Heritage Venues is an award-winning event management and catering company looking for an enthusiastic and experienced Senior Sous Chef to join the team. This key role is based at Lillibrooke Manor & Barns in Cox Green near Maidenhead and Stanlake Park Wine Estate in Twyford. Both venues are highly successful exclusive hire weddings and events venues. The company’s culture reflects highest levels of customer service and professionalism, at the same time offering a stimulating, friendly and fun working environment.
You’ll be part of a team producing high end banqueting for weddings and large corporate events, and bespoke menus for parties, proms, summer BBQs etc for up to 170 people. Requirements can vary from early morning breakfasts and Day Delegate lunches, to lavish wedding breakfasts followed by relaxed evening suppers. You will have a passion for food, demonstrate a flair for presentation and produce consistent delivery.
Reporting directly to the Head Chef, you will have the opportunity to contribute to menu development and presentation, and to continually advance your career with us in line with ambitious growth plans for the business. You will lead shifts and take full control/responsibility for the kitchen where the Head Chef is not present.
All roles are necessarily fluid and may not strictly fit traditional roles of larger establishments. All job descriptions are therefore sufficiently detailed to provide clarity on duties and responsibilities, but with the overriding requirement that flexibility and team work are essential for smooth operation and delivery. For all roles, this includes ‘low level’ activities required from time to time to ensure health and hygiene standards are continually met, and delivery unimpeded. Observation, forward planning, proactivity, good communication and team work are essential requirements of all roles.
Who are we looking for?
- An experienced high level Sous Chef looking to progress their career in a growing organisation
- Experience of the wedding and/or corporate events industries would be ideal
- A fast learner, with strong attention to detail
- Considerable experience of high quality, high volume food prep and service
- An infectious passion for food, keeping abreast of trends and sharing your knowledge and experience with the team
- Ability and enthusiasm for mentoring and developing junior team members, keen observation and oversight, leading by example in all respects
- Strong planning, great communication and interpersonal skills, in-depth knowledge and faultless application of food hygiene, health & safety and record keeping are essentials
What can we offer you?
- Competitive salary in line with experience
- Hours in line with booked events
- Overtime plus TIL for Bank Holiday working
- 28 day’s holiday (inc Bank Holidays)
- Contributory workplace pension scheme
- Company bonus scheme
- There is currently no staff accommodation on site
Probationary Period:
A 3 month probationary period will be undertaken. Experience and qualifications are acknowledged, but it is important that company-specific standards, methods and procedures are trained in, consistently met, and modelled to junior staff. During this time, suitability for the role will be formally reviewed.
Duties & Responsibilities:
- Work cooperatively with the chefs in the preparation, cooking and delivery of menus and events.
- Consistently produce high quality plates to the required specification
- Lead kitchen team in chefs’ absence
- Place orders as instructed by the Head Chef
- Enforce strict health and hygiene standards, including correct uniform, PPE, personal hygiene standards, and cleaning regimes at all times
- Enforce strict food safety and health & safety standards, in line with the company’s policies and legal requirements, including allergens, COSHH, kitchen Risk Assessments, general food handling/ preparation/storage, temperature checks & recording, cleaning procedures & recording (list is not exhaustive). Contribute to rolling review of these systems, in line with feedback and personal observation to ensure best practice and legal compliance at all times
- Oversee and organize kitchen stock and ingredients, including stock management and rotation
- Supervise all food preparation and delivery to meet Regulations and required company standards
- Ensure a first-in, first-out food rotation system and verify all food products are properly dated, labelled and organised for quality assurance
- Ensure that all stock is kept under optimum conditions. Verify that food storage units meet standards and are consistently well-managed
- Ensure that all mise-en-place is always freshly prepared and date labelled
- Ensure that all dishes are being prepared to the correct recipe and quantity
- Contribute to rolling review of food presentation, providing creative input and implementation to ensure highest possible visual standards are consistently achieved
- Ensure that your section / work area is kept clean and tidy at all times
- Ensure that any anticipated shortages are communicated promptly to the Head Chef, and/or ordered as appropriate
- Optimise your own and others’ cooking process with attention to speed, safety and quality
- Work with existing systems to monitor and improve waste reduction
Company and Team
- Work with head chef to maintain day to day kitchen organization, admin, stock takes, etc
- Contribute to strategy discussions, decisions and implementation with the MD and head chef to help shape the company’s future and enhanced reputation
- Interface with the operations team to ensure smooth delivery of events and prior planning. Interface with the wider company to become an integral part of the team, and with clients to promote the company’s culture of excellent customer service
- Contribute to a strong team ethic both within the kitchen and the wider team
- Provide training and guidance to junior kitchen staff members, including, but not limited to, line cooking, food preparation, dish plating, food hygiene and record keeping. Contribute to PDPs as agreed with the head chef
- Actively participate in your own ongoing development and PDP objectives, identify your own training and development needs
- Help to maintain a climate of smooth and friendly cooperation, contribute to finding solutions if problems occur, ensure that all staff are treated fairly and with courtesy
- Act as a role model at all times
- Escalate any issues or concerns to the head chef and/or MD as appropriate, with H&S and food hygiene being urgent priorities
- Any other duties as required
Requirements:
- A minimum of 4 years’ proven experience, level 3 Food Handling
- Detailed knowledge of allergens and close attention to detail in delivery and briefing to junior staff, Event Manager and waiting team
- Excellent communication skills
- First rate culinary skills. Excellent use of various cooking methods, ingredients, equipment, processes
- Ability to multitask and work efficiently under pressure
- Ability and enthusiasm to learn, and to share your knowledge with others
- Basic computer skills for email, file retrieval, printing. Knowledge of Word (menus) and Xcel (schedules, rotas etc) preferred
- Competencies: Client First; Persuasive & Effective Communication (verbal and written); Resilience; Goal Focus; Leadership; Team Working; Self Appraisal and Development; Planning & Organising
Physical Demands of the Role:
While carrying out the duties of Senior Sous Chef, the employee is regularly required to talk, hear, stand, sit, use hands to finger to handle or feel, reach with hands and arms, stoop, kneel or crouch. The employee must occasionally lift or handle loads of up to 25Kg. Specific vision abilities required of the role are for close and distance vision.
