Café Chef

Job Role: Café Chef

Location: Canary Wharf, London

Salary: £42,000

Shift Pattern: Monday-Friday

Houston & Hawkes are looking for a talented, enthusiastic and experienced Café Chef to join our team in Canary Wharf, London. As the Café Chef, you will take the lead role in the kitchen, ensuring the smooth running of all café food production. You will be responsible for creating fresh, high-quality salads, sandwiches and canapés with exceptional presentation and consistency. This is a fantastic opportunity for a chef who enjoys creativity, quality ingredients and daytime hours. We will support your development and help you build a career to be proud of.

Duties:

• Leading the daily operations of the café kitchen.

• Preparing fresh salads, sandwiches, canapés and light café dishes to a consistently high standard.

• Contributing ideas for seasonal dishes and new café items.

• Ensuring all ingredients are fresh, correctly stored and rotated.

• Maintaining excellent presentation, flavour and quality across all food.

• Managing dietary requirements and allergen information accurately.

• Keeping the kitchen clean, organised and compliant with food safety standards.

• Supporting, guiding and motivating kitchen colleagues when needed.

• Managing stock, ordering and kitchen organisation.

• Demonstrating ongoing personal development and professionalism.

Requirements:

• Experience in a café, deli or contract catering environment.

• A genuine passion for fresh, beautifully presented café-style food.

• Confidence in running a kitchen independently.

• Excellent organisational skills and the ability to work efficiently during busy periods.

• A positive, proactive and self-motivated attitude.

• NVQ / chef qualification or equivalent experience preferred.

• Strong communication skills, professionalism and reliability.

Benefits:

• Free meals at work

• Contributory pension scheme

• Free access to the Employee Assistance Programme • Life assurance at two times salary • Annual company Christmas and summer parties • Uniform provided • 23 days holiday plus bank holidays • Recognition schemes and people awards • Enhanced family-friendly policies • Birthday day off • Referral bonuses • Training and development opportunities, including chef masterclasses

Who We Are:

Houston & Hawkes is a young and dynamic independent caterer based in the South East. We are proud to be an award-winning company, ranked among the top hospitality employers, and a certified B Corp. We create memorable experiences through vibrant, creative and sustainable food. We operate coffee bars, staff restaurants and delis tailored to our clients' needs, with a commitment to responsible sourcing, great British produce and investing in our talented teams.

Join Houston & Hawkes and lead a kitchen that values creativity, quality and professional growth.