sous chef

Wagamama; St Albans; On-site; GBP 26,000 - 34,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Biweekly pay & tips

Friends & family discount

Free meals on shift

Wagestream early access

Parental leave

Brand discounts

Pension

Holiday

Training

Cycle to work

Gym discounts

Long service awards

Job summary

wagamama is hiring a junior sous chef to support leading shifts and guide the kitchen team in delivering fresh, made-to-order dishes. You will help manage the line, plan shifts and coach the team to maintain high standards and strong team spirit.

You'll drive continuous improvement with a Kaizen mindset, ensuring food safety, cost awareness and great guest experiences while mentoring others to grow in the kitchen.

Qualifications

• Experience as a junior or sous chef in a fast‑paced kitchen.
• Strong leadership and people management to run shifts.
• Solid understanding of food safety, hygiene and kitchen standards.
• Ability to monitor food cost and labour costs and act on variances.
• Kaizen mindset with a passion for coaching and improvement.

Responsibilities

• Support leading shifts and the kitchen team to deliver dishes made to order.
• Manage the line, plan shifts, and ensure proper cover and smooth service.
• Maintain high food quality and consistently great kitchen vibes.
• Coach and develop team members on the go while maintaining standards.
• Uphold health, safety and financial performance of the kitchen.

Skills

Team leadership

Shift planning

Food safety

Cost control

Coaching

Communication

Job description

at wagamama, food is life. our kitchens are all about fresh food, prioritising good ingredients and serving dishes that are made to order every time. as a junior sous chef, you'll support leading the shifts, and the kitchen team while making sure every bowl is something to be proud of what you'll be doing

you'll love this role if you...

• working closely with the rest of the management team to run a vibrant and high-performing kitchen
• making sure food quality and kitchen vibes stay sky-high
• helping your team feel seen, supported, and proud of what they do
• nurturing your team to grow, not just hit targets
• thinking with a kaizen mindset - constantly spotting the little ways we can do things better, then making them happen
• are passionate about supporting your team and helping others be the best they can be and maintaining high standards
• are ready to manage the line, planning shifts to make sure we have the right cover, and love working with the team and coaching on the go
• understand your kitchen's food, health and safety standards, with comprehension of the financial performance of a kitchen including gross profit, stock control and labour cost love to celebrate success with your team, recognising what drives individuals and their needs

what you'll get

• a culture that backs your growth, wellbeing and individuality
• biweekly pay and a share of tips
• 50% off for friends and family
• free meals on shift
• early access to earned pay with wagestream
• 26 weeks full pay and 13 weeks half pay for new parents
• 30% off at other TRG brands (brunning & price pubs, barburrito + more)
• in addition to this, we offer the usual benefits such as pension scheme, holiday, training, cycle to work scheme, retail and leisure discounts, discounted gym memberships and long service awards