Sous Chef – Live Events

Sous Chef, Manchester (M1 3HU)

Please note: The candidate must currently reside in the UK and be able to work in the UK without sponsorship.

Yes Chef! At Convene we are all about bringing people together, to create unforgettable moments and events that leave our guests talking about us for not just weeks but in years to come. Our chefs and Sous Chefs are the true driving force in our kitchens that make our events stand out from the rest, creating incredible dishes that leave our clients and their guests wanting more every time. 

Understanding that the Chef world is challenging, fun, and hard work our Sous Chefs usually work on a Monday-Friday basis on a 40 hour contract (it’s almost too good to be true right!? We even close for Christmas). 

We’re Here For You: 

Health and Wellness

• Private medical insurance
• Subsidised eye care
• Subsidised fitness membership
• Employee Assistance Program: well-being support and personal advice programme

Time Off and Work-Life Balance

• 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays, and company sick pay
• Financial Support and Benefits
• Bonus scheme
• Interest-free loan for rail season tickets & further education
• Subsidised bicycle purchase through Cycle to Work scheme

Professional Development and Recognition

• Continuous professional and personal development support
• Employee recognition and reward programs to mark achievements and milestones

Community and Impact

• Opportunities to volunteer, donate, and participate in community give-back initiatives
• The opportunity to have a significant impact on your team and the business in the work that you do

What You’ll Do:

All things food: 

• Ensure the prompt service of all meals and services at the required times to the companies standards and to the delegates satisfaction
• Under the instruction of the Head Chef, be responsible for the preparation & presentation of the food needed for consumption in the restaurant, and be available at service periods
• Assist the chef with the planning and costing of all menus as required
• To ensure that the methods of preparation and presentation comply with the current recognised catering standards under the guidance of the Head Chef 
• To prepare and assist at special functions which may fall outside normal working hours

Looking after our people:

• Assist the Head Chef in effectively managing all members of the back of house food service team on a day to day basis, implementing training and development programmes
• In the Head Chefs absence to have weekly team meetings to discuss past and future week and any operational and staffing issues
• Manage and support any performance management issues with the team and after consultation with the general manager take appropriate action
• Prepare the weekly staff rota & fill out timesheets 
• Ensure high standards of appearance are maintained within the catering department

Operational and Customer Service 

• Order any food and beverages needed to ensure the smooth running of the day to day running of the Food and beverage department
• Liaising with the facilities supervisor to order any disposable & cleaning items needed to ensure the smooth running of the food and beverage department
• Ensure that all the waiting staff are familiar with the daily menu including content and explanation, ensuring that a de-brief takes place before each daily service and portion control is monitored
• To ensure any client requests and comments are responded to promptly and reported to the Venue Senior Management Team.
• Serving on hot counters to ensure that the catering standards are met and are running in accordance with the booking schedule and all clients requirements are met and exceeded
• To liaise in advance with the events team to determine the forthcoming weeks events, numbers and specific catering and operational requirements to support the smooth running of all events
• To conduct quality and standards checks each morning around the catering area
• To have presence in all restaurant areas to ensure that the catering standards are met and are running in accordance with the booking schedule and all clients requirements are met and exceeded
• To ensure a high level of service from the food service team at all times

Financial 

• To become familiar with the venue budget, forecast and business plans, providing input in relation to the catering department. Work with the head chef to ensure that all food and beverage expenses are kept in line with the budget and flexed for forecast, whilst maintaining a consistently high quality product and standardsIn the head chefs absence to ensure full administration of all invoices, inputting all information onto the food & non food purchase record sheet and sending to accounts for processing
• To work alongside the front of house team to ensure that there is effective stock rotation system within the department and reconciliation takes place on a weekly basis
• To ensure stock levels are maintained to an adequate standard to support the needs of the department and venue at all times
• In the head chefs absence provide the General Manager with the relevant monthly information required relating to stock and purchasing for the Food and Beverage department
• In the head chefs absence control the staff budget for temporary staff within the back of house food services team and ensure all overtime payments are preauthorised by the General Manager

What We Look For: 

• Experience managing and developing kitchen teams 
• To carry out any reasonable management requests including duty management shifts 
• Ability to build good working relationships with all other areas of the venue team
• To support the venue team including assisting with client events that may fall outside of normal working hours and weekends 
• Attend any company events/training as requested by the senior management team

Convene is committed to building an inclusive and diverse workforce. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and welcome people from all backgrounds, experiences, abilities and perspectives. 

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