Job Description

Company Description
Title: Sous Chef
Location: Elmhurst Ballet School, 249 Bristol Rd, Birmingham
Salary: 15.80ph
Hours: 40 hours per week, 44 weeks per year (220 working days)
Schedule: 5 out of 7 including evenings and weekends
Benefits:

• 28 days holiday
• 3 volunteering days
• 3 days grandparent leave
• 24 week's enhanced maternity leave
• Bespoke training and development opportunities
• Pension and life insurance
• Discounts available on our Perkbox app; high street shops, holidays & cinema
• Wellbeing hub
• Access to employee assistance programme
• Free meals whilst at work
• Career development opportunities
• HIT Apprenticeships for all experience levels

We have an exciting opportunity for a Sous Chef to join our dynamic catering team at Elmhurst Ballet School, one of the most prestigious independent schools in the UK. As Senior Sous Chef, you will play a key role in leading kitchen operations, creating exceptional meals, and supporting a team committed to providing nutritious and inspiring food for students and staff.
Elmhurst Ballet School, affiliated with the Birmingham Royal Ballet, offers a world-class environment with state-of-the-art facilities, including a 220-seat theatre, seven dance studios, and boarding for 169 students. This role gives you the opportunity to contribute to the holistic well-being of talented young dancers through outstanding culinary experiences.
This is a unique opportunity to bring your culinary expertise to an inspiring educational setting while enjoying a structured schedule and the chance to make a meaningful impact. If you are an innovative chef who thrives in a collaborative and supportive environment, we'd love to hear from you!

• Assist the Head Chef in managing daily kitchen operations, ensuring high standards of food quality and safety.
• Lead and motivate a team of chefs, providing guidance, support, and training to maintain operational excellence.
• Create balanced, innovative menus that cater to diverse dietary needs and enhance energy and well-being.
• Oversee food preparation and service for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and hospitality events.
• Maintain inventory, monitor costs, and ensure compliance with health and safety regulations.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in a senior kitchen role, ideally as a Sous Chef or Senior Sous Chef, in a high-volume catering environment.
• Culinary qualification (e.g., NVQ Level 3 or equivalent) and advanced knowledge of food safety practices.
• Strong leadership and organisational skills with the ability to inspire and manage a team.
• Creativity and passion for delivering exceptional dining experiences.
• Flexibility to work evenings and weekends as required, with a focus on work-life balance.

Additional Information
Holroyd Howe is one of the UK's leading contract caterers, providing fresh innovative food services solely to independent schools and colleges. We are a team of experienced professionals who tailor our catering service provision specifically to suit children of all ages in order to meet the bespoke requirements of each school.
To provide our teams with the right skills to succeed in their jobs, we invest in their training and development. Our exceptional teams of seasoned specialists customise our catering services to fit children of all ages and satisfy the unique needs of our clients.
We pride ourselves on:
Sustainability
Sustainability is at the heart of our thinking; always mindful of the ethics of our sourcing and how we prepare our meals.
Nutrition
We take nutrition seriously and understand the impact a healthy diet has on the fundamental years of development. Meals are always freshly prepared from scratch and packed with nutritious ingredients.
Food Innovation
We offer a wide portfolio of training opportunities and experiences, which attracts chefs who are passionate about culinary excellence and menu innovation to our team.
From tasting tables, theme days and food theatre, to chef demonstrations and supplier showcases, we create engaging and fun dining experiences for our students. We work together to make mealtimes exploratory, quirky, and fun for our pupils, helping them build strong and healthy relationships with food.
Holroyd Howe is an equal opportunities employer. We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expect all employees to share this commitment. All roles within Holroyd Howe involve regulated activity. It is a criminal offence for individuals barred from working with children to apply for such roles. An Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, including a Barred List check will be required for all successful applicants. Shortlisted applicants will be asked to provide information about relevant criminal offences and will be subject to an online search of publicly available information. This search helps identify any issues that may affect suitability to work with children.
This appointment is offered on the return of satisfactory professional references.
IND1

Skills Required