Sous Chef - New Opening

Lounge Underwear Ltd.; Sittingbourne; On-site; GBP 28,000 - 35,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading hospitality company in Sittingbourne is seeking a talented Sous Chef to oversee kitchen operations. Candidates should have experience with fresh ingredients and strong kitchen management skills. The role includes leading shifts, ensuring high food quality, and training junior staff. This position offers benefits such as staff meals, overtime pay, and opportunities for personal development in a dynamic environment.

Benefits

Overtime pay

50% off food and drinks

Paid breaks

28 days holiday

Enhanced maternity and paternity pay

Company pension scheme

Bonuses and tips sharing

Personal development opportunities

Qualifications

• Experience with fresh ingredients and good kitchen skills.
• Ability to lead a kitchen team and maintain high food standards.
• Familiarity with KPIs in a kitchen environment.

Responsibilities

• Lead kitchen shifts and manage food quality.
• Train and recruit kitchen team members.
• Ensure compliance with Health & Safety and hygiene standards.

Skills

Communication skills

Kitchen management

Food safety knowledge

Team leadership

Job description

About the role

You are probably an existing Sous Chef, or perhaps a Junior Sous Chef/Assistant Kitchen Manager that is looking to take the next step in their career.

You’ll have experience working with fresh ingredients and being able to demonstrate good chef/kitchen skills (food prep hot and cold, cleaning, knife skills, good hygiene practices).

We love real cooking. Customers love real cooking. It’s a no‑brainer so you wonder why so many other places don’t do it. We do it, and you’ll be doing it with us – fresh, customer‑led, and with high‑quality ingredients.

Key responsibilities and qualifications

• Roll your sleeves up and get stuck in and lead from the front; play an active role in delivering excellent kitchen and food standards as part of a high‑performing team.
• Extremely driven and relentless at deconstructing the can’t mentality.
• Familiar with KPIs and making decisions in the absence of the Head Chef, taking into account labour, stock, food safety requirements and more.
• Exceptional communication skills with the ability to manage stakeholders and build rapport and trust (with Ops Chefs and Ops Managers).
• Strong knowledge of best practice around rota scheduling, sales and labour forecasts, reporting, recruitment, HR, etc.
• Demonstrated successful delivery of training and recruitment for kitchen teams, including Apprentices, KPs, Chefs, Junior Sous Chefs and Sous Chefs.
• Lead shifts, ensuring the kitchen runs effectively and safely, manning the pass, keeping an eye on stocks, Health & Safety and Hygiene and delivering food on spec and on time.
• Always upholding 5 kitchen standards.
• “You’ll be on it. Like a chef’s bonnet.”

The Good Stuff

• Overtime pay for every hour worked over contracted hours.
• Staff food on every shift.
• 50% off food and drinks (including alcohol) from day one at all three of our brands – Lounge, Cosy Club and Brightside.
• Paid breaks.
• 28 days holiday (inclusive of Bank Holidays) pro rata.
• Enhanced maternity and paternity pay after 2 years service.
• The most talked‑about staff party in hospitality – Loungefest.
• Competitions and incentives (including all expenses paid trips with one of our suppliers).
• Company pension scheme.
• Long service awards.
• Power over your pay with Wagestream.
• Emotional and practical support via the Licenced Trade Charity.
• Great opportunity for personal development and career progression in a fast‑growing business.
• Achievable bonuses.
• Tips shared equally across the team, based on hours worked.
• Christmas and Boxing Day off.