Chef de Partie

Are you ready to take the next step in your culinary career? Do you thrive in a fast-paced kitchen where creativity, collaboration, and quality are at the heart of everything you do?

Birkbeck, University of London, is looking for a passionate and skilled Chef de Partie to join our dynamic kitchen team. In this role, you’ll play a key part in delivering exceptional food and service across our outlets, working closely with the Head Chef and Sous Chef to ensure every dish meets our high standards.

You’ll be responsible for leading junior kitchen team members, supporting day-to-day food production, and stepping up to deputise for the Sous Chef when needed. This is a fantastic opportunity to develop your leadership skills and contribute to the continuous improvement of our food offer — from presentation and quality to sustainability and innovation.

This post is offered on a full-time (35 hours a week), permanent contract, with a salary of £31,234 rising to £34,827 per year, and some of the most generous benefits in the higher education sector.

What you’ll be doing:

• Preparing, cooking, and presenting dishes to agreed standards.
• Supporting the Head Chef in the smooth running of the kitchen.
• Leading and mentoring junior team members, offering on-the-job training and guidance.
• Managing stock, placing orders, and ensuring food safety and hygiene standards are met.
• Collaborating with front-of-house teams to deliver a seamless service experience.

What we’re looking for:

• A team player with proven experience in a professional kitchen environment.
• Someone who takes pride in their work and is committed to high standards of food quality and safety.
• A proactive problem-solver who can take initiative and make experience-led decisions.
• A strong communicator who thrives in a collaborative environment.

This role offers the chance to grow within a supportive team, contribute to exciting developments in our food and beverage offer, and make a real impact on the student and staff experience.

Ready to bring your skills to the table? Apply now and be part of something delicious.

Salary and benefits: £31,234 rising to £34,827 per year which is Grade 4 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: A permanent contract, full-time (35 hours a week) working 5 of 7 days a week mainly Monday - Friday but some weekends with notice, in Bloomsbury, Euston, London. Please submit an application form for consideration. Closing date: Friday, 22 August 2025. Interview date: Thursday, 28 August 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, membership of WISE, operating Disability Confident & Mindful Employer schemes.

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