Sous Chef

Houston & Hawkes| 25 Farringdon Street, London |£40,000 per annum | Monday to Friday

A standout opportunity for a passionate, creative chef who wants to do exceptional work — without giving up their weekends.

Houston & Hawkes are looking for a talented Sous Chef to join our team at our Farringdon site, working within a busy staff restaurant that also delivers hospitality services. This is a varied, hands-on role covering a wide range of cookery styles — from hot dishes and soups to a fresh salad bar and grab-and-go offer — where quality, consistency and care are non-negotiable.

We don’t do ordinary. We push for exceptional food and exceptional standards — every single service. If that’s the environment you want to work in, and you’re ready to bring your skills and ambition to a kitchen that will truly back you, this is the role for you.

£40,000 per annum. Monday to Friday. No weekends. Just great food.

THE ROLE

Working closely with the Head Chef, you will help lead the kitchen across a varied and high-quality operation — driving standards, supporting the team and deputising confidently when needed.

• Supporting the Head Chef in the day-to-day running of a staff restaurant and hospitality operation
• Delivering a varied menu of hot dishes, soups, salad bar and grab-and-go with consistency and quality
• Deputising for the Head Chef in their absence and taking full ownership of the kitchen
• Maintaining exceptional food safety, hygiene and allergen management standards at all times
• Keeping thorough, accurate due diligence and safety records — always audit-ready
• Managing prep, production and service across multiple menu formats with precision
• Supporting with stock management, ordering and waste control
• Coaching and developing junior chefs and helping to build a strong kitchen culture

ABOUT YOU

You’re a versatile, well-rounded chef with a strong technical foundation and the confidence to lead. You take food safety as seriously as you take your food — and you’re ready to step up and own a kitchen.

• Proven experience as a Sous Chef or strong Senior Chef de Partie ready to step up — essential
• Sound allergen management knowledge and food safety expertise — essential
• Experience across a variety of cookery styles and cuisines — hot dishes, soups, salads and grab-and-go
• Confident deputising for a Head Chef and managing a kitchen independently
• Meticulous with due diligence, safety records and compliance documentation
• A calm, organised approach to busy service and changing priorities
• A team player who leads by example and brings the best out of those around them
• A genuine passion for great food and the Houston & Hawkes standard of excellence

WHAT WE OFFER

• £40,000 per annum
• Monday to Friday — no weekends
• Free meals at work every day
• Contributory pension, life assurance (2× salary) and Employee Assistance Programme
• Enhanced family-friendly benefits and a day off on your birthday
• Membership of CODE Hospitality
• Company events, recognition schemes and people awards