Sous Chef The Botanical Rooms at The Newt in Somerset 6d Castle Cary OTE up to £42,000 per annu[...]

The Newt in Somerset; Castle Cary; On-site; GBP 38,000 - 42,000; Full time

Job summary

A luxury country estate seeks a passionate Sous Chef to join the Botanical Rooms kitchen team. You will lead and inspire a brigade of chefs, ensuring the highest standards of food quality and service in a dynamic environment. The role includes opportunities for personal and professional growth, alongside attractive benefits such as accommodation and various perks.

Benefits

Complimentary use of gym and wellbeing classes

50% discount on Spa Treatments

30% discount in estate shops and restaurants

Garden membership for partner gardens

Complimentary meals during shift

Newt Awards recognition programme

Employee Assistance Programme

Regular team engagement activities

Access to earnings at any time

Up to 30 days annual leave

Qualifications

• Minimum two years' experience as a Sous Chef in a luxury hotel or restaurant.
• Highly organized, self-driven, and adaptable to a fast-evolving environment.
• Creative approach to developing dishes using estate-grown and foraged ingredients.

Responsibilities

• Support the Head Chef in running a productive, cost-efficient kitchen.
• Ensure consistently exceptional food quality and presentation.
• Champion high standards of cleanliness, safety, and presentation across the kitchen.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Organizational Skills

Passion for Food

Creativity

Knowledge of Seasonal Produce

Education

Experience as a Sous Chef

Job description

Sous Chef at The Botanical Rooms

OTE up to £42,000 per annum plus fantastic benefits

Due to the location of the Estate, your own transport is required

Staff Accommodation Available

Take a look at our website

Read our menu

"Best Boutique Hotel" - Hotel & Lodge Awards / "Southwest England's Hotel of the Year" - The Times

Your role

As one of our two Sous Chefs, you’ll be a vital part of our senior kitchen team, working closely with the Head Chef to ensure the smooth, efficient, and inspiring operation of our Botanical Rooms kitchen. You’ll lead a brigade of approximately 15 chefs and kitchen porters with a calm head, sharp focus, and a genuine passion for hospitality.

This is a dynamic and high-performance kitchen, where your leadership will set the tone for service. You’ll be creating and delivering dishes that showcase ingredients grown, reared, and foraged right here on the estate—working hand-in-hand with the Restaurant Manager to ensure seamless collaboration between kitchen and front of house.

We’re looking for someone who leads from the front, is confident yet approachable, and shares our commitment to food provenance, luxury service, and continuous development.

What we can offer

• Base salary of £38,000 + OTE up to £42,000
• A positive workplace environment with opportunities to develop both personally and professionally.
• Stay in shape with our complimentary use of our gym and wellbeing classes
• Look after your wellbeing with complimentary access to our Spa and swimming pools and our exclusive benefit of 50% of Spa Treatments.
• Enjoy shopping in both our shops on estate and online with 30% discount for all our colleagues and free delivery for any online purchases.
• Discover exclusive perks with our Discounted hotel stays for staff, accompanied by a fantastic 30% discount at our restaurants.
• Complimentary garden membership for the Newt and our partner gardens including the Eden Project, Kew Gardens and The Lost Gardens of Heligan
• Complimentary meal whilst on shift, created using fresh produce from our estate by our dedicated staff food chefs
• We value your hard work and recognise your achievements through our colleague recognition programme “Newt Awards” with the opportunity to achieve a variety of amazing rewards including a complimentary Hotel Stay.
• Support from our Employee Assistance Programme for both yourself and your family
• A team that knows how to have fun with regular team engagement activities including monthly Gather and Grow Motivational Speakers and our regular fun squad events, which include activities such as Go-Karting and Wine Tasting, to name but a few.
• Access your earnings at anytime with Wagestream, with access to nationwide brand discounts
• Up to 30 days annual leave each year for our full-time team

Our Staff Accommodation

Our staff accommodation is located a brief drive from our main site and features individual bedrooms built in 2020 with modern en-suite facilities. The shared dining and living areas offer panoramic views of the Somerset countryside. Amenities include a BBQ pit and bike rack.

Key Responsibilities:

• Support the Head Chef in running a productive, cost-efficient kitchen through effective management of staffing, forecasting, and sales analysis.
• Ensure consistently exceptional food quality and presentation, always seeking ways to improve the guest experience.
• Take joint responsibility with the Head Chef for recruitment, training, team development, and retention.
• Champion high standards of cleanliness, safety, and presentation across the kitchen.
• Represent the business professionally—ensuring both you and your team maintain an impeccable appearance and attitude.

Skills and Experience

• Minimum two years' experience as a Sous Chef in a luxury hotel or restaurant.
• Natural leader with excellent communication and people skills.
• Highly organised, self-driven, and adaptable to a fast-evolving environment.
• Genuine passion for food, drink, and exceptional hospitality.
• Strong knowledge of seasonal produce.
• Creative approach to developing dishes using estate-grown and foraged ingredients.

Where you'll be working - The Botanical Rooms

A contemporary take on British fine-dining, we offer a true farm to fork experience in a beautifully designed, atmospheric 60 cover restaurant. All food is prepared in our kitchen with ingredients fresh from our gardens or locally sourced, ensuring quality and seasonality. Our talented chefs ensure each ingredient is elevated to its highest potential - creating an unforgettable experience. Open for breakfast through to dinner, we offer cream tea in the library and early evening cocktails on the terrace.

Who are we - The Newt in Somerset

Nestled within an expanse of rolling fields and steeped in ancient history, our luxury country estate stands as a haven of refined elegance, inviting guests to explore acres of captivating gardens, meandering pathways, and enriching exhibitions - accessible 364 days a year for our members. Our hotel extends a warm welcome, offering a home-away-from-home experience where impeccable service flourishes in an ambiance of unassuming sophistication. Beyond the estate, the Newt's essence remains tangible, with our Ecommerce teams delivering our finest products to homes, while media and membership endeavours keep them informed of our latest developments. Behind the scenes, a tapestry of talented teams - from Housekeeping to HR, Finance to Farming - collaborates harmoniously, crafting an unforgettable journey of growth, development, and innovation, where every contribution creates unparalleled experiences.

INDURG