Sous Chef

Job Title

Sous Chef - Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh, 20A Inverleith Row, Edinburgh, Scotland, EH3 5LR

Location & Working Conditions

Edinburgh 40 hour week Up to £35,000 per annum plus Sodexo Benefits Closing Date: 09/07/2026

Job Introduction

We are seeking an experienced Sous Chef to support the Head Chef in delivering high quality catering across RBGE's cafés, restaurants, mobile units and events.

The successful candidate will bring experience in both retail café and plated service environments, ensuring excellent food standards, compliance, sustainability, team development and cost control. This hands on role requires creativity, strong operational skills and a genuine passion for food within a unique visitor attraction setting.

Heritage Portfolio, founded in Edinburgh in 2002, is known for outstanding catering, events and in house café services across leading UK venues. Guided by our mantra, "building a business to be proud of", we remain committed to creating memorable experiences that go beyond remarkable food.

What You'll Do

• Assist in controlling kitchen labour budgets in line with agreed structure and business levels.
• Ensure all H&S and Food Safety is up to date and accurate, annually updating all HACCP plans for kitchen areas.
• Identify organic growth opportunities through innovation and new initiatives across the retail and event food offerings.
• Work with Head of Operations and Head Chef to set and agree overall annual budgets with finance and develop unit business plans and local area plans which link to the overall site strategy.
• Recruit, induct, motivate, manage, train and develop all employees.
• Lead excellence in performance through coaching and drive a greater understanding of technical competence versus behavioural capability.

What You Bring

• Previous experience at Sous Chef level in a similar operation.
• Menu development, planning, rotations incorporating seasonality.
• Ability to plan and cost a menu accurately.
• Chef leadership and management experience.
• Excellent culinary skills with a flair for innovation and creativity.
• Valid Level 3 food hygiene certificate.
• Excellent spoken and written English.
• Strong organizational skills.
• Strong leadership skills.
• High standards of personal presentation.
• Use of budgeting and menu planning tools.
• Advanced Food Hygiene.

Benefits

Working with Sodexo is more than a job; it's a chance to be part of something greater. You'll belong in a company and team that values you, act with purpose and have an impact through your everyday actions; and you'll be able to thrive in your own way. In addition, we also offer a range of resources, rewards and benefits for our colleagues and their families:

• Unlimited access to an online platform offering mental health and wellbeing support.
• Employee Assistance Programme to help with everyday issues or larger problems where you may need additional support, including legal and financial advice, support with work related issues or personal issues such as bereavement.
• Access to a free health and wellbeing app that provides rewards for maintaining a healthy lifestyle and includes access to a 24 hour virtual GP and various other services.
• The Sodexo Discounts Scheme, offering great deals 24/7 (also open to friends and family) and/or the prepayment cashback card.
• Money Insights and financial benefits via the Salary Finance Platform.
• Save for your future by becoming a member of the Sodexo Retirement Plan.
• A Death in Service benefit for colleagues who pass away whilst employed by Sodexo.
• Opportunities to enable colleagues to grow and succeed throughout their career at Sodexo, including a variety of learning and development tools.
• Cycle to Work Scheme to help colleagues to do their bit for the environment whilst keeping fit.
• Volunteering Opportunities to enable all colleagues to help support worthwhile causes in our communities.
• Flexible and dynamic work environment.
• Competitive compensation.
• Full training and full protective uniform supplied.

Ready to be part of something greater? Apply today! Career progression for the caring profession.

Sodexo reserves the right to close this advertisement early if we are in receipt of a high volume of applications.

At Sodexo, our purpose is to create a better every day for everyone to build a better life for all. As the global leader in services that improve the Quality of Life, we operate in 55 countries, serving over 100 million consumers each day through our unique combination of On Site Food and FM Services, Benefits & Rewards Services and Personal & Home Services. We are committed to being an inclusive employer.

We welcome and encourage applications from people with a diverse variety of experiences, backgrounds and identities. We are a disability confident employer and committed to changing attitudes towards disability and ensuring disabled people have the chance to fulfil their aspirations.