Wivenhoe House is a beautiful 18th Century 4* hotel, near to the pretty quayside village of Wivenhoe, and minutes from Britain’s oldest recorded town, Colchester. The hotel compromises 40 bedrooms, several events spaces which includes the Garden suite which can host up to 120 guests and the 80 cover one AA rosette Park brasserie. It is also home to the Edge Hotel School and the hotel facilitates mentoring and hands on experience for students studying for degrees in Hospitality.
The successful candidate will be part of a brigade of chefs delivering quality brasserie food to both hotel guests and non-residents, as well as delivering food to the events spaces as required. This will encompass everything from corporate lunches to wedding breakfasts.
If you are proactive, ambitious, have an eye for detail and a real passion for creating fresh, locally sourced dishes then we’d like you to join our team. An understanding of menu design, allergens and dietary requirements would be beneficial as would knowledge of menu pricing. They would also need to be confident leading a team as well as working as part of one.
Candidates will have experience as a chef at a similar level but the role would suit someone looking for their first career opportunity.
The role is based on a 48-hour week, worked on a rota basis five days in seven.
The Role and Duties
The successful candidate will join the kitchen brigade at Wivenhoe House Hotel, supporting the delivery of food across the Park Brasserie and the hotel’s busy events operation. This includes breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner service, weddings, conferences and other events.
As a Chef de Partie, you will take responsibility for running your own section within the kitchen, ensuring high standards of food preparation, presentation and service at all times. You will work closely with the Sous Chef and Head Chef to support the smooth day-to-day operation of the kitchen while helping to guide and support junior chefs, kitchen assistants and students from the Edge Hotel School undertaking operational placements as part of their Hospitality Management Degree.
We are looking for a motivated and organised chef with a genuine passion for food and hospitality. The ideal candidate will be proactive, reliable and able to perform consistently in a fast-paced environment while maintaining excellent attention to detail and high culinary standards using fresh, locally sourced ingredients.
Qualifications, Experience and Skills Required
The ideal candidate will have previous experience working as a Chef de Partie or strong experience at Demi Chef de Partie level within a quality hotel, restaurant or events environment. Applicants should preferably hold an NVQ Level 2 or Level 3 qualification in Professional Cookery, or equivalent.
You will have strong knowledge of food preparation techniques, kitchen operations, food safety standards and section management, together with the ability to work independently and as part of a wider brigade. The role requires someone who can work efficiently under pressure, manage priorities during busy services and support the development of junior team members.
This is an excellent opportunity to further develop your career within a professional and supportive kitchen team, working for an organisation that places strong emphasis on training, staff development and employee wellbeing.
Duties of the Post
The main duties of the post, some of which will require physical effort and working in hot conditions, will include:
- Preparing and producing high-quality food to the standards expected at Wivenhoe House Hotel.
- Running and maintaining an assigned kitchen section during preparation and service.
- Supporting the Sous Chef and Head Chef in the day-to-day operation of the kitchen.
- Ensuring all mise en place is prepared efficiently and to the required standard for service.
- Assisting with the supervision, support and development of Commis Chefs, kitchen assistants and Edge Hotel School students.
- Helping to maintain consistency in food quality, presentation and portion control across all services.
- Working closely with Front of House teams to support excellent guest experience and product knowledge.
- Maintaining the highest standards of food hygiene, cleanliness and kitchen safety at all times.
- Complying with all Health and Safety and Food Safety legislation and hotel procedures.
- Supporting food production for restaurant services, weddings, conferences, corporate functions and other hotel events.
- Assisting with stock rotation, storage procedures and minimising waste to support effective cost control.
- Providing support across other kitchen sections during periods of absence or increased business demand.
- Reporting equipment faults, maintenance issues or operational concerns to senior chefs.
- Ensuring the freshness, quality and suitability of all products used within the section.
- Undertaking any other duties as may reasonably be requested by the Head Chef, Sous Chef or senior management team.
These duties are intended as a guide to the main responsibilities of the post and may be amended from time to time to meet the changing needs of the business.
This role is shift-based on a notional 48 hours per week (worked 5 days over 7) and includes late finishes and weekend work.
Please apply with a full CV and covering letter. Applications without full detail may not be considered.
Please note that we reserve the right to close the vacancy and withdraw it from the website at any time.
Job Types: Full-time, Permanent
Pay: £33,500.00-£34,500.00 per year
Benefits:
- Company events
- Company pension
- Discounted or free food
- Employee discount
- Flexible schedule
- Free parking
- On-site parking
Experience:
- Chef De Partie: 3 years (required)
Licence/Certification:
- NVQ Level 3 Professional Cookery (preferred)
Work authorisation:
- United Kingdom (required)
Work Location: In person
