Role: Senior Sous Chef - Chinese Cuisine
Location: Heathrow with some International Travel
Salary: £50,000- £55,000
Hours: Full time
A strong emphasis on the preparation and understanding of Regional Chinese & Asian cuisine as well as working knowledge of Western cuisines.
Senior Sous chef will be allocated account(s) and be responsible for understanding the culinary needs of their customers and subsequently delivering them, both from a menu development perspective but equally as importantly ensuring our operational kitchens have the know how to deliver the menus consistently and to the standards set.
In addition the role will work with Procurement on dedicated category’s to drive range improvement and consolidation to deliver good, better best in each category.
What you will be doing:
Work with customer and sales/commercial team to understand customer requirements fully
Develop dishes and products that match customer brief, commercial constraints and development strategy
Constantly look to innovate and be creative in your development ideas across a wide range of cuisines
Prepare customer menu presentations with assistance of development team to meet presentation deadlines in the UK and culinary support in other company based stations ex UK
Lead Menu Presentations to Customers and assist National Accounts Executive Chef with high profile Menu Presentations incorporating Regional Chinese & Asian cuisine
Explain kitchen/production concepts in ‘layman’ terms to customers and chefs
Lead in-house presentations to unit Chefs on new products and new methods of production
Work with commercial team on menu specifications post-presentation to ensure accuracy and consistency of data
Develop plating guides for presentation Assist with transitioning presentation dishes into mainstream production
Review and constantly improve recipes and production methodology Input innovative and create ideas to the development strategy
Support with in-house hospitality for client entertaining – write menus, produce shopping list, produce menu items, liaise with hospitality team
Champion global food trends in the business
Work on various projects as directed e.g. new concepts
Ensure all costs are contained within agreed financial guidelines and maintain and monitor working practices, systems and processes to meet schedules.
Ensuring that all recipes are communicated effectively and as appropriate provide information to the Commercial department
Responding positively to cost and production implications of new customer specifications. In liaison with Procurement develop core range as allocated to deliver good, better and best in each category.
Ensure the quality of the raw product is in line with expectations of category and that suppliers are fully aware of requirements.
Professional culinary qualifications
e.g. 706/1, 706/2 & 706/3 or diploma/degree level Previous product development experience in a manufacturing environment or similar is essential
Must have experience of working in various types of culinary outlets including fine dining and international
This is a customer facing role, so you will need to be good at building rapport and creating long-term business relationships
You will need to be confident in presenting to a group and taking the lead role You must have excellent product presentation skills
You will need to be enthusiastic with a ‘can do’ attitude to producing a quality product within tight deadlines
Outstanding understanding of food values and food quality with an understanding of chemical/molecular balances in foods It is important that you are able to adapt to meet the customers’ needs whilst still operating within the company constraints
Must be able to deliver to deadlines
You will need to be flexible about your working hours to meet customer requirements
Able to work at other UK locations as necessary for presentations Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build relationships with internal departments and external customers
You will be expected to keep up to date with food trends via social media, attending food festivals etc.
Bring your knowledge of modern restaurant/ food concepts and new kitchen technology into the traditional airline catering operations
Benefits:
Canteen
Company events
Company pension
Employee mentoring programme
Free or subsidised travel
Free parking
Gym membership
Health & wellbeing programme
On-site parking
Private medical insurance
Sick pay
Experience:
Sous Chef: 2 years (required)
Indian or Asian cuisine: 2 years (required)
Licence/Certification:
Driving Licence (preferred)
Work authorisation:
United Kingdom (required)
Willingness to travel:
25% (required)