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Roots to Work is a project of Sustain: the alliance for better food and farming.

Sous Chef

TAWS
Birmingham

Posted: 1 Sep 2025

Deadline: 16 Oct 2025

Compensation: £28,000 per year

Living Wage employer

Paid Volunteer Fixed term / contract

Job description

TAWS has been given the opportunity to take up a space at Birmingham Wholesale Markets to pilot a surplus food hub where edible waste food destined for anaerobic digestion can be diverted to human consumption.  Funding has been made available to set up kitchen sessions to process and preserve gluts of surplus food that become available from this process.

The Sous Chef will be responsible for leading these kitchen sessions. They will link up with the surplus food coordinator who is responsible for collecting and distributing the surplus food and then work on turning any gluts of food (eg half a pallet of tomatoes, aubergines or strawberries) in to meals, meal components (eg a tomato and aubergine sauce) or preserves that can then be shared with groups that support people in need across Birmingham.

Future funding will depend on the success of this pilot and will require someone who can think on their feet and be creative in order to turn large volumes of often single surplus ingredients, combined with some basic store cupboard items in to these consumable items. 

It will involve supporting, training and managing volunteers and light-touch managing the other cook to help deliver this exciting work that will help divert food from waste by extending it’s shelf life via processing and preserving.

You may like to watch this introductory video which showcases the positive work of The Active Wellbeing Society: TAWS Launch October 2018 - YouTube

Requirements:

Main duties:

1. Liase with the Surplus Food Lead at the Wholesale Markets to to help identify which surplus produce needs to be processed asap.
2. Process and cook (often bulk) surplus ingredients into meals, meal components or preserves.
3. Support and supervise volunteers to help deliver this activity. 
4. Line manage the second cook
5. Oversee the distribution of food produced in the kitchen via The Food Justice Network. (Birmingham’s network of food provision such as community cafes, pantries and foodbanks)
6. Ensure that the kitchen meets the food safety standards set out by Environmental Health at Birmingham City Council, developing processes for recording information relating to allergens, temperatures and all daily/weekly checks
7. Ensure the correct use of TAWS processes and systems when using assets.
8. Oversee the volunteering process to ensure volunteers are onboarded correctly.
9. Flexibility is key, making adjustments ‘in-flight’ to maintain good working relationships, build trust across all parties and to make this change in process ‘business as usual’.

Knowledge, skills and experience:

1. Wide knowledge and experience of catering, Ability to be creative and cook at scale from scratch, based on what ingredients are to hand. (e.g. 200 portions of Thai-based curry with Thai paste made from scratch)
2. Familiar with food preservation techniques (pickling, fermenting, jam-making, dehydrating) or willing to learn.
3. Driving licence or preparedness to work towards securing
4. Excellent partnership working and relationship management skills
5. Knowledge and ideally experience of working with surplus food providers
6. Qualified to at least Level 3 food and hygiene or preparedness to work towards it.
7. Experience of volunteer management
8. High level of organisational and administrative skills
9. A flexible and proactive approach to all working practices
10. Passionate about supporting sustainability via waste reduction and the circular economy.

Benefits

We offer our team members a comprehensive staff benefits offering to include: 

• A role that lets you balance your passion for food with time for family, friends, and life outside the kitchen.
• Monday to Friday, 9–5: cooking without the unsociable hours.
• Annual Leave – 38 days! 25 days AL (increasing to 29 days with service) plus 5 wellbeing days and 8 bank holidays.
• Nest Pension – 8% employer contribution - 3% employee contribution.
• Heath Cash Plan – giving you discounts on everyday healthcare such as dental, optical, physio, prescriptions & more.
• Employee Assistance Programme (counselling and DRs on call 24hrs a day).

Application information

Follow our link: https://talent.sage.hr/jobs/a1b91cab-695e-4375-a600-4b87697acca7

Or find the link through our website: https://theaws.co.uk/about-us/careers/

Please mention Roots to Work when applying for these jobs