Berry Bros. & Rudd is more than 300 years old, but we never stand still. As the world’s best and most trusted fine wine and spirits merchant, we are committed to helping our customers drink better, now and in the future. A career at Berry Bros. & Rudd is a unique and rewarding experience, combining the rich background of centuries of history with a modern family-owned culture, built on ambitious plans and with people at its heart.

The job in a nutshell

The Senior Sous Chef will lead a section in the preparation, cooking and presentation of food to the highest standards for our social, corporate, ticketed and internal events and experiences at No. 3 St. James’s Street, supporting the Head Chef who designs dishes to bring out the best in every bottle opened in our cellars. 

You will be part of a team which helps to deliver outstanding experiences in our historic spaces.  Your role will include assisting with the smooth running of our kitchens, with direction from more senior members of the kitchen brigade, working in a clean, tidy, safe, and pleasant environment.

Who you will work with

Internal:  Chefs, Events and Experiences, Operations, Cellars, Finance, temporary staff.

External: Our customers and suppliers.

What you will do

• Oversee the day-to-day running of a section, to deliver high quality food standards for our first-class events and experiences.
• In charge of daily ordering for the pastry section with an overview of items for the whole kitchen. Assist with the management of all food items and ensure compliance with current legislation.
• In charge of the production of quality daily and seasonal changing dishes and menus, implementing head chef’s menu ethos and ideas and bringing the dishes to life.
• Ensure consistency of food quality, presentation, and plating; all prepared to serve in a timely manner.
• Keep recipes in good order and updated as necessary: work to agreed recipes and ensure other junior chefs and temporary staff work in the same way.
• Support with the designing of the seasonal and bespoke menus.
• Training and developing junior members of the team whether they be full time or agency.
• Prevent waste of food of any kind and over-production to mis-en-place. Keep food ordering to a minimum. Help minimise the consumption of gas, electricity, and water.
• Help develop staff (permanent or temporary) in achieving consistently high standards of food production and cleanliness in the workplace and encourage a continual improvement process.
• Ensure you, and any staff you are responsible for, follow the rules and guidelines set by the company regarding - hygiene, stock rotation, dating, storage, temperature control of refrigerators, pest control, reporting of faulty equipment, reporting of notifiable diseases/accidents, and reporting of absence.
• Ensure all responsible cleaning, tidying and welfare of the kitchen and surrounding areas is carried out effectively and to a high-quality standard.
• Ensure the use, issue and care of all cleaning materials and equipment is controlled to maximum benefit, whilst considering health and safety regulations.
• Consult with the Head Chef where clarity is needed, or where there may be issues of concern, and comply with requirements regarding the workplace including internal procedures. Attend chef team and company briefings as required.
• Attend relevant meetings arranged in the interests of the business and our customers.
• Undertake any other duty and responsibility consistent with the role.

What you will bring to the role

The Person

Your Skills, Knowledge, Experience and Qualifications

• Formal culinary training/qualification.
• Strong pastry skills
• Professional experience from fine dining establishments, Michelin Star or 2 AA Rosette preferred.
• Strong knowledge of, and interest in, European and British cooking.
• Ability to work with fine ingredients and prepare dishes from scratch.
• Clear communication skills.
• Able to work consistently well under pressure in a busy kitchen environment.
• Able to undertake a physically demanding role in hot conditions.
• Able to work positively within a team and with confidence to delegate tasks to relevant members of the kitchen brigade if and when required.
• A flexible approach to working hours, according to events timetable and kitchen rota.
• Excellent understanding of, and compliance with, Food Hygiene standards, and willingness to undertake relevant training.

We support our colleagues with a wide range of benefits: you will start with 24 days' holiday, and 3 additional days over the Christmas period and 1 Personal Day, Private Medical cover & Health plan, Life Insurance, Pension, Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), generous Employee discount (up to 40% off products), and many more. 

Closing Date: 19th September 2025

N.B. We reserve the right to close a vacancy before the closing date in the event of an overwhelming response or a change in business priorities.