Sous Chef
- Lead, inspire, and mentor the kitchen team to ensure smooth service and high standards.
- Prepare fresh, seasonal dishes with a focus on nutrition and presentation for pupils, staff, and guests.
- Support a busy calendar of events and hospitality outside of term time, creating varied and exciting menus.
- Maintain excellent food safety, allergen management, and health and safety standards at all times.
- Manage stock control, ordering, and kitchen administration efficiently alongside the Head Chef.
- Work on a shift pattern (6:30 AM–2:30 PM or 11:00 AM–8:00 PM) and 1 in 3 weekends.
- NVQ Level 2 or 3 in Professional Cookery (or equivalent catering qualification).
- Level 2 Food Hygiene and Safety Certificate (minimum requirement).
- Strong background working as a Sous Chef or in a senior kitchen role, ideally within high-volume or education catering.
- Proven experience supporting events, banquets, or hospitality functions.
- Excellent understanding of allergen management, food safety, and health & safety compliance.
- Ability to work calmly under pressure and deliver consistently high standards.
- Strong organisational skills, with the ability to assist with stock control, ordering, and kitchen paperwork.
- A real passion for seasonal, fresh food and a creative, pro-active approach to menu development.
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 opportunity employer. We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expect all employees to share this commitment. All roles within Holroyd Howe are regarded as regulated activity, it is an offence to apply for a role in regulated activity if you are barred from working with children, therefore we will require an Enhanced DBS which includes a Barred List check for all successful applicants.We will also require shortlisted applicants to provide appropriate information regarding any criminal offences and shortlisted applicants will be subject to an online search of public available information on suitability to work with children.“
This appointment is offered on the return of satisfactory professional references.
IND1
Title: Head ChefLocation: Milton Abbey School, Blandford Forum
Salary: £35,000 per annum + benefits!
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 are looking for a talented and driven Sous Chef to support the Head Chef in delivering exceptional food services at Milton Abbey School, a prestigious co-educational independent school for students aged 13–18.
You'll be responsible for supporting day-to-day operations including breakfast, lunch, and supper service, working as part of a passionate and collaborative kitchen team. This is a fantastic opportunity for a chef who is passionate about fresh, seasonal food and thrives in a busy, creative environment.
- £35,000 per annum
- Shifts: Either 6:30 AM–2:30 PM or 11:00 AM–8:00 PM
- Working pattern: 5 out of 7 days, working 1 in 3 weekends
- Lots of events and hospitality during out-of-term periods, giving variety and the chance to showcase creativity.
If you are a committed Sous Chef looking for a rewarding and varied role within a beautiful countryside setting, we would love to hear from you!