Sous Chef

About the roleAs a Sous Chef you will join our dynamic kitchen team and work closely with the Head Chef to oversee the daily operations of our kitchen and ensure the consistent delivery of high-quality culinary experiences across our diverse range of food outlets.

Leveraging your culinary expertise and leadership skills, you will play a key role in menu development, crafting innovative and exceptional dishes that delight our customers. You will also be responsible for mentoring and developing our Chef de Partie, fostering a culture of excellence and teamwork within the kitchen.

• Salary -  £28,500 - £42,000 come the 1st April 2025 Due to the expected start date. For 40 hours per week, this will be prorated to £29,800 - £44,800.

• Contract Type - Permanent.

• Working pattern/Flexible working - 40 hours per week, a mix of shifts including Earlest start 06:00, Lastest 21:00. These will be over 5 days. Including weekends on a rota basis.

• Location - This role is based at Leckford Abbas in Hampshire. As Leckford offers a variety of dining and food options to our guests, you will need to be flexible to work across areas including Longstock House, Leckford lodges and the Abbas. 

• Accommodation - live-in room only is available.

Key Responsibilities

• Inventory management, ensuring optimal stock levels while minimising waste through efficient practices.

• Collaborate with the Head Chef on all aspects of kitchen management, including menu planning, food preparation, presentation, and maintaining the highest standards of hygiene and food safety. 

• Proven track record of culinary excellence, strong leadership abilities, and a passion for delivering exceptional food.

• Creative and ambitious chef with a commitment to quality and a desire to make a significant contribution to our culinary team.

Essential skills/experience you’ll need

• Commercial awareness.

• Excellent leadership, influencing, and coaching abilities

• Understanding of HACCP. 

• Ability to interpret and enforce food safety Policy and health and safety regulations.

• Commercial awareness and a strong understanding of the business side of the kitchen.

• Food Safety Level 3 certification.

• NVQ Level 2 in Professional Cookery or equivalent.

• Extensive experience working in a professional kitchen.

Desirable skills/experience you may have

• Competent in IT systems and able to use standard software

• Good communication skills

Important Information - Application and Interview Process 

• Once you've submitted an application the next steps of the process, if successful, will include a one to one interview (and a technical cooking task)

About The Partnership

We’re the largest employee owned business in the UK and home of our cherished brands, John Lewis and Waitrose. We’re not just employees, we’re Partners, driven by our purpose to build a happier world. As we look to our future, there’s never been a more exciting time to join us.

We’re ruthlessly focused on being brilliant at retail. We continue to innovate, adapt and diversify. Never Knowingly Undersold on price, quality and service in John Lewis and passionately serving food-lovers in Waitrose.

As Partners we all share the responsibility of ownership and in its rewards. We use our voices to contribute to our success, working together through the good and challenging times, holding true to our behaviours and treating everyone with kindness and respect.

We all own making the Partnership somewhere we belong. Embracing our differences and creating an environment where we’re free to be ourselves and can THRIVE. Growing ourselves individually, and as a collective.

As Partners, we make all the difference. And, we all own it.

Important points to note:

It’s important to note that some of our roles are subject to pre-employment vetting. If required, you’ll find out more about vetting throughout the recruitment process and we encourage you to complete any vetting documents quickly to avoid delays.

We also recommend that you apply as soon as possible as vacancies can close early if we see a high number of applicants.

We want all of our Partners to have a good work-life balance and we support flexible working. This might mean flexible or compressed hours, job sharing or shorter hour contracts, where possible. Please discuss this further with the hiring manager during your interview.