We are 17 years established, with a food sales turnover ranging from £8-15k per week, depends on weather, time of year etc
Have a large brigade of enthusiastic and talented kitchen staff—three p/t kps, two junior sous chefs, a number 2, and a head chef. We also employ an additional commis chef midweek lunches, plus two experienced senior chefs usually two days per week to allow proper time off. Plus a full time breakfast chef who also runs our outside catering vehicle from time to time
Have two kitchens, one indoors, one in the garden, built by our own chefs
Use mainly food from our own organic farm—all meat cuts and products, plus year round veg (field and tunnel grown), milk, some fruit, and foraged items
Run a simple short evolving daily menu—nothing complicated, and usually very lightly processed, if at all
Are open 7 days each week, from breakfast to past supper
Employ about 35 staff full and part time; this has become quite a significant and fun rural community.
As employers:
We pay monthly by BACS, salaried and hourly paid
We share every tip between all staff on shift—some cash, some tronq
5 days work a week, including part of weekends of course much of the time
Full holiday allowance according to the rules; discount in our own farm/food shop
We seem to keep good people a long time, which is excellent
We are recognised by Good Hotel Guide (Best Small Hotel 2022) and our customer reviews are pretty good we think!
The job
Part chef, part organiser, part manager. And an inspiration, please. Rita, our current number 2, works with suppliers (our farm and outsiders); with staff — rotas, shift patterns, training — and with customers, talking to them and agreeing bespoke events. And she cooks for customers, leading the team as required, and allows head chef time off and holidays. She is leaving to return to Portugal
We provide a salary upto £36k depending on experience, and a pay rise after 3 months’ good work, by negotiation. Subsidised housing/accommodation on site (separate buildings) if required/suitable.
This is a fairly complex job in a fairly complex and busy organisation, but staying within the simple food zone. It requires patience, some methodical work, some spontaneous work. And the right attitude towards your colleagues and customers. The right person will enjoy working with us in developing more food grown here, plus other pub and hotel related future developments around the farm.
We are moving towards the head chef doing fewer cooking shifts as he wishes to spend more time, using his varied skills, working on future farm and hotel developments. His job will be available within next two years, I suspect.
Please contact Tim Finney
07976 321797
