Chef - Polanco - London

Polanco is a small, modern Mexican restaurant in the heart of Kensal Rise, known for its vibrant food, quality ingredients, warm atmosphere, and excellent reputation. We are looking for a versatile and passionate Chef to join our close-knit kitchen team. This is a hands-on role that combines food preparation, service, and general kitchen responsibilities, making it ideal for a chef who enjoys variety and takes pride in producing consistently high-quality food. The Role As a Chef at Polanco, you will play an important role in the day-to-day running of our kitchen. You will be involved in all aspects of the kitchen including prep, service, and general cleaning duties. Working closely with a small team to ensure high safety and food quality standards. Your responsibilities will include: • Preparing fresh ingredients and components to a consistently high standard., • Working efficiently during busy food service periods., • Cooking and plating dishes according to Polanco's recipes and presentation standards., • Maintaining excellent standards of food quality, consistency, and portion control., • Sharing all kitchen responsibilities amongst the small kitchen team, which may include cleaning, washing dishes, putting away deliveries etc., • Ensuring the kitchen is organised, clean, and fully prepared for service., • Following food hygiene, health & safety, and allergen procedures., • Supporting stock rotation, deliveries, storage, and kitchen organisation., • Contributing to menu preparation and development where appropriate., • Working collaboratively with the kitchen and front-of-house teams., • Taking responsibility for maintaining a professional and positive kitchen environment. What We're Looking For We are looking for someone who is: • An experienced and confident Chef with a genuine passion for food., • Comfortable working across both prep and service., • Reliable, organised, and able to work well under pressure., • A strong team player with a positive attitude., • Detail-oriented and committed to maintaining high standards., • Knowledgeable about food hygiene and kitchen safety., • Passionate about Mexican cuisine or excited to learn and develop their knowledge of it., • Able to work efficiently in a small, busy, quality-focused restaurant environment. Mexican cuisine experience is a bonus but not essential — enthusiasm, adaptability, and a strong work ethic are equally important to us. What We Offer • 28 days holiday., • £14-£16.50 per hour., • The opportunity to work in a respected, independent Mexican restaurant., • A friendly, supportive, and professional working environment., • The chance to develop your skills and knowledge of modern Mexican cuisine., • Staff meals. Join Our Team If you're a talented, hardworking Chef looking for a role where you can make a real contribution, develop your skills, and be part of a passionate team, we'd love to hear from you. To apply: Please send us your CV and a brief introduction telling us about your experience and why you'd like to join Polanco.

Our story Back in 2019 in Paris, two friends, Charles and Victor, opened a brasserie together - the kind of place Parisians disappear into for a 3 hour lunch. They called it La Nouvelle Garde: a promise to eat and drink the French way, done properly, 100% homemade, cooked from scratch from the highest quality seasonal ingredients. They served classic French dishes prepared with care, generosity and excellence in beautiful, relaxed spaces full of energy. Guests loved it! 🎉 So they opened another one, and then another one. Each with its own name, personality and story, but always with the same love for French food and hospitality. And 10 brasseries later, it was finally time to bring it to London. In July 2026 in Sloane Square, Brasserie Olivia was born. This is just the beginning of our London story, and we'd love you to help write the next chapter. The role As a Prep Chef, you'll help our kitchen team prepare fresh ingredients, making sure everything is ready for service. You'll work closely with the chefs to prepare vegetables, meat, fish, sauces and other ingredients, following our recipes and standards. You'll organise your prep, making sure everything is labelled, stored correctly and ready for the kitchen team when needed. You'll also keep your workspace clean and organised, follow food safety standards and help the team wherever needed. What you'll bring • You have previous experience working in a professional kitchen, ideally in a prep role., • You have good knife skills and understand basic food preparation techniques., • You're organised and comfortable following recipes and preparation instructions., • You understand food hygiene, safe storage and the importance of keeping your workspace clean., • You're comfortable being on your feet and active throughout your shift., • You communicate clearly and work well as part of a team., • You're reliable, flexible and happy to get involved wherever the team needs you. What we offer: • Average hourly pay: £14.50/hour (including Tronc)., • Full-time role, around 45 hours per week., • 50% discount across all Nouvelle Garde restaurants., • £350 referral bonus (T&Cs apply), • A freshly prepared staff meal on every shift (team breakfast and lunch), • Employee benefits platform (Hospitality Rewards), • Real opportunities for career progression as the business grows, with future restaurant openings already planned., • A supportive management team that values high standards, teamwork and continuous development. La Nouvelle Garde is an equal opportunities employer. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and are committed to creating an inclusive workplace where everyone can thrive. Please note you must have a right to work in the UK.

