen serving restaurant, weddings, banquets and events. You will deputise in the Head Chef’s absence, lead the pass, train the brigade and help develop menus with strong focus on quality and consistency.

You’ll manage mise en place, ordering, stock and waste, and work closely with front-of-house and events teams to ensure every service runs smoothly.

Qualifications

• Experience as Sous Chef or senior Chef de Partie ready to step up.
• Background in a busy, multi-outlet kitchen, ideally in a hotel with banqueting and events.
• Natural leader who stays calm on the pass and brings the brigade with them.
• Loves food, takes pride in craft and sets high standards for others.
• Commercial awareness: GP, stock, ordering and wastage.

Responsibilities

• Deputising for the Head Chef and taking charge of the kitchen in their absence.
• Running the pass and leading service with pace, quality and consistency on every plate.
• Leading, training and developing the brigade from commis to chef de partié.
• Planning mise en place and prep across restaurant, weddings, banqueting and team catering.
• Contributing to menu development, new dishes, specs and tastings.
• Managing ordering, stock control, portion control and waste to deliver food GP.
• Supporting kitchen rotas and labour planning around the business.
• Upholding food safety, HACCP, allergen and health and safety standards, with records kept updated.
• Working closely with front of house and events teams to ensure smooth services.

Job description

Join Cairn Group – Where People Drive Hospitality Forward, Together

Days: 5 days a week including weekends and bank holidays

Employment Type: Permanent, contracted

At Cairn Group, memorable guest experiences start with our people, and in our kitchens that means chefs who care about what goes on the plate.

We're looking for a Sous Chef to join the brigade at Redworth Hall Hotel as the Head Chef's right hand. This is a busy, high-volume kitchen that does it all: restaurant, weddings, banqueting and visiting football teams. If you want variety, pace and real responsibility for running a kitchen, this is the role for you.

One Kitchen. Every Kind of Service.

Restaurant: à la carte and grill service, with dry-aged ribeye and chateaubriand, 15oz lamb shank, twice-baked cheese soufflé, miso baked cod and hand-raised pies on our new winter menu.

Weddings: wedding breakfasts and evening food, plated to a high standard for a couple's biggest day.

Banqueting: large-number plated dinners, buffets, conferences and celebrations, where timing and consistency are everything.

Football teams: fuelling visiting squads with team meals cooked to their requirements.

One day you're running the pass for a full restaurant, the next you're leading a banquet or cooking for a squad before a match. Few kitchens offer this much range under one roof.

What You'll Be Doing

Deputising for the Head Chef and taking full charge of the kitchen in their absence.

Running the pass and leading service, keeping pace, quality and consistency on every plate.

Leading, training and developing the brigade, from commis to chef de partie.

Planning and organising mise en place and prep across restaurant, weddings, banqueting and team catering.

Contributing to menu development, new dishes, specs and tastings.

Managing ordering, stock control, portion control and waste to deliver food GP.

Supporting kitchen rotas and labour planning around the business.

Upholding food safety, HACCP, allergen and health and safety standards, with due diligence records kept up to date.

Working closely with front of house and events teams so every service and function runs smoothly.

What We're Looking For

An experienced Sous Chef, or a strong Junior Sous or senior Chef de Partie ready to step up.

A background in a busy, multi-outlet kitchen, ideally in a hotel with banqueting and events.

A natural leader who stays calm on the pass and brings the brigade with them.

A chef who loves food, takes pride in their craft and sets the standard for others.

Commercial awareness: confident with GP, stock, ordering and wastage.

Strong knowledge of food safety, HACCP and allergens [Level 3 Food Safety preferred].

Ambition to progress to Head Chef.

Why Cairn Group?

Our People First culture combines ambitious standards with genuine support, creating an environment where individuals are trusted to perform, encouraged to grow and recognised for the contribution they make. We believe success is built through collaboration, accountability and a shared commitment to excellence, giving our people the foundation to build long-term careers with purpose.

What You'll Enjoy as Part of the Team

Incentives and service charge - inc Tronc from Restaurant service charge

Leadership and career development programmes

Opportunities to progress across our diverse hospitality portfolio

Discounted stays across our hotels and venues

Food, beverage, spa and leisure discounts

Retail, entertainment and lifestyle discounts

Health Care Cash Plan

Employee Assistance Programme offering confidential support whenever you need it

Wellbeing resources and support

Long service awards

About Redworth Hall Hotel

Redworth Hall Hotel is an award-winning four-star spa hotel near Darlington and Durham, centred around a 17th-century Jacobean manor and set within 26 acres of landscaped grounds. Home to The Retreat Spa, the hotel is a popular destination for country escapes, dining, weddings, celebrations and events.

Join our brigade and help lead a kitchen that does it all.