This is a premium, multi-site operation delivering restaurant dining, private dining and large-scale events. Events range from 25-cover private dining to 400-guest standing receptions, including bowl food, finger food and seated dinners for 100–200 guests. Brigade size varies depending on the event, from small teams of three chefs and a KP for intimate functions, to a larger brigade for high-volume events. You will work closely with the Executive Chef to ensure exceptional food quality across restaurants, events and the production kitchen. This role is hands-on and event-led, requiring strong leadership, organisation and the ability to perform under pressure. You will run and execute events, support planning and logistics, and lead event kitchen teams from preparation through to service and breakdown.

Requirements

• Proven experience as a Head Chef in a premium or high-volume environment
• Experience across events, multiple outlets or production kitchens (highly desirable)
• Strong leadership skills with confidence managing temporary or varied brigades
• Comfortable with flexible schedules and event-led operations
• Able to perform under pressure across high-volume, multi-service environments
• Strong knowledge of modern British, European or premium cuisine concepts
• Excellent understanding of food safety and compliance
• Passion for quality, consistency and guest experience

Responsibilities

• This position involves managing a team of 12-15 including sous chef, chef de parties and kitchen porters
• To prepare and oversee all preparation of food to the highest standard
• To produce food in a timely fashion to ensure smooth service to the customers
• To ensure that all appropriate ingredients are available for the menus
• To develop and plan menus that are in line with client and customer expectations
• To be creative when menu planning and including the client and customers
• Pride yourself on food quality and hygiene standard
• Overall responsibility for managing the kitchen team
• Provide feedback and coaching on performance
• To ensure that the kitchen team have completed up to date COSSH and Food Hygiene training

Benefits

• Personal Development and Training opportunities
• Life assurance scheme
• Pension scheme
• Holiday allowance
• Access to Healthcare Support App which includes Annual health check, Digital GP, Mental Health Consultations, Nutritional Consultations, Second Medical Opinion
• Eye care
• A great wellbeing strategy – including access to our Employee Assistance Programme, salary finance
• Family friendly support
• Regular social events and communication with our leaders
• A holiday purchase scheme
• Volunteering days
• Professional subscriptions
• Recognition schemes and people awards
• Long service awards
• Access to some great high street discount vouchers

Application Process If you are an ambitious Sous Chef looking to take the next step in a complex, premium operation with real scope for growth, we would love to hear from you.

About Company of Cooks We are Company of Cooks, and we believe brilliant food and drink starts with brilliant people. For over 25 years, we’ve been part of some of the UK’s most loved cultural destinations, from historic palaces and botanical gardens to buzzing galleries and performance spaces, running the cafés, restaurants, bars and events that bring these incredible places to life. Our values - Craft, Creativity and Community - guide everything we do. They shape how we work together, how we support our partners, and how we make each guest feel welcome. If you care about food, people and doing things properly, you’ll feel right at home here. Wherever we are, we do more than serve. We bring places to life through food, service and creativity.

Contact Salary: £55,000 - £60,000 per annum Working Pattern: 5 over 7 days, 40 hours per week, Client-led scheduling - Earliest: ~6:00–7:00 (breakfast events) / Latest: ~23:30–00:00 finish