Exec Sous Chef

Location: On-site in Knutsford, Cheshire, North-West England (not remote)

Fairmont Cheshire, The Mere is one of the North West’s most distinguished luxury destinations. Nestled in the heart of the Cheshire countryside and surrounded by a championship golf course, the resort combines Fairmont’s world-renowned elegance with the warmth and character of its local heritage. Renowned for exceptional service and attention to detail, Fairmont Cheshire, The Mere offers guests an indulgent escape featuring world-class spa experiences, exceptional dining, and outstanding leisure facilities. Whether visiting for relaxation, celebration, or business, Fairmont Cheshire, The Mere is dedicated to creating unforgettable moments and delivering the very best in 5-star luxury hospitality.

Your purpose will be:

The Executive Sous Chef provides strategic oversight and mentorship to the kitchen brigade, ensuring the flawless delivery of Fairmont’s luxury standards. This role balances culinary excellence with fiscal responsibility, driving profitability through data-led labor management, waste reduction, and sustainable sourcing. By upholding rigorous quality controls and HACCP protocols, the Executive Sous Chef ensures a world-class, "audit-ready" environment that transforms every meal into a memorable guest experience.

• Assign detailed duties to all culinary "Heartists," providing hands-on instruction to maintain Fairmont’s high standards of gourmet mastery while fostering a culture of mutual respect and professional empowerment.
• Ensure 100% adherence to Fairmont’s grooming and deportment standards, acting as a role model for the brigade to deliver a consistent, "special happens" guest experience.
• Partner with the Executive Chef to optimize food quantity and quality. Leverage AI-powered platforms like Orbisk and FoodSteps to track, measure, and aggressively reduce food waste in line with Accor’s 2026 sustainability targets.
• Collaborate with the Executive Chef on data-driven menu design and price adjustments, integrating hyper-local products and "A-rated" sustainable recipes to enhance profitability and guest engagement.
• Audit the sensory profile, temperature, and visual appeal of all dishes. Train the team on "culinary storytelling," enabling them to articulate the provenance and local connection of each dish to guests.
• Oversee the organized, clinical storage of all equipment and perishables, ensuring all areas are "audit-ready" and compliant with the highest HACCP and local health legislation standards.
• Prevent the use of contaminated products and strictly manage colleague wellness protocols to ensure that no person suffering from infection participates in food handling.
• Propose new recipes and 2026 culinary trends—such as plant-forward or hyper-local concepts—that improve food quality, lower environmental impact, and reduce food costs.
• Manage the maintenance of all kitchen equipment, coordinating with Engineering to ensure operational efficiency and the longevity of high-value assets.
• Enforce all safety, security, and loss control policies, ensuring every kitchen operation reflects Fairmont’s commitment to being a third-party eco-certified luxury leader. 

Please note that we believe in flexibility and multi-skilling, and you may be asked to do different tasks from time to time to enable us to meet the needs of our guests and colleagues.

• Proven experience in a Managerial role, ideally within a luxury or high‑volume environment.
• Qualification in Hospitality Management/Food & Beverage preferred
• Additional certification(s) in Food & Beverage will be an advantage
• Experienced in all aspects of restaurant and banquet service.
• Minimum 3 years of relevant experience in a similar capacity with proven records in delivering results
• Excellent reading, writing and oral proficiency in English language

What is in it for you?

• Exclusive Discounts:
  • Fairmont Cheshire, The Mere, Spa and Golf discount
  • Fairmont, Raffles, and Accor Hotels (friends and family rates are included)
  • 20% off food and beverage in on-site restaurants
• Colleague restaurant
• Being part of The Mere Team – our culture is unique!
• You will benefit from training and development opportunities
• Competitive salary and benefits including pension
• 28 days of holiday including public holidays
• 1-5 days service award based on length of service
• Special rates for Fairmont Cheshire, The Mere colleagues and their friends & family and discount across Accor hotels worldwide
• And last but not least you will get to work with a team of EXTRAORDINARY people