Kitchen Team Member — Ugly Dumpling Ugly Dumpling is an independent global fusion dumpling restaurant serving Far East-inspired classics alongside inventive favourites, including cheeseburger dumplings and mushroom and truffle dumplings. We welcome guests with vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and other dietary requirements. Responsibilities include: • Acting with integrity and honesty to support a successful and reputable business., • Following the company’s food safety, hygiene and health and safety procedures., • Washing dishes, utensils and kitchen equipment, and keeping work surfaces, floors and storage areas clean., • Preparing ingredients, including washing, peeling, chopping and portioning food., • Learning to prepare and cook our dishes under the guidance of experienced kitchen staff., • Cooking and presenting dishes according to company recipes, portion sizes and quality standards., • Following allergy and dietary instructions carefully, preventing cross-contamination and checking with a supervisor whenever unsure., • Labelling, dating and storing food correctly, rotating stock and reporting shortages., • Completing required food safety checks and records as instructed., • Supporting quick, efficient service through clear communication with kitchen and front-of-house colleagues., • Handling waste correctly and helping to reduce food waste., • Assisting with kitchen opening and closing duties and other reasonable tasks relevant to the role.

Junior Sous Chef Up to £19.00 per hour dependent on experience. At Caravan, we share a love of mighty fine coffee, hand crafted good food and friendly vibes. Since 2010, we have built our award-winning restaurants and roastery as well as investing time, money and resources into initiatives that have a positive impact on the world around us. We believe in pushing boundaries and challenging perceptions, championing people, community, diversity, inclusion and sustainability. We're thrilled to have the opportunity to invite a fun, talented, prolific Junior Sous Chef who knows how to support a team, and wants to share their passion for cuisine with their team & guests. We would love to hear from you if you're up for a new venture and a fresh start. It's an exciting time to join us as we're looking forward to expanding in the coming years, with new openings on the horizon To say thanks for choosing us, we also offer our Junior Sous Chef and all teams: • Free meals & drinks when working, • Dining discount when visiting with family & friends., • Coffee discount, • Mental health and well-being support, • Financial health education and support, • Leadership training and development, • Birthday & Anniversary Treat - on your birthday and on your work anniversary, you'll receive a Caravan voucher to spend in any of our restaurants, • Development and career progression, 80% of all our management roles are filled internally. What you'll be doing as a Caravan Junior Sous Chef: • You'll be serving up our 'well-travelled' food, which is inspired by flavours from our founders' native New Zealand, as well as their global travels., • Support the restaurant team with our 'Caravan of Love' customer experience, • You will work with your Senior Sous Chef to nurture and develop your team leading them from the front in every service., • You will be open to learning in order to develop your knowledge and skills and you'll take ownership of your role and your kitchen., • We work with Fourth, FnB and Harri so it would be great if you have experience with these systems, although we can always show you the ropes if you haven't. Caravan Values We live by 4 core values. We expect our Junior Sous Chef and all our teams to live, promote and role model these values at all times; 1. Caravan of Love, 2. No boundaries, 3. Well-travelled, 4. All welcome Sustainability • We expect our teams to support environmental stewardship targets and efficiency goals by following departmental environmental policies and monitoring own usage of vital resources such as energy, disposable goods, and food waste, to name a few. Diversity & Inclusion • All our teams must respect individual differences with regards to identity, national and cultural background, and level of experience in all interactions while at work, including with members of the public.

Senior Sous Chef Overall Earnings - From £46,000-£50,000 per year. At Caravan, we share a love of mighty fine coffee, good food and friendly vibes. Over the past 10 years, we have built our award-winning restaurants and roastery as well as investing time, money and resources into initiatives that have a positive impact on the world around us. We believe in pushing boundaries and challenging perceptions, championing people, community, diversity, inclusion and sustainability. We're thrilled to have the opportunity to invite a fun, talented, prolific Senior Sous Chef who knows how to lead, support & inspire a team, and who's passionate about cuisine and wants to share that passion with their team & guests. We would love to hear from you if you've got experience cooking fresh ingredients, managing a kitchen and you're up for a new venture. It's an exciting time to join us as we're looking forward to expanding in the coming years. To say thanks for choosing us, we also offer our Senior Sous Chef and all teams: • Free meals & drinks when working, • Dining discount when visiting with family & friends., • Coffee discount, • Bike to work scheme, • Mental health and well-being support, • Financial health education and support, • Leadership training and development, • Birthday & Anniversary Treat - on your birthday and on your work anniversary, you'll receive a Caravan voucher to spend in any of our restaurants, • Development and career progression, 80% of all our management roles are filled internally. What you'll be doing as a Caravan Senior Sous Chef: • You'll be serving up our 'well-travelled' food, which is inspired by flavours from our founders' native New Zealand, as well as their global travels., • Support the restaurant team with our 'Caravan of Love' customer experience, • You will work with your Head Chef to nurture and develop your team leading them from the front in every service., • You will be open to learning in order to develop your knowledge and skills and you'll take ownership of your role and your kitchen., • We work with Fourth, FnB and Harri so it would be great if you have experience with these systems, although we can always show you the ropes if you haven't. Caravan Values We live by 4 core values. We expect our Senior Sous Chef and all our teams to live, promote and role model these values at all times; 1. Caravan of Love, 2. No boundaries, 3. Well-travelled, 4. All welcome Sustainability • We expect our teams to support environmental stewardship targets and efficiency goals by following departmental environmental policies and monitoring own usage of vital resources such as energy, disposable goods, and food waste, to name a few. Diversity & Inclusion • All our teams must respect individual differences with regards to identity, national and cultural background, and level of experience in all interactions while at work, including with members of the public.

