Café Cook
Stubbings Café, Stubbings, near Maidenhead
£13.50 to £14.00 per hour
Flexible hours up to full time as the café expands
Daytime shifts, typically 7am – 3pm or 8am to 4pm, with weekends
We are looking for an experienced and confident Café Cook to join our kitchen team at Stubbings. This is a newly created role, brought about by our expansion, and it offers the successful candidate a genuine opportunity to help shape the way our kitchen operates as we grow.
About Stubbings
Stubbings is an independent, family run garden centre set within a historic Berkshire estate. The house at the centre of the estate dates from around 1740 and has a distinguished past: Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands took refuge here during the Second World War, and the physicist Sir Thomas Merton made it his home for more than twenty years afterwards. The grounds sit alongside National Trust woodland at Maidenhead Thicket.
Our café occupies a glasshouse overlooking the 18th century walled garden. With seventy covers, we are well established and well loved locally, serving fresh breakfasts cooked to order, seasonal lunches, homemade cakes and afternoon teas to a loyal customer base, many of whom have been visiting for years.
An exciting time to join
We are entering a significant period of growth, with plans to double the capacity of the café. This will mean a larger kitchen, additional covers, and the opportunity to establish new ways of working from the outset rather than adapting existing ones.
Joining us now means your voice will count. We are keen to involve the kitchen team in decisions about layout, menu development, preparation routines and how service is run day to day. We believe the people preparing the food are best placed to advise on how the kitchen should work, and we want that input while there is still the opportunity to act on it.
The role and the environment
This is a busy kitchen and all of our food is cooked to order, so the role suits someone who is comfortable working at pace, particularly at weekends and during the summer season. In return we are committed to providing a working pattern that supports a healthy balance:
- Daytime shifts. No split shifts and no late finishes. There may be the occasional evening event, though these are always planned well in advance so you can arrange your time around them.
- Rotas published in advance. Giving you the certainty to plan your commitments outside work.
- A supportive team. When we asked our people what keeps them here, the answer was consistently the same: their colleagues and our customers.
Key responsibilities
- Preparing and cooking breakfasts, seasonal lunches, daily specials, cakes and pastries to a consistently high standard
- Running your section confidently throughout service and covering the pass when required
- Preparing thoroughly ahead of service and completing a clean and orderly close down
- Maintaining food safety, allergen and hygiene standards at all times
- Communicating effectively with front of house to ensure service runs smoothly
- Contributing ideas on menu development, preparation and kitchen operations
What we are looking for
- Experience as a cook or chef in a high volume café, restaurant or similar kitchen
- Confidence running a section under pressure while maintaining quality and consistency
- Strong organisational skills and a calm, methodical approach during busy service
- A clear communicator and a genuine team player
- Level 2 Food Hygiene certification, or a willingness to obtain it
- Bakery or pastry experience would be an advantage, though it is not essential
- A real interest in fresh, seasonal and locally sourced produce
This role would suit you if
- You are an experienced cook or Chef de Partie seeking sociable, daytime hours
- You have worked in a genuinely busy kitchen and understand what that involves
- You would value the chance to influence how a kitchen is set up and run
- You are looking for flexibility now, with the option to increase your hours as we grow
Additional information
- On site parking is available
- Own transport is necessary, as the site is not served by regular public transport
- Right to work in the UK is required
- Weekend availability is required on a rota basis
If you would like to be part of the next chapter at Stubbings and play a part in shaping it, we would be pleased to hear from you.
Pay: £13.50-£14.00 per hour
Benefits:
- Company pension
- Discounted or free food
- Employee discount
- Free parking
- On-site parking
Ability to commute/relocate:
- Maidenhead SL6 6QL: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (preferred)
Work authorisation:
- United Kingdom (required)
Work Location: In person
