Sous Chef

It's using your expertise to deliver the highest standards.

It's developing your leadership skills. And it’s helping to deliver extraordinary service. This is what makes a career at the Royal Household so different.

Joining our highly accomplished team, you’ll work hands-on with your colleagues to deliver food to the highest standards. Working with quality ingredients and making the most of locally sourced and seasonal produce, you'll plan and develop menu items for a wide range of events and occasions.

Although based at Buckingham Palace, after an initial induction period you’ll also work at different Royal residences throughout the year.

We endeavour to ensure that members of our kitchen team have a well-balanced rota, which includes some shifts during sociable hours and set weekends off.

Key Responsibilities

• Collaborate closely with the Head Chef and kitchen team to ensure seamless operations and the highest standards of service quality.
• Support the Head Chef with ordering, stock control and menu planning, making suggestions for new or improved items.
• Assist with and supervise the preparation and production of food for a range of events and requirements on a daily basis.
• Train, inspire and supervise junior chefs, developing their skills in a range of cooking and preparation techniques across all sections of the kitchen.
• Ensure that correct procedures are followed according to health and hygiene regulations.

• With a City and Guilds catering qualification (or equivalent), you’ll also have extensive experience working in a 5-star/premier catering operation, and recent expertise at a Junior Sous or Sous Chef level.

• Proficiency across all kitchen sections: Larder, Veg, Sauce, and Pastry, showcasing your versatility and skill.
• Exemplify strong leadership abilities, with a knack for inspiring, coaching and encouraging junior team members.
• Well organised, you can plan and delegate effectively.
• With a sound understanding of health and safety requirements you ensure a safe and hygienic kitchen environment.
• With good communication skills, you can build great working relationships with colleagues and stakeholders across the organisation.
• Able to thrive in a fast-paced environment, where every day presents new challenges and opportunities for culinary innovation.
• Above all, you’ll exhibit an unwavering commitment to service excellence, making you an invaluable asset to our esteemed Kitchen team.

We know that to deliver our best work; we need to feel at our best. That’s why at the Royal Household we offer a generous benefits package designed to support your wellbeing and life priorities.

Enjoy 25 days annual leave, rising to 30 days (plus bank holidays) dependent on the length of time you have worked for us.

Our excellent non-contributory pension plan (we’ll contribute 15% and you can contribute more if you wish) is highly valued by our employees, as is complimentary lunch on-site to keep you fuelled throughout the day.

Flexible and hybrid working varies across different roles, and we’ll discuss the options available to you that will suit both your job requirements and individual preferences.

We also offer a range of leave options to support your life priorities, such as parental pay and leave and volunteering days, as well as benefits to support your physical and mental wellbeing.

Other perks include 20% off at our Royal Collection Trust Shops and complimentary admission tickets across all our locations, along with many more exclusive employee discounts.

Find out more about the full range of benefits available to our employees here.