CAREERS AT CHESTER ZOO

Food & Beverage Assistant

Job reference:001616

Salary:£12.21

Closing date:23/03/2026

Department:Food & Beverage

Location:Chester

Employment type:Temporary

Hours Per Week:8

Job Description

Food & Beverage Assistant

Our working environment could not be more different from a typical Food & Beverage setting – where else could you stroll among rare giraffes and tigers on your lunch break?

Why Join Chester Zoo?

As the UK’s largest and most visited zoo, we’re driven by ambitious goals and exciting plans for the future — and there’s always something happening here. We’re proud to be an inclusive, diverse organisation, with over 600 permanent colleagues and around 500 temporary team members working together to create unforgettable visitor experiences.

Each year, we offer a wide range of temporary opportunities across Retail, Visitor Operations, Admissions, and Food & Beverage. From warehouse stock picking and car park stewarding to working in our gift shops, welcoming guests, or serving food and drinks to our 2 million annual visitors — no two days are ever the same.

The Role

As a Food & Beverage Assistant, you’ll play a key role in delivering an exceptional experience for our visitors across a variety of outlets. You could find yourself working in:
• Fast food restaurants
• Coffee shops and kiosks
• Our warehouse and picnic parlour
• A 450-seat street kitchen serving Indonesian-inspired cuisine
• Oakfield, our award-winning British gastro pub

We’re looking for dynamic and adaptable individuals who are happy to work across different units. Responsibilities will include:
• Providing outstanding customer service
• Waiting on tables
• Preparing food and drinks
• Handling cash and operating tills
• Maintaining high standards of cleanliness and presentation

As part of our “One Team” approach, you may also support other areas of the zoo when needed. This could include assisting in the main shop, pop-up outlets, warehouse operations, or fulfilling online shop orders.

The Package

• Temporary contract until 6 September 2026
• £12.21 per hour
• Flexible rota-based hours, from a minimum of 8 up to 40 hours per week
• Increased hours available during busy periods
• Weekend, bank holiday and evening work included
• Annual leave accrued based on hours worked
• Staff pass for zoo visits during your time off, plus complimentary tickets for friends and family
• Free bus travel on the X1 service from Chester and Ellesmere Port train stations

What We’re Looking For

• A passion for delivering excellent customer service
• Strong communication skills
• A confident, approachable and flexible attitude
• A positive, “can-do” mindset
• Flexibility is essential. Successful candidates must be available to work up to five days out of seven each week, including evenings (up to 10pm), weekends, midweek shifts, and bank holidays as required.

Desirable:
• Experience in a fast-paced Food & Beverage environment
• Experience handling cash and using EPOS systems.

More About Us

We’re not just an amazing, award-winning visitor attraction that’s home to 37,000 incredible animals inside 128 acres of stunning gardens. We’re not just the UK’s most popular zoo. We’re a major wildlife charity that’s committed to the recovery of endangered species, globally. And, as the world faces an extinction crisis, we’re making a hugely significant contribution to conservation at a time when it’s needed most. We are Chester Zoo and we prevent extinction.