Vegetarian Vegan jobs in London

Chef de Partie – Niche Restaurant, Angel

Full-time | Permanent

Come and cook somewhere a little different.

We're looking for a professionally trained Chef de Partie – or an ambitious, experienced Commis Chef ready to take the next step – to join our kitchen team at Niche.

This is a hands-on cooking role for someone with good culinary foundations who wants to develop their skills, take responsibility for their own section and become a better chef.

About Niche

Niche is an award-winning independent restaurant in the heart of Angel, London, just moments from Sadler's Wells Theatre.

For more than 13 years we've built a reputation that reaches far beyond our restaurant. We were London's first 100% gluten-free restaurant and today we're one of the UK's best-known destinations for free-from and allergy dining.

But we are a restaurant first.

We make almost everything from scratch using fresh ingredients, and flavour, technique, consistency and presentation matter enormously to us.

Our menu is entirely gluten-free, tree nut-free, peanut-free and sesame-free, with dairy-free, vegan and low-FODMAP dishes alongside our core menu.

Working at Niche isn't about limitations. It's about producing exceptional food that every guest can enjoy with confidence.

The role

As Chef de Partie, you'll be responsible for running your own section confidently and efficiently during preparation and service.

You'll work closely with our Head Chef, Sous Chef and the rest of the kitchen team, producing dishes to our recipes and specifications while maintaining consistently high standards.

You'll be expected to:

• Prepare and cook fresh ingredients confidently
• Take responsibility for your own section
• Complete mise en place accurately and on time
• Produce dishes consistently to recipe and specification
• Maintain high standards of seasoning, cooking and presentation
• Follow portion-control standards
• Keep your section clean, organised and ready for service
• Check and rotate stock correctly
• Minimise food waste
• Follow our food hygiene, health & safety and allergen-control procedures
• Communicate effectively with the rest of the kitchen and front-of-house teams
• Support Commis Chefs and less experienced members of the kitchen
• Take feedback positively and continue developing your skills

We are a relatively small independent restaurant with a busy kitchen. Everyone contributes and everyone takes responsibility for the standard of food leaving the kitchen.

About you

We're looking for someone who has been properly trained in professional cookery and understands the foundations of being a chef.

You should have completed recognised professional chef training, such as NVQ Level 1 and/or Level 2 in Professional Cookery, City & Guilds, a recognised culinary diploma, professional chef apprenticeship or an equivalent UK or international qualification.

You may already be working as a Chef de Partie, or you could be a strong, experienced Commis Chef with the training, ability and ambition to take the next step.

We're looking for someone who:

• Has recognised professional cookery training or has completed a professional chef apprenticeship
• Has professional experience working in a fresh-food kitchen
• Has good foundation knowledge of professional cookery
• Has good knife skills and kitchen discipline
• Is comfortable preparing and cooking meat, fish and vegetables
• Understands basic sauces, stocks and preparation techniques
• Understands seasoning, flavour and presentation
• Can organise their mise en place and section effectively
• Understands food hygiene and safe food handling
• Takes pride in consistency and attention to detail
• Is reliable, punctual and organised
• Communicates well and enjoys working as part of a team
• Responds positively to direction and feedback
• Is curious about food and genuinely wants to develop as a chef

Professional culinary training is essential for this position.

We're interested in what you already know, but we're equally interested in someone who wants to keep learning.

You don't need to be a gluten-free chef

Previous experience of gluten-free or specialist allergen cooking is not required – we'll teach you that.

Many of our guests have coeliac disease or serious food allergies and choose Niche because they trust our kitchen.

Every chef receives specialist training in our allergen-control procedures, ingredients and systems. You'll learn not only what our procedures are, but why they matter.

For a developing chef, we think this is valuable professional knowledge to add to your existing culinary skills.

Working within these parameters doesn't mean compromising on food. It means learning how to produce excellent food while understanding ingredients at a much deeper level.

At Niche, exceptional food and exceptional allergen safety go hand in hand.

What we offer

• Full-time, permanent employment
• Credit card tips paid in addition to salary
• 28 days' holiday
• Bright Exchange employee benefits package
• NEST workplace pension
• Employee discounts and offers
• Meals whilst on duty
• Staff discount at Niche
• A sensible, properly managed rota
• Specialist gluten-free and allergen training
• Continued development of your professional cooking skills
• Opportunities to contribute ideas as you develop
• A small team where your contribution genuinely matters
• Genuine opportunities for career progression

Where the role can lead

We don't want someone to remain a Chef de Partie forever.

A good CDP should be developing towards Senior Chef de Partie, Junior Sous Chef and ultimately Sous Chef, and we'll support people who demonstrate the ability and attitude to progress.

Niche itself is also growing.

Alongside our established Angel restaurant, the wider business is expanding into delivery, events, retail and other food projects, with further restaurant locations planned.

For ambitious chefs, that growth will create opportunities.

Before you apply

Please only apply if you:

• Are currently living in the UK
• Have the legal right to work in the UK without sponsorship
• Have completed recognised professional chef training or an equivalent professional chef apprenticeship
• Have professional experience working in a commercial kitchen
• Are already working at Chef de Partie level or are an experienced Commis Chef genuinely ready to progress
• Are able to work a full-time rota including evenings and weekends
• Have a good command of spoken and written English

This is not an entry-level kitchen position. Professional culinary training and professional kitchen experience are essential.

Unfortunately, we are unable to provide visa sponsorship or consider applications from candidates currently living overseas.

If you love cooking, have the right professional foundations and want to work somewhere that will develop your skills while teaching you something genuinely different, we'd love to hear from you.

Please apply with your CV and a short covering note telling us about your professional chef training, the kitchens you've worked in and what you're looking for next.

Job Types: Full-time, Permanent

Benefits:

• Bright Exchange employee benefits package
• Company pension
• Employee discounts
• Meals on duty
• Staff discount
• Training and development opportunities

Work authorisation: United Kingdom (required)

Job Types: Full-time, Permanent

Pay: £15.00-£16.00 per hour

Expected hours: 45.0 per week

Benefits:

• Company pension
• Discounted or free food
• Employee discount

Education:

• Certificate of Higher Education (preferred)

Work authorisation:

• United Kingdom (required)

Work Location: In person