Job Ref: CH2952
Branch: Balmoral Arms
Location: Ballater, Aberdeenshire
Salary/Benefits: £36,000, TRONC and Company Discounts
Contract type: Permanent
Hours: Full Time
Shift pattern: Mornings, Evenings and Weekends
Hours per week: 45
Posted date: 21/08/2026
Closing date: 02/10/2026
As a Second Chef at Crerar Hotels Balmoral Arms, you will play a key role in supporting the Head Chef to uphold and elevate our kitchen’s high standards. With your experience and energy, you’ll help inspire the kitchen team to deliver exceptional food consistently, even in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment. Your passion for food will shine through in every aspect of your role, from food preparation to the creation of new dishes and menus. You’ll also provide leadership and guidance to the team, offering training and development to ensure continuous improvement. Adhering to the highest food hygiene standards, you’ll ensure strict compliance with health and safety regulations and maintain a clean, organised kitchen. In collaboration with the Head Chef, you’ll monitor portion control, manage waste, and maintain stock control, ensuring profitability while upholding the quality our guests expect. Flexible working hours, including early, late, and split shifts, will be required to meet the needs of the role.
As well as providing great food, we require someone with strong experience on food hygiene practices and team management, as well as a can do attitude. Ensuring a safe and productive working environment. We are a small productive team, serving Breakfast, Lunch Dinner (up to 80 covers per evening in high season)
Staff accomodation is available
Why Work with Us?
On top of the fantastic benefits below, we offer a salary of £36000
At Crerar Hotels, we truly value our team, and that’s why we offer:
- Wagestream – Get instant access to your earned wages when you need them.
- YuLife – Enjoy health and well-being rewards, Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), and Virtual GP appointments.
- Echo – Our brand-new communications platform keeps you connected and engaged.
- Career Development – We invest in our people with fantastic training and progression opportunities.
- Employee recognition and reward scheme – celebrating anniversaries from 1 year onwards with incredible awards, vouchers and extra holiday days.
- Exclusive Discounts – Stay, dine, and relax at our beautiful hotels at special team rates.
- Work in Breathtaking Locations – From the Scottish Highlands to coastal escapes, our hotels are truly spectacular!
Be Part of Something Special.
Come and join a team that cares about its people and delivers amazing experiences every day. Apply now and start your journey with Crerar Hotels!
Do you bring personality to your work and aim to exceed guests expectations?
Then we want to work with you!
The Balmoral Arms is brimming with character both the building and its team.
Known for its charm, proper Scottish hospitality and lively music scene, the Balmoral Arms is popular with locals and guests. That's why the team pride themselves on providing quality service with a friendly approach, worthy of the inn's AA awarded four star inn accolade.
The homely lounge, with its wooden-beamed ceilings, open fires and Victorian decor, complement the welcoming bar with its homemade, classic dishes and regular folk bands.
Located in the village of Ballater at the heart of Royal Deeside, the Balmoral Arms Inn is at the eastern gateway to the Cairngorms National Park, just 43 miles west of Aberdeen. The area even has the royal seal of approval, with the Queen's summer home of Balmoral Castle down the road.
The location is ideal for outdoors lovers, with seasonal skiing at the nearby Lecht ski centre or Glenshee, and opportunities for hiking and biking the mountains in better weather.
Year round, regardless of whether the roaring fire needs lit, you can be sure a warm welcome awaits.
Can we tempt you to be part of it?
Three reasons to choose a career with Crerar Hotels
Scotland provides a sought-after quality of life, ideal for outdoorsy types. Urbanites may find there are limitations, with reduced public transport, small local shops and occasionally - the ultimate modern hardship - patchy phone signal. But those who take that in their stride find that they discover true peace and quiet, wake up to incredible scenery and have Scotland's natural larder to feast on daily.
We always aim to progress staff internally where possible, which means a number of our team have been with us long-term. They've chosen to make a life in one (or more!) of our locations, building themselves a varied career in the Scottish hospitality industry.
We share the spirit of Scotland through our values. We take pride in providing a truly authentic experience we're warm in personality, curious to get to know our guests and confident in sharing our knowledge. We take what we do seriously, but our humour means we also see the lighter side. Above all, we're comfortable saying, "we are who we are!"
