Cook/Assistant Cook

COOK/ASSISTANT COOK | Abernethy, Nethy Bridge

Full time

Permanent, live-in (where required)

Location address: Abernethy, Nethy Bridge, Inverness-shire, PH25 3ED

Start date: Immediate

This is a fantastic opportunity to live and work in the Scottish Highlands and be part of a Christian Community providing excellent hospitality. As part of the Kitchen Team, Cooks prepare delicious home-cooked meals and baking for our guests and staff. You will be involved in all aspects of the kitchen: from helping to plan menus to receiving deliveries, serving guests and maintaining high standards of cleanliness and food hygiene. You will also lead shifts and organise the kitchen team to ensure meals are served hot and on time.

You will be a role model for our Gap Year Team, helping them to learn new skills whilst also having the opportunity to grow and develop your own gifts.

You will have the opportunity to get involved in the wider ministry of the Centre, including our evening sessions with kids, and ministry teams serving on one of our events weeks and weekends (e.g. playing music, organising games / sport, etc.).

Previous experience in catering would be great, but we can provide training for the right person. You’ll need to be willing to get stuck in and work hard, but making people happy with healthy, tasty food is so rewarding!

Accommodation will be provided if needed.

Who we are

Founded in 1971, Abernethy is a ministry that combines outdoor activity, residential experience and Christian team witness. Our vision is: ‘Seeing Lives Transformed’.

The team as Abernethy are Christians, and together our mission is:

• Through the outdoors we provide challenge and adventure
• Through community we create belonging and see growth
• Through hospitality we nurture wellbeing
• Through witness we provoke curiosity
• In all things, we live the life to which Jesus has called us

Who we are looking for

We are looking for a committed Christian, with a heart for service, evangelism and Christian discipleship, who is passionate about great home cooking and excellent hospitality. You will contribute to the delivery of an excellent catering service for our guests and staff: providing high quality food, contributing to a well-organised kitchen, maintaining high standards of food hygiene and safety and contributing to a team that works well together and has fun.

To achieve this, you will have a passion for hospitality, an eye for detail and a warm, friendly and collaborative approach. You will be great at organising and planning, be adaptable in the face of changing plans and a good problem solver, work in a calm and efficient manner under pressure to set deadlines, enjoy working in an active and fast paced job, and be willing to be flexible and go the extra mile.

You will be committed to helping train our Gap Year team to learn new skills in the kitchen, helping to disciple them in their Christian faith and making their time at Abernethy a life-changing experience.

Key Roles (Cook)

• Work alongside the Catering Manager to plan, prepare and serve delicious home-cooked meals to our guests and staff
• Ensure the smooth running of the kitchen across a shift, overseeing breakfast, lunch and evening meal services and leading the team of Assistant Cooks/Gap Years to efficiently carry out all kitchen tasks
• Lead the team by example in adhering to excellent food hygiene practices and safe provision for special dietary requirements
• Receive deliveries, maintain delivery records and ensure good stock rotation
• Lead the team to organise and operate the servery and wash up in an efficient manner, in accordance with guidelines
• Ensure the dining room, servery and kitchen are kept clean and tidy at all times
• Deliver high standards of friendly service and customer care
• To fully contribute to the spiritual life and ministry of the Centre.

Key Roles (Assistant Cook)

• Work alongside the Catering Manager (CM) and Cooks, helping to serve delicious home-cooked meals to our guests and staff
• Progress towards being able to ensure the smooth running of the kitchen across a meal service (breakfast, lunch or evening meal) and being able to lead the team of General Assistants/Gap Years to efficiently carry out all kitchen tasks for part of the working day under the direction/guidance of the CM/Cooks
• Adhere to excellent food hygiene practices and safe provision for special dietary requirements, under the direction/guidance of the CM/Cooks
• Assist the CM/Cooks with menu planning, recipe development and food ordering as required.
• Receive deliveries, maintain delivery records and ensure good stock rotation
• Organise and operate the servery/wash-up in an efficient manner.
• Ensure that the Dining Room, Servery and Kitchen are kept clean and tidy.
• Ensure that coffee break and lunchtime arrangements are made to provide for staff.
• Deliver high standards of friendly service and customer care
• To fully contribute to the spiritual life and ministry of the Centre.

Qualities, Qualifications & Experience

Cook and Assistant Cook:

• Well organised and able to work hygienically and tidily
• Punctual and able to arrive for shifts on time
• Able to work hard in a physical role that requires some lifting of heavy pans/boxes and long periods of standing

Additionally for Cook:

• Have a passion for good food and a desire to prepare and serve high quality, home-cooked meals and baking
• A good understanding of the basics of food prep (e.g. following recipes, using knives safely, able to present food nicely)
• Good attention to detail as well as the ability to see the bigger picture
• Able to work independently when necessary and also lead a team, helping to develop younger/less experienced staff members

We would also love for you to have:

• previous experience working in a kitchen or other catering environment
• previous experience of leading a team in some capacity (Cook role)
• a level 2 Food Hygiene qualification or above

What we can offer you

• Monthly salary
• Full-board single accommodation provided, if required
• Paid annual leave (30 days per annum, inclusive of bank holidays)
• Use of Centre facilities including outdoor equipment.
• Opportunities to take an active role within the life of our local church and Christian youth work
• Living as part of a vibrant Christian community in a beautiful part of Scotland
• Opportunity for personal training and development
• Weekly Team Fellowship on a Wednesday evening
• Very favourable rates for family on most Abernethy holidays and camps
• Participation in our annual 3 day Team Gathering
• Easy access to the local area including the Cairngorm mountains, river Spey and the Moray coast – a fantastic outdoor playground!

Good to know

• It is a Genuine Occupational Requirement that the holder of this post is a practising Christian whose lifestyle is consistent with the values and doctrine of the Christian faith
• As part of our commitment to safeguarding, the successful applicant will be required to become a member of the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Scheme and the appointment will be subject to a satisfactory PVG Scheme Disclosure.
• We cannot accept overseas applications for this role unless you have the right to work in the UK. If you would like to volunteer with us then please refer to our international volunteer page.

Interested?

Please prayerfully consider whether this role may be right for you. For an informal chat about the role please contact the Centre Director, Stu Newland, on 01479 821 279 during office hours. If you feel you are the person we are looking for, please complete the on-line application form.