Chef de Partie – Roots Café
Love fresh food, daytime hours and a better work-life balance? We'd love to hear from you.
Roots Café is an award-worthy destination café set within the beautiful Rougham Estate, just 10 minutes from Bury St Edmunds. Nestled alongside the historic Blackthorpe Barn, we're passionate about creating exceptional food using the very best seasonal, locally sourced ingredients.
Our menus take familiar café favourites and elevate them with creativity, quality and beautiful presentation. With 156 covers across our stylish indoor space and two outdoor seating areas, we're busy, ambitious and proud of what we do.
As we continue to grow, we're looking for a talented Chef de Partie (or an experienced Commis Chef ready for the next step) to join our friendly kitchen team.
The Role
We are looking for a passionate and motivated Chef de Partie to join our kitchen team. Working in a modern and well-equipped kitchen, you will play a key role in delivering high quality dishes across our busy daytime café, as well as supporting with events and outside catering.This is a fantastic opportunity for a chef looking to develop their skills in a creative, supportive environment with a strong focus on quality and work–life balance. The café operates 9:00am–4:00pm, with occasional catered events outside these hours.
Key Responsibilities
- Prepare and present high quality dishes in line with Roots’ standards
- Take ownership of your section, ensuring smooth day to day running
- Support the Head Chef and Sous Chef in menu execution and development
- Maintain excellent food hygiene and health & safety standards at all times
- Assist with preparation and delivery of food for events, including:
- Events room catering for groups of 6–30 guests
- Outside catering for estate events in July/August and October
- Ensure consistency, quality, and presentation of all dishes
- Help with stock control, minimising waste, and maintaining organisation within the kitchen
- Work collaboratively with the wider team to create a positive kitchen environment
About You
We're looking for someone who genuinely loves cooking with fresh ingredients and takes pride in producing food that's both delicious and beautifully presented.
You'll ideally have:
- Experience as a Chef de Partie, or be a confident Commis Chef ready to progress.
- A passion for seasonal, locally sourced food.
- A calm, organised approach during busy services.
- A positive attitude and strong team spirit.
- Good knowledge of food hygiene (Level 2 Food Safety is desirable).
- A willingness to learn, develop and bring new ideas.
Hours & Benefits
- Full-time, permanent role (minimum 40 hours per week)
- Daytime focused hours: 7/8am-4pm , with occasional events
- Weekend availability required
- Competitive salary, dependent on experience
Benefits include:
- Company pension
- Employee discounts
- Tips
- Free on-site parking
If you’re passionate about great food and looking to be part of a creative and supportive team, we’d love to hear from you.
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: £10.85-£12.80 per hour
Benefits:
- Company pension
- Discounted or free food
- Employee discount
- Free parking
- On-site parking
- Store discount
Experience:
- Chef: 1 year (required)
- Cooking: 1 year (required)
Licence/Certification:
- Driving Licence (preferred)
Work Location: In person
