Job Ref: VIR1859
Branch: Virgin Hotels Edinburgh
Location: Virgin Hotels Edinburgh
Salary/Benefits: Competitive Salary + TRONC + Great Virgin Perks and Benefits!
Contract type: Permanent
Hours: Full Time
Hours per week: 40 hrs per week
Posted date: 04/09/2026
Closing date: 16/10/2026
Your mission:
As Sous Chef, you'll play an important role in supporting the delivery of our food offering while helping to develop and motivate a talented kitchen team.
You'll work closely with the Head Chef, Kitchen Manager, and the wider hotel leadership team to ensure exceptional food quality, smooth kitchen operations, and memorable guest experiences across everything from daily restaurant service and VIP dining to weddings, conferences, and special events.
This is a hands-on role where you'll be visible in the kitchen, supporting service, coaching junior team members, and helping maintain high standards across the operation.
The Details:
Team Leadership Development
Great food starts with great people. You will be responsible for helping to build and develop a highly engaged, motivated and skilled kitchen brigade by:
- Supporting and motivating chefs at all levels during service and preparation.
- Helping to build a collaborative and supportive team culture.
- Assisting with the onboarding and training of new team members.
- Coaching and developing junior chefs to build confidence and skills.
- Conducting regular check-ins and providing constructive feedback where appropriate.
- Ensuring kitchen teams consistently follow company policies, procedures and legal requirements.
- Encouraging continuous improvement and high performance across the brigade.
- Supporting labour planning and productivity within budgeted targets.
- Helping identify development opportunities and supporting internal progression.
- Contributing to an environment where people feel valued, respected and supported.
Food Menu Development
- Support the delivery and evolution of menus across our Scottish Brasserie, Italian restaurant, breakfast operation, room service and events business.
- Contribute ideas that enhance the guest experience and support commercial success.
- Assist with managing food costs, margins and waste levels, ensuring strong financial performance while maintaining quality.
- Work collaboratively with the Head Chef and Kitchen Manager to ensure operational procedures support both compliance and efficiency.
- Support the delivery of all food safety, health safety and hygiene standards across the kitchen.
- Contribute to audits and inspections, maintaining high standards at all times.
- Assist with stock control, ordering and wastage management to maximise profitability.
- Use guest feedback and operational insights to identify opportunities for improvement.
- Stay up to date with food trends and guest preferences.
- Champion seasonal produce and local suppliers where possible.
- Ensure consistency, quality and presentation standards across all outlets.
- Support the delivery of special menus, promotions and event catering.
- Help drive the continued success and development of our Italian restaurant concept.
- Balance creativity and innovation with operational excellence to deliver consistent results.
Service Operations
- Support the delivery of services across multiple outlets and event operations.
- Maintain a strong presence in the kitchen during busy service periods.
- Assist with the delivery of pop-up food activations, helping create engaging culinary experiences that enhance brand awareness and guest satisfaction.
- Work closely with front-of-house teams to deliver seamless guest experiences.
- Support the delivery of culinary masterclasses and guest engagement activities where required.
- Ensure consistently high food quality and presentation standards.
- Ensure all service periods are executed consistently to hotel standards.
- Champion a guest-first culture across the culinary team.
- Step into leadership responsibilities in the absence of the Head Chef when required.
Who we are
Nestled in the heart of Edinburgh’s Old Town, Virgin Hotels Edinburgh is a lifestyle destination that seamlessly blends historic architecture with contemporary design, offering 222 stylish guest rooms and suites.
The hotel is home to a diverse and dynamic food and beverage operation, including Commons Club, our flagship Scottish Brasserie and landmark cocktail bar, the vibrant Italian-inspired Eve, and the iconic Oculus Lounge.
With multiple kitchens, concepts and service styles under one roof, the culinary team delivers exceptional experiences for hotel guests, locals and visitors alike.
Virgin Hotels Edinburgh also boasts an impressive meetings and events offering, including the stunning Greyfriars Hall, a beautifully restored former church, alongside a variety of flexible event and private dining spaces.
From intimate gatherings and corporate events to large-scale celebrations and weddings, the hotel hosts a diverse year-round events calendar.
This is a fast-paced, high-profile operation where creativity, quality and memorable guest experiences are at the heart of everything we do.
As Sous Chef, you will play a key role in supporting the Head Chef and leading by example across multiple outlets, helping deliver culinary excellence throughout one of Edinburgh's most exciting hospitality destinations.
