Sous Chef – Prestigious Independent School Hammersmith, West London £41,000 – £43,000 per annum Permanent | Full-Time | Monday–Friday An excellent opportunity has arisen for an experienced Sous Chef to join the in-house catering team at a prestigious independent secondary school in West London. This is a senior, hands-on position working closely with the Executive Head Chef and supporting the day-to-day running of a high-quality school kitchen. The catering operation provides fresh lunches for approximately 825 pupils and 250+ staff, alongside private lunches, canapé receptions, dinners and other school functions. This would suit an experienced Sous Chef, Chef Manager or Head Chef who enjoys producing high-quality fresh food but is looking for a role offering a much better work-life balance than traditional hospitality. The Role As Sous Chef, you will act as second-in-command to the Executive Head Chef and help oversee a kitchen team consisting of chefs and kitchen porters. Your responsibilities will include: * Supporting and deputising for the Executive Head Chef * Leading the kitchen team during daily food production and service * Supervising food preparation, cooking and presentation * Maintaining consistently high standards of fresh food and presentation * Assisting with menu planning and development * Managing stock levels, ordering, rotation and waste * Supporting food-cost and budget control * Training, mentoring and supporting junior members of the kitchen team * Ensuring full compliance with HACCP, COSHH, food hygiene and allergen procedures * Liaising with the front-of-house team to ensure smooth service * Supporting catering for private lunches, canapé receptions, dinners and school events About You We are looking for an experienced chef with strong kitchen leadership experience who is comfortable remaining hands-on. You should ideally have: * Significant experience as a Sous Chef, Head Chef or Chef Manager * Previous experience supervising or managing a kitchen team * A recognised professional chef/cookery qualification * Food Safety/Hygiene qualification – ideally Level 3 * Strong knowledge of HACCP, allergens and kitchen compliance * Experience with ordering, stock control and food-cost management * Experience producing fresh food to a consistently high standard * Confidence deputising for a Head or Executive Chef * Good communication and organisational skills Previous experience within an independent school, education catering or another high-quality institutional catering environment would be a strong advantage, particularly where you have also catered for functions and events. Working Hours Term time – approximately 36 weeks: Monday–Friday, 7:00am–4:00pm School holidays – approximately 16 weeks: Monday–Friday, 8:00am–2:30pm There is a 30-minute unpaid lunch break. There are occasional evening or weekend school events. Time off in lieu is available for some larger/weekend events. Benefits * £41,000–£43,000 salary, depending on experience * Permanent, 52-week contract * Monday–Friday working * Significantly reduced hours during school holidays * 25 days' annual leave plus bank holidays * Free lunch, tea and coffee * Contributory pension * Excellent work-life balance compared with traditional hotel and restaurant kitchens * Opportunity to join a highly regarded independent school catering operation Annual leave must generally be taken during school holiday periods