Sous Chef

Are you a passionate Sous Chef looking to take the next step in your culinary career? Join Birkbeck, University of London, and play a pivotal role in our dynamic kitchen team.

It's an exciting time to join us as we are on the look out for the right character to join our staff, and help shape our catering future. This is a full-time role, offered on a permanent contract, with a salary of £34,346 per year and rising. 

As Sous Chef, you will play a key role in supporting all areas of the kitchen operation to manage and deliver operational success, with the support of the senior catering management team including a Head Chef. 

 As a Sous Chef, you will:

• Oversee the junior kitchen team, ensuring quality control and adherence to safety procedures.
• Contribute to the improvement of food quality, presentation, and service delivery.
• Support the Head Chef in kitchen operations, including food orders, stock rotation, and waste reduction.
• Communicate effectively regarding wastage and production controls.
• Ensure food production meets agreed standards in the Head Chef's absence.

We are looking for a Sous Chef who has:

• Experience in high-volume food production and team leadership.
• Knowledge of product purchasing systems, and stock control. 
• A positive work ethic and willingness to learn in a busy kitchen.

This opportunity would build on experience as a Higher Education Sous Chef, Event Chef, or Contract Catering Sous Chef. 

We are developing a new brand and ethos that we can be proud of, and we need the right team to make this happen. So if you are the person to help us achieve these aspirations, then apply below - we look forward to hearing from you. 

Salary and benefits:

£34,346 rising to £38,443 per annum, Grade 5 of the College's London Pay Scale which includes a consolidated Weighting/Allowance that applies only to staff whose normal contractual place of work is in the London area. 

Benefits of working at Birkbeck: a competitive salary and pension scheme, 31 days paid leave, flexible working arrangements, generous benefits in the HE sector, and being located in the heart of Bloomsbury, Euston, London.

Contract:

Open-ended, permanent contract. Full-time (35 hours a week, mainly Mon-Fri). Please submit a CV and statement for consideration. Closing date: Sunday 6 July 2025; interview date: Tuesday 15 July 2025. 

Enquiries:

If you would like to know more about the role, please contact Ashley Prime, Head Chef, at a.prime@bbk.ac.uk.

If you have technical issues or difficulties using the recruitment portal, please contact jobs@bbk.ac.uk providing your name and the job reference number of the position. While we are happy to respond to all informal enquiries, only formal applications through the online system will be considered.

We welcome applicants from all sections of the community. The College is committed to improving the gender and cultural diversity of its workforce, holding an Athena SWAN award and operating Disability Confident & Mindful Employer schemes. 

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