Senior / Sous Chef - New Opening
2 months ago
£38000–£45000 yearly
Full-time
London
Full-time - London Fields / Mare Street, East London About the role We are building a new kind of hospitality space in Hackney. A curated kitchen and bar programme where chefs, bartenders and collaborators take over the space for short residencies, events and experiences. The concept is designed to constantly evolve, with a changing calendar of pop ups, dinners, tastings, private hires and social events. We are looking for a Sous Chef to help lead the kitchen and food programme day to day. This is not a traditional Sous Chef role. The right person will help run the kitchen during our in-house food programme while also working closely alongside a rotating line-up of chefs and collaborators during residencies and events. This is an exciting opportunity to be part of opening a new concept from the ground up while learning from different personalities, styles and approaches across the industry. The role will work in close partnership with our Group Head Chef to shape and execute the food offering outside of collaborations, while helping maintain consistency, standards and operational excellence across a constantly evolving programme. This role will be central to the identity and rhythm of the space. We are looking for someone who is organised, ambitious, adaptable and genuinely excited by food, hospitality and creative collaboration. About the space The venue is an intimate, industrial kitchen and bar in Mare Street, with a large open kitchen and counter seating at its heart. It is designed as a platform for rotating chefs, drinks-led experiences and social hospitality. The space is curated and operated by us. While the concepts may change, the guest experience, standards and overall feel of the venue remain consistent. The Sous Chef will play a key role in protecting those standards while helping the kitchen remain flexible, creative and well executed. What you’ll be responsible for Kitchen operations and service • Support the day-to-day running of the kitchen and lead services when required, • Work closely with the Group Head Chef to deliver the venue’s core food programme outside of collaborations and residencies, • Take ownership of kitchen organisation, prep systems, cleanliness and service flow, • Help ensure consistency, quality and strong execution across changing menus and concepts, • Support the setup and operational execution of guest chef residencies, takeovers and collaborative events, • Maintain calm and effective communication during busy services and fast-paced event nights Collaborations and events • Work alongside visiting chefs and collaborators during residencies and events, • Help support transitions between different kitchen concepts, menus and styles of service, • Assist with kitchen setup, prep coordination and operational readiness for events and takeovers, • Help ensure collaborators are supported operationally while maintaining the standards of the venue, • Contribute ideas and feedback to improve the overall guest and kitchen experience across the programme Team leadership and development • Support and mentor junior kitchen team members, • Help coach and develop a positive, accountable and professional kitchen culture, • Lead by example during prep and service with strong standards and attention to detail, • Support training and onboarding as the team grows Health, safety and compliance • Take ownership of kitchen health and safety standards, • Ensure the kitchen consistently operates in line with food safety and hygiene requirements, • Maintain strong systems around cleanliness, storage, labelling and HACCP procedures, • Help monitor stock rotation, wastage and kitchen organisation to maintain efficient operations, • Identify operational risks early and proactively solve problems before they affect service What we’re looking for We are looking for someone with strong kitchen fundamentals who is excited by the idea of helping build something new and working in a constantly evolving environment. You likely have: • Experience working as a Sous Chef or strong Junior Sous Chef in a quality-led restaurant, • Confidence running kitchen services and supporting day-to-day operations, • Strong understanding of kitchen organisation, prep systems and food safety, • Experience mentoring or supporting junior chefs, • A calm, solutions-focused approach during busy services, • Strong communication and organisational skills, • An interest in modern hospitality, collaborations and creative food concepts We think you’ll thrive if you are: • Excited by learning from different chefs and styles of cooking, • Comfortable working in a venue where things evolve regularly, • Adaptable, organised and proactive, • Passionate about hospitality and guest experience, • Motivated by helping build a kitchen and concept from the ground up, • Interested in being part of a creative and collaborative environment Ideal profile This role could suit someone who has worked as: • a Sous Chef looking for a more creative and varied environment, • a Junior Sous Chef ready to step into a broader leadership role, • someone excited by being part of opening and shaping a new venue from the beginning Other details • Full-time role based in Mare Street, East London, • Evening and weekend availability required, • Salary: £38,000 to £45,000 including tronc, • Opportunity to help shape a new hospitality concept from the ground up, • As the business continues to grow, there will also be opportunities for development and progression into more senior kitchen leadership roles across the wider group. About us We’re the team behind Crudo and Tiny Wine, two independent hospitality concepts we’ve built in London over the past few years. Crudo opened in 2019 and has grown into a group of restaurants built around modern Latin American food, strong atmosphere and warm, energetic service. Tiny Wine came out of our love for smaller, more intimate drinking spaces, with a big focus on personality, curation and creating a place people genuinely want to spend time in. A big part of what we’ve learnt through both brands is that people come back for more than just the food or drinks. They come back for the feeling of the place, the team behind it, and the sense that something thoughtful is being built. Rocola Studio is the next step in that. It gives us the opportunity to create a more flexible space built around a changing programme of chefs, drinks, events and collaborations. A space that can evolve constantly, while still being run with a clear point of view and strong operational standards. We’re excited by the idea of building something that feels social, current and full of life. Somewhere guests want to return to regularly, and somewhere chefs and collaborators are genuinely excited to be part of.
