Sous Chef - Mountbatten

Job Posted: 19 March 2026

• Contract Term: Permanent
• Location: Newport, Isle of Wight
• Contract Type: Part time
• Salary: £19,906.25 per annum (£25,740.84 FTE)
• Industries: Catering, Hospitality & Bar

With access to our award-winning garden, alongside a welcoming indoor space, our spacious and popular Sunflower cafe is lovely place to relax.

We are looking for an experienced Sous Chef to come and join our warm and friendly catering team, serving up Sunday lunches, afternoon teas, freshly-made cakes and a variety of hot and cold dishes. We also host events and groups.

You will be responsible for the preparation, cooking and serving of quality, seasonal food in a contemporary style, providing clean and hygienic food service and food preparation areas throughout the site.

You will work in the kitchen preparing food for the café and inpatient unit, ensuring patients, families and other customers receive excellent customer service, with an understanding of their specific needs in an end of life / palliative care hospice environment.

*29 hours a week - contracted hours to be worked on a shift rota basis, to include every third weekend*

Overall duties

• To develop and plan menus that are in line with hospice and customer expectations, specifically tailoring menus to the needs of patients receiving care at the hospice.
• To produce food in a timely manner to ensure smooth service to all customers.
• To oversee the Catering Assistant(s) on duty, ensuring they are directed in completing required tasks and providing supervisory support and guidance as required.
• To ensure all appropriate ingredients are available for the menus and where necessary take action to source ingredients being mindful of available budget.
• To assist in the developing and producing new services styles and food concepts.
• To communicate with relevant parties, including the catering and clinical teams, all requirements for and changes to planned menus.
• Maintain all standards of quality, food hygiene and health and safety under the guidance of the Head Chef and Manager.
• On occasions responsible for some aspects of food service to customers and provide high standards of customer service.
• To work on a shift basis as required by the business.
• To attend training courses and attend Hospice meetings as required.

Food Production

• To prepare and, where necessary, serve all food to the highest standard and in line with the hospice style and in a timely fashion
• To complete duties in the kitchen and service areas that are necessary to ensure an efficient, hygienic service is provided.
• To oversee and ensure the transport all food items from the delivery area to kitchen storerooms and to kitchen preparation areas as required.
• To oversee the Catering Assistant including:
• Directing them in the preparation of food.
• Ensuring the cleaning of kitchen floors, walls, waste bins, hot plates, kitchen equipment, canopies, delivery areas, storerooms, walk in fridges, and all other areas as necessary to ensure that the kitchen and service areas are hygienic.
• Ensure they clean, wash, dry and polish all kitchen equipment and service items by hand or machine in an efficient manner
• Ensure they carry out the correct disposal and recycling of all rubbish.
• Use equipment carefully to avoid breakage.
• To check all stock against delivery orders and ensure correct items and correct quantity are delivered.
• To monitor all stock brought into site and ensure it is stored appropriately to minimise waste and loss.
• Assist in monthly stock-takes as directed.

Health & Safety

• To understand and comply with Hospice and statutory health, hygiene and safety, quality standards including COSHH and HACCP ensuring all tasks are carried out in accordance these standards in all areas of the site.
• To carry out equipment and food temperature readings as directed and ensure they are recorded appropriately and daily where required.
• To ensure all food is labelled and dated in fridges and freezers
• Wear the correct uniform and safety shoes as directed and maintain uniform items appropriately.
• To support in ensuring all deliveries are received, inspected and checked off correctly and put away and stored correctly.
• To decant all food items in delivery area and store in the appropriate containers to reduce the chance of cross contamination. All food items to be stored in line with company and health and safety regulations.
• Use and store all chemicals appropriately in line with standards.
• Report any equipment and/or building fabric faults and any hygiene, health and safety hazard to the Head Chef, Assistant / Deputy Catering Manager or Head of Catering.

Customer Service

• To maintain a professional and friendly image with patients, families and all customers.
• Work effectively with all colleagues including clinical staff to ensure excellent customer service.
• Attend to customer needs in a polite and helpful manner providing assistance where necessary and tailoring service where possible to meet patient / customer needs.
• To assist with the service of food as required and accurately handle cash sales.

~~~Full Job Description and Person Spec is attached~~~