About the job

Job summary

We are looking for a Sous Chef to join our Catering & Retail Services Office at House of Lords. This is a position where you will be head of the Millbank House and River Restaurants’.

You will manage a busy, pressured, and demanding environment whilst demonstrating financial controls supporting the Department’s commitment to reduce costs, improve commercial viability and to promote a proficient and responsive hospitality service maintaining the highest levels of food & customer service.

On occasions you will be asked to support other outlets this will include fine dining, brasserie, staff dining restaurants.

This is an opportunity to work onsite at Parliament working Monday to Friday! This is an exciting opportunity for you to show passion through the dishes you create and will feel comfortable to work in a fast-paced environment.

Job description

You’ll be accountable:

• To manage your outlet so that all preparation, cooking of menu items are always to the highest standards, using knowledge of food trends, paring and technical skills and ensure kitchen team works to costings and pre-determined recipes.
• To develop and plan 6-week cycle menus with seasonal themed days monthly alongside interesting and balanced menus that are in line with customer expectations and the price set to achieve outlet targets.
• Fully responsible for the provision of seasonal food in a contemporary style in line with the food at highest standard and is of known provenance and where possible sourced locally in a timely fashion to ensure smooth service to our customers.
• To make sure there is a correct amount of stock held for the business needs, ordered from correct nominated suppliers as set out by Food & Beverage office, and to ensure that all appropriate ingredients are available for the menus being prepared, and where necessary identify shortages and instigate action to source ingredients.
• To have an excellent knowledge of H.A.C.C.P and C.O.S.H.H and to be able to support and manage both kitchen team and back of house service teams in all areas, making sure that all requirements of the departments food safety management are followed.
• To raise all supplier quality issues with the Procurement Department.
• To manage Millbank and River Restaurant’s food GP% on a monthly basics in line with our CRS, P&L, and cost all menus in accordance with outlets GP%, manage and monitor the performance of the outlet so that financial targets are met. This includes recording daily wastage and quantities sold, inter kitchen transfers, work with F&B office to produce daily/weekly food flash spends, weekly and monthly GP%.
• To analyse weekly sales mix and take remedial action to improve performance and to grow the business in your outlet through maximising uptake, spend per head and achievement of gross profit target.

Person specification

What we’re looking for:

• Experience working in fine dining establishments.
• Have a great knowledge of food costs and have a good understanding of food GP% and costing techniques so that profit margins are met. To design, plan and cost menu’s using a great knowledge of food seasons, food trends and food pairing.
• Great Planning and Organisation Skills.
• Strong communications and interpersonal skills, both written and oral, with the ability to build effective relationships and work successfully within a team.
• Whilst proven experience and ability are more important than technical qualifications, you will have formal chef qualifications up to level 2 (or equivalent) in Professional Cookery. You will also be fully qualified in all essential health and safety legislation including food safety to level 2 as a minimum requirement.

Benefits

Details of our employee benefits can be found at https://www.parliament.uk/mps-lords-and-offices/offices/lords/lordshro/employee-benefits/

What you’ll get in return:

• 30 days annual leave (increasing to 35 after one years’ service).
• Chef uniform for work. 
• Generous pension scheme. 
• Discounts from well-known brands and retailers.
• On the job training and support. 
• External learning and training Courses.  

Things you need to know

Selection process details

If you require any reasonable adjustments during the application process, please contact HLRecruitment@parliament.uk

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is counter-terrorist check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window). People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

Please note this Post is NOT regulated by the Civil Service Commission. The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.