Sous Chef - Racecourse

Lingfield Park Racecourse; Lingfield; On-site; GBP 26,000 - 34,000; Full time

Job summary

Lingfield Park Racecourse is seeking an experienced Sous Chef to join our Racecourse Catering Team. You will lead day-to-day kitchen operations, ensuring high standards of quality, presentation and service across multi-outlet venues, especially on race days, conferences and events.

Reporting to the Head Chef, you will manage a busy team, drive food safety, allergen control and cost efficiency, and help deliver outstanding dining experiences across retail outlets, hospitality suites and fine

Qualifications

• Previous experience as a Sous Chef or Senior Chef de Partie within high-volume events, stadium, arena, racecourse or hospitality venue.
• Passion for delivering exceptional food and customer experiences.
• Strong leadership to motivate and develop a team.
• Excellent organisational and time management skills.
• Sound understanding of food safety, allergen management, and Health & Safety legislation.
• Experience managing costs, reducing waste and working to financial targets.
• Flexibility to work evenings, weekends and race/event days.

Responsibilities

• Support the Head Chef in leading a busy kitchen across multi-outlet operation.
• Develop and deliver innovative, high-quality food across retail, hospitality and fine dining.
• Assist with planning kitchen rotas to meet business demand while tracking labour costs.
• Ensure Food Safety Management System is implemented and maintained across all areas.
• Maintain high standards of food quality, consistency and presentation.

Skills

Team leadership

High-volume events

Food safety

Allergen mgmt

Cost control

Stock management

Job description

Lingfield Park Resort is not just a racecourse but the destination of choice for all events. Staging all weather racing, weddings, conferences and family events. As Lingfield continues to grow successfully you will grow with us.

Join our Catering Team and help deliver exceptional dining experiences at one of the UK's leading racecourses.

We're looking for an experienced Sous Chef to join our Racecourse Catering Team. This is an exciting opportunity for a passionate chef who thrives in a fast-paced, high-volume events environment. Experience working in a stadium, arena, racecourse or similar large-scale venue would be highly desirable.

Working alongside the Head Chef, you'll play a key role in delivering outstanding food across a varied catering operation, from retail outlets and hospitality suites to premium dining experiences. No two days are the same, with race days, conferences, exhibitions and a wide range of events taking place throughout the year.

About the Role

Reporting to the Head Chef, you'll assist in leading the day-to-day kitchen operation, ensuring consistently high standards of food quality, presentation and service. You'll support the management of the kitchen team, maintain excellent food safety and hygiene standards, and help drive both operational and financial performance.

Key Responsibilities

• Support the Head Chef in leading and inspiring the kitchen team across a busy multi-outlet operation.
• Develop and deliver an innovative, high-quality food offering across retail, hospitality and fine dining.
• Assist with planning kitchen rotas to ensure staffing levels meet business demands while achieving labour cost targets.
• Ensure the Company Food Safety Management System is implemented and maintained across all kitchen areas.
• Take personal responsibility for food safety compliance, including allergen management, food labelling and team training.
• Maintain the highest standards of food quality, consistency and presentation.
• Monitor stock, minimise waste and support effective cost control.
• Ensure all legal and company Health & Safety requirements are adhered to.
• Build positive working relationships across the wider catering and operations teams.
• Support the achievement of departmental financial and operational objectives.

About You

You'll be a motivated and organised Sous Chef with experience of leading teams in a busy catering environment.

We're looking for someone who has:

• Previous experience as a Sous Chef or Senior Chef de Partie within a high-volume events, stadium, arena, racecourse or hospitality venue.
• A passion for delivering exceptional food and customer experiences.
• Strong leadership skills with the ability to motivate and develop a team.
• Excellent organisational and time management skills.
• A sound understanding of food safety, allergen management and Health & Safety legislation.
• Experience managing costs, reducing waste and working towards financial targets.
• The flexibility to work evenings, weekends and race/event days.

At ARC, we believe that a diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace makes us a more relevant, more competitive, and more resilient company. We welcome people from all backgrounds, ethnicities, cultures, and experiences.We are an equal opportunities employer and do not discriminate on the grounds of gender, sexual orientation, marital or civil partner status, pregnancy or maternity, gender reassignment, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, disability or age. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements.

If you have a disability that requires reasonable adjustments, please let us know; we will ensure that individuals with additional needs are provided reasonable adjustments to participate in the job application or interview process and to perform essential job functions.

We understand the value that diversity brings to our business and we are striving to create a working environment that is inclusive, psychologically and physically safe and ensures everyone can be heard and valued for their contributions. We are committed to making a consistent, top-down effort to be role models on what diversity, inclusion and belonging means in society.