Experience
What we are looking for
- Previous experience as a Sous Chef, Junior Sous Chef looking for the next step.
- Experience working within quality-driven restaurants and hotel environments.
- A good understanding of food costs, kitchen efficiencies and stock management.
- An understanding of food safety, compliance and kitchen best practice, with the ability to work collaboratively with the Head Chef and Kitchen Manager to maintain exceptional operational standards.
- We are particularly interested in chefs with experience preparing Italian dishes, working with fresh seasonal ingredients and a passion for authentic, high-quality food.
- A desire to further develop within a larger, more complex operation with multiple food outlets.
- Passion for developing skills and supporting the growth of junior team members.
- Strong organisational and communication skills.
- Commercial awareness and an understanding of food cost control.
- A hands-on approach and commitment to delivering outstanding guest experiences.
- The energy and ambition to grow within a dynamic hotel environment.
Essentials
- The right to work in the UK.
- A recognised professional cookery qualification.
- A minimum of 2 years' experience in a supervisory kitchen role, such as Sous Chef or Junior Sous Chef.
- Experience working within a high-volume restaurant or hotel environment.
- Strong understanding of food safety, HACCP principles and kitchen compliance requirements.
- Experience supporting kitchen teams, training junior chefs and maintaining high operational standards.
- Working knowledge of food cost control, stock management and kitchen operations.
- Ability to perform effectively in a fast-paced, multi-outlet operation.
- Excellent communication and organisational skills.
- Flexibility to work evenings, weekends and peak trading periods as required.
Why Join Us?
This is an ideal opportunity for a Junior Sous Chef or ambitious Chef de Partie looking to take the next step in their career within a large-scale hotel environment. It would also suit an experienced Sous Chef seeking exposure to a diverse, multi-outlet operation while continuing to develop their leadership skills.
Working alongside an experienced Head Chef, Kitchen Manager and supportive leadership team, you'll have the opportunity to develop your culinary and leadership capabilities across a broad food and beverage operation while making a real impact on our guest experience.
Our hotel is home to a vibrant Scottish Brasserie, a highly regarded Italian restaurant, welcoming bars, a busy breakfast operation, room service and a thriving meetings, events and private dining business. No two days are the same, and you'll gain valuable experience supporting teams and delivering quality across multiple outlets.
This role offers a fantastic opportunity to develop your career within a large-scale hotel operation while working alongside experienced hospitality leaders who will support your continued growth and development.
Package and benefits:
- Competitive salary, based on experience
- TRONC
- 28 days paid holiday per year, inclusive of public holidays, with an additional day for each year’s service up to 31 days
- Additional day off for your birthday
- Management Health Cash Plan
- Workplace Pension Scheme
- 4x your salary in Life assurance
- Company sick pay scheme
- Enhanced Family Friendly Policies, including Maternity and Paternity
- Teammate discount on Food Beverage
- Discounted Room Rates
- Employee Assistance Program
- Access to the on-site gym
- Free meal when you are on duty
- Learning Development opportunities, including professional accreditations
- Regular product knowledge training sessions
- Lots of teammate events and socials throughout the year
- Access to Virgin Family, which contains various Virgin group discounts and treats!
- Joining a great team being part of Virgin Hotels worldwide!
We believe that our team should be reflective of the world. We welcome all, regardless of race, ethnicity, country of origin, sexual orientation, gender, disability, spiritual beliefs or any other component of identity. Virgin Hotels celebrates diversity and welcomes teammates from all backgrounds. We are proud to be an inclusive and Equal Opportunity Employer.
REDEFINING LUXURY HOTELS IN EDINBURGH
DISCOVER YOUR PLACE IN THE CITY
Think you know what Scottish luxury looks like? Think again. Situated in the historic India Buildings, Virgin Hotels Edinburgh is reimagining the Old Town, marrying its iconic Victorian architecture with distinctive, contemporary design. Inside the hotel, you’ll experience a world that revolves around you – from our signature chamber design to numerous drinking, dining and entertainment options that you’ll never want to leave. When you do venture out, you’ll find Edinburgh’s top attractions in walking distance. Fancy a stroll around Edinburgh Castle? Easy – it’s only 4 minutes away. Want to snap Victoria Street for your Insta? No sweat, it’s on your doorstep. Buckle up, we put you so close to history it’s basically time travel.