Our story Back in 2019 in Paris, two friends, Charles and Victor, opened a brasserie together - the kind of place Parisians disappear into for a 3-hour lunch. They called it La Nouvelle Garde: a promise to eat and drink the French way, done properly, 100% homemade, cooked from scratch from the highest quality seasonal ingredients. They served classic French dishes prepared with care, generosity and excellence in beautiful, relaxed spaces full of energy. Guests loved it! So they opened another one, and then another one. Each with its own name, personality and story, but always with the same love for French food and hospitality. And 10 brasseries later, it was finally time to bring it to London. In July 2026, in Sloane Square, Brasserie Olivia was born. This is just the beginning of our London story, and we'd love you to help write the next chapter. The role As a Sous Chef, you'll play a key role in leading our kitchen and BOH team. You'll be the right hand to the Head Chef, playing a key role in leading the day-to-day kitchen operation. You'll oversee every aspect of the kitchen, from service and team performance to stock, food cost, quality and standards. You'll lead by example, support the development of the team and ensure the kitchen operates efficiently, consistently and to the highest standard every day. What success looks like • You'll lead a well-organised kitchen where every service runs smoothly and every chef and KPs know what to do., • You'll ensure every dish is prepared, plated and served to the highest standard, every time., • You'll oversee all kitchen sections, ensuring consistency, quality and collaboration across the team., • You'll maintain exceptional food safety, cleanliness and operational standards throughout the kitchen., • You'll coach, develop and inspire your team, creating a positive culture where people can perform at their best., • You'll manage stock, deliveries and supplier relationships, ensuring the kitchen is organised and ready for service., • You'll minimise waste, protect food cost and contribute to the commercial performance of the business., • You'll work closely with the Head Chef to continuously improve the way the kitchen operates. What you'll bring • You're already working as a Sous Chef, or you're an experienced Junior Sous Chef ready for the next step., • You're confident leading a high-performing kitchen and supporting multiple sections at the same time., • You have strong leadership skills and know how to coach, motivate and develop a team., • You have excellent knowledge of food preparation, cooking techniques, food safety and kitchen operations., • You're organised, commercially aware and confident managing stock, food cost and kitchen performance., • You lead by example, communicate clearly and take pride in delivering exceptional food and an outstanding guest experience. What we offer: • Annual salary starting from £50,000 (including Tronc), • 48-hour contract, 5 working days and 2 days off, • 50% discount across all Nouvelle Garde restaurants., • A freshly prepared staff meal on every shift., • Employee benefits platform (Hospitality Rewards), • The opportunity to join a brand-new restaurant at the beginning of its journey and make a genuine impact from day one., • The chance to help shape a high-performing team and culture from the early stages., • Real opportunities for career progression as the business grows, with future restaurant openings already planned., • A supportive management team that values high standards, teamwork and continuous development., • The opportunity to work with the best UK suppliers and quality ingredients in a kitchen that prepares everything from scratch and takes pride in exceptional food. La Nouvelle Garde is an equal opportunities employer. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and are committed to creating an inclusive workplace where everyone can thrive. Please note you must have a right to work in the UK.

We are looking for a skilled and passionate Chef to join our friendly team at The Shell Seafood Restaurant. As a Chef, you will be responsible for preparing high-quality seafood dishes, ensuring an exceptional dining experience for our guests. Key responsibilities include: • Preparing and cooking a variety of exquisite seafood dishes., • Ensuring all food is prepared to the highest standards of taste and presentation., • Maintaining a clean, organized, and hygienic kitchen environment in compliance with food safety regulations., • Collaborating with other kitchen staff to ensure smooth service flow., • Contributing to menu development and seasonal specials. We are a small, independent establishment and value a positive and collaborative working atmosphere. If you have a passion for cuisine and seafood, and thrive in a friendly team setting, we encourage you to apply.