Senior Sous Chef

Package Description

In return for your commitment and hard work, you will be rewarded with an attractive salary, plus access to our extensive benefits package, which includes:

• Contributory pension scheme of up to 6%
• 20 days holiday (FTE) – including bank holidays – rising to 23 days after 3 years
• A buy and sell holiday scheme of up to 3 days (FTE)
• Volunteering days via our charity partner STOP HUNGER
• Numerous voluntary benefits, including dental care, gym discounts, retail / hospitality, and many more

We're all about building a workplace for the future, we believe in equal opportunities, and we celebrate diversity. We’re an inclusive workplace, where everyone is welcome, everyone can be natural, and be the best versions of themselves. We recognise that we’re on a journey with regards to diversity and inclusion and would therefore welcome applications for candidates from underrepresented backgrounds.

Job Introduction

We have a fantastic new opportunity for an experienced Fine Dining Chef to join our first-class team at the prestigious Ascot Racecourse.

In this diverse role, you will be able to use your creative skill set and imagination to work collaboratively as part of some of the best culinary experts in the sector! 

We strive to be trend leaders and continuously work to develop and improve the Fine Dining food proposition, ensuring that our offer remains Market Leading and consumer  relevant. This is your opportunity to be innovative, supporting menu design, product specification and lead on Menu tastings for our prestigious restaurants.

You will be part of a small, experienced culinary team but be able to lead a large Raceday Casual Brigade to ensure consistency and quality are at the heart of everything we do. 

You will have experience in Fine Dining Food Production, have a passionate interest in developing  innovative dishes and have knowledge of current trends.

This is a fantastic permanent position with opportunities for further career progression within a global organisation. It would suit a pro-active individual looking to further develop your career within the Events industry, offering exposure to large scale events and the wider Sodexo business.

Main Responsibilities

• To lead the culinary Fine Dining team for all Racedays and key event dates, having the ability to scale up to meet the demands of the busier race meetings, where we can expect 70,000 guests on site per day 
• Plan and design menus with the guidance of the Executive Head Chef
• Support Retail, Boxes and Conference and Events business throughout the year
• Support our Major Events business and attend Sodexo sites to support key events
• To ensure consistency of both Client and Customer feedback 
• Ensure menu specifications  are  detailed,  costed  and  delivered  to  a consistent  standard,  meeting the   Company standards and the contract specification
• Ensure compliance to all statutory regulations relating to safe systems of work, Health & Safety, and Food Safety, adhering to best practice principles
• Ensure all allergen management is compliant
• Coach, train and develop the culinary team, including casual workers, to ensure the Ascot standards are always maintained
• Ensure exceptional audit scores are achieved across the Fine Dining restaurants
• Ensure labour costs and food costs are controlled within agreed parameters

The Ideal Candidate

• Previous Sous Chef  or Head Chef in a high-end operation
• Experience in the delivery of Fine Dining food operations, 3 Years Minimum as a culinary lead
• Central Production Kitchen knowledge and experience
• Food Safety Level 2 as a minimum
• Ability to lead by example
• Experience of coaching and training others
• Understanding of menu costing and budget control, gained through previous experience
• Passion to innovate
• Excellent verbal communication skills
• Flexible and adaptable to manage peaks and troughs

About The Company

In the UK and Ireland, Sodexo employs around 30,000 people, and partners with clients in many sectors across business and industry; schools and universities; sports and leisure; energy and resources; government and agencies; healthcare; justice and defence.

Sodexo’s connected; people-centric approach brings together a diverse range of expertise. The breadth of services it offers ranges from food and hospitality; cleaning; reception; concierge (Circles); security; property management and technical services through to data driven workplace strategy and design (Wx); employee engagement and recognition services (Sodexo Engage) and personal home services through Prestige Nursing + Care and the Good Care Group.

Vital Spaces is Sodexo’s value proposition that puts people at the heart of everything we do, bringing together services and solutions and focusing on the productivity and wellbeing of people wherever they are.

Sodexo is committed to being an inclusive employer; we welcome and encourage applications from people with a diverse variety of experiences, backgrounds and identities.

We’re a Disability Confident Leader employer. We’re committed to changing attitudes towards disability, and making sure disabled people have the chance to fulfil their aspirations.

We are building on our support to the Armed Forces community through the development of specific pathways within our recruitment process to  support ex-forces personnel and reservists, those applying for jobs with us who meet the ideal candidate criteria for the role advertised are guaranteed to progress to the selection process