Location: Knotts Bakery, Newtownards
Job Type: Full-time, Permanent
Early Starts. Afternoon Finishes. Every Sunday Off.
A chef's career doesn't have to mean late nights, split shifts, and missing out on your personal life.
At Knotts Bakery, we're offering something different. Join our friendly kitchen team and enjoy a working pattern that's becoming increasingly rare in hospitality - early starts, afternoon finishes, no split shifts, and every Sunday off.
Whether you want to spend more time with your family, keep up with hobbies, hit the gym, or simply enjoy having your evenings free, this role offers the work-life balance many chefs are searching for.
Working Hours
- Full-time, permanent position
- 5 days per week on a rota between Monday and Saturday
- Early starts with afternoon finishes
- No evening shifts or split shifts
- A genuine work-life balance
The Role
As a Chef de Partie, you'll work across both our busy café kitchen and production kitchen, preparing high-quality food for our customers while maintaining the excellent standards Knotts Bakery is known for.
Café Service
- Prepare and cook fresh breakfast and lunch dishes during busy service periods.
- Maintain high standards of quality, presentation, and consistency.
- Keep your section clean, organised, and service-ready.
- Contribute ideas for daily specials and seasonal menu items.
Production Kitchen
- Prepare large batches of soups, sauces, fillings, and ready-to-go products.
- Follow established recipes and production schedules.
- Ensure products are correctly labelled, stored, and rotated.
- Assist with stock control and waste reduction.
- Maintain excellent food safety, hygiene, and HACCP standards.
About You
We're looking for someone who:
- Has experience working in a busy café, restaurant, or commercial kitchen (preferred but not essential).
- Has a good understanding of cooking techniques and food preparation.
- Is reliable, punctual, and takes pride in being presentable and producing quality food.
- Works well under pressure and enjoys being part of a team.
- Has excellent organisational skills and attention to detail.
- Is flexible and happy to work across all areas of the kitchen.
- Has a good understanding of food safety, hygiene, and HACCP principles.
- Holds a Food Hygiene Certificate (preferred but not essential).
- Has a positive attitude and a willingness to continue learning.
What We Offer
- Afternoon finishes – enjoy your evenings outside of work
- Every Sunday off
- A genuine work-life balance
- Full training in the Knotts Bakery way of working
- Opportunity to work across both café service and production sections
- Friendly, supportive team environment
- Company pension
- Staff discount
- Career progression opportunities as Knotts Bakery continues to grow
Pay: From £12.71 per hour
Benefits:
- Company pension
- Employee discount
Work Location: In person
