Senthilkumar Saravanan

I have been working as a Sous Chef in London hotels for over two decades, and in professional kitchens for more than 30 years. Over that time I have worked across large hotel operations, banqueting, à la carte and staff dining — so I understand what it takes to keep a busy kitchen running well day to day. I take food safety and HACCP seriously and have always made sure my teams do too.

I enjoy the menu development and costing side of the role as much as the cooking itself, and I get a lot of satisfaction from developing junior chefs and building a kitchen that works well together. I am calm under pressure, flexible with shifts, and always happy to roll my sleeves up wherever I am needed.

Senior Sous Chef - Wesley Hotel, London - London

(2025-10)

• Support the Head Chef in running the kitchen day to day, covering everything from food standards and HACCP checks through to staff scheduling and team discipline.
• Check incoming goods including fresh meat and fish to make sure quality and legal standards are met before anything goes into production.
• Keep on top of equipment maintenance — logging any faults and making sure issues get reported and resolved quickly.

Sous Chef - Tavistock Hotel, London - London

(2022-04 - 2025-09)

• Worked with the Head Chef to redesign seasonal menus from scratch, costing everything carefully — customer satisfaction scores went up 50% as a result.
• Looked after a team of 9 chefs — organising rotas, running training sessions and making sure standards stayed high during service.
• Ran Poppadum Restaurant (170 covers) and a 50-seat bar, keeping both ticking over smoothly even during busy periods.
• Kept HACCP records, temperature logs and food safety documentation up to date and compliant with Food Hygiene regulations.
• Managed ingredient procurement and stock control, keeping a close eye on spend to hit food cost targets and cut waste.

Sous Chef - Taj Hotels, London - London

(2020-03 - 2022-04)

• Ran banquet operations for large-scale events, taking care of everything from prep through to plating and making sure food went out to the right standard every time.
• Trained a team of 5 Chef de Parties — focused on getting the detail right on food safety, consistency and presentation.
• Kept food quality consistent across all stages of production and made sure HACCP procedures were properly followed throughout.

Sous Chef - Lincoln Plaza – Curio Collection by Hilton, London - London

(2018-10 - 2020-02)

• Led innovative menu planning and execution for banquets and functions, incorporating cultural and dietary requirements.
• Implemented cost-effective procurement measures, optimising kitchen expenses and reducing waste in line with budget targets.
• Maintained impeccable kitchen hygiene and uphold stringent HACCP and food safety standards.
• Carried out thorough temperature controls and HACCP documentation according to current Food Hygiene regulations.

Indian & South-Indian Chef - Bombay Bustle, Mayfair, London - London

(2017-10 - 2018-09)

• Prepared and presented authentic Indian and South-Indian specialised dishes to the highest quality, contributing to the restaurant's culinary diversity.
• Maintained clean and hygienic kitchen practices, complying with all health & safety requirements.

Sous Chef - Hotel Radha Regent, Chennai - Chennai

(2015-03 - 2017-09)

• Managed banquet and à la carte kitchen operations, overseeing food preparation and ensuring seamless service.
• Supervised kitchen teams and ensured adherence to food safety standards and hygiene practices.

Chef - Applebee's, Canada - Canada

(2014-01 - 2015-01)

• Led a team of 12 staff across two outlets, ensuring production areas met rigorous cleanliness and hygiene standards.

Sous Chef - SPI Cinemas, Chennai - Chennai

(2011-11 - 2013-12)

• Supervised kitchen staff, managed food preparation and storage, and ensured food storage areas were maintained to a sanitary standard at all times.

Chef - Royal Hospital Chelsea, London - London

(2009-09 - 2011-10)

Chef de Partie - Mint Leaf Lounge, London - London

(2008-03 - 2009-09)

Chef de Partie - Tamarind, London - London

(2002-09 - 2008-02)

Chef de Partie - Peacock Hotel Group, UK - UK

(2001-07 - 2002-08)

Commis I & II - GRT Grand Days / Sindoori Hotel / Caesar's Restaurant, Kuwait - Kuwait

(1995 - 2001)

NVQ Level 3 - Professional Cookery - Merton College, London (2002 - 2004)

Level 2 Award - Food Safety in Catering - Various – UK (2003 - 2006)

Foundation Certificate - Food Hygiene - Various – UK (2003 - 2003)

Certificate - Principles of Manual Handling - Various – UK (2006 - 2006)

National Apprentice Certificate - Cookery - Govt. of India, Ministry of Labour (1992 - 1995)