CAREERS AT CHESTER ZOO

Food & Beverage Assistant

Job reference: 001744

Salary: £13,218.50 per annum (based on 20 hours per week)

Closing date: 10/10/2026

Department: Food & Beverage

Location: Chester

Employment type: Permanent

Hours Per Week: 20 hours (multiple positions)

Job Description

Food & Beverage Assistant – Multiple Opportunities

We have multiple exciting permanent opportunities to join our Food & Beverage team at Chester Zoo.
With a wide range of outlets across the zoo, there’s plenty of variety in our Food & Beverage operation. From restaurants serving family favourites and fast food, to coffee shops, kiosks, our staff canteen, a 450-seat street kitchen serving Indonesian-inspired food and our award-winning British gastro-pub, The Oakfield, there are opportunities to suit a range of skills and experience.
You may also have the opportunity to support The Square, our purpose-built wedding and events space, during weddings, corporate functions and other special events.

The Role

As a Food & Beverage Assistant, you’ll help us provide an exceptional experience for every visitor and guest, whether they’re enjoying a quick coffee, sitting down for a freshly prepared meal, visiting The Oakfield for a drink or dining experience, or joining us for a wedding or corporate event.

Depending on the area you work in, your duties may include:
• Welcoming and providing exceptional customer service to visitors and guests
• Taking and preparing food and drink orders
• Preparing and serving food and drinks, including table service
• Using your barista skills to create hand-crafted beverages
• Providing recommendations on our food and drink options
• Operating EPOS systems and handling cash and payments
• Keeping restaurants, cafés, bars and dining areas clean, tidy and well stocked
• Supporting our Chef teams in the kitchen when required
• Carrying out general front of house duties across our restaurants, cafés, kiosks and other F&B outlets
• Supporting The Oakfield and The Square with weddings, corporate functions and other events
• Helping with the set-up, preparation and break-down of events
• Supporting other Food & Beverage outlets across the zoo when required

Wherever you’re based, you’ll be part of a team that works efficiently, positively and with our visitors and guests at the heart of everything we do.

The Package

There are a multiple contracts available, with opportunities for additional hours during our busier periods.
You will be required to be flexible and willing to work a variety of shifts on a rota basis, including weekends and bank holidays. Working hours will generally fall within our core zoo opening hours, although early morning and evening work may be required for weddings, corporate functions, special events and late-night openings (Oakfield only)

Your package will depend on the role and contracted hours and may include:
• Permanent contract
• Salary of £13,218.50 per annum pro rata
• 33 days annual leave pro rata
• Annual holiday buy/sell scheme
• Staff pass to visit the zoo during your time off, plus complimentary tickets for friends and family
• Free travel to and from work on the X1 bus service from Chester and Ellesmere Port
• Healthcare plan and Employee Assistance Programme
• Discounted gym membership
• Discounts on cinema tickets, restaurants, high street shops and more through Perks
• Pension scheme with generous employer contributions
• Additional hours and overtime opportunities during busy periods

Our Requirements

We’re looking for people who enjoy working with people and take pride in delivering great service.
You’ll need:
• Excellent customer service skills
• A flexible, positive and “can do” attitude
• Excellent communication and teamwork skills
• Experience of working in a busy, high-volume environment
• Cash handling and EPOS experience
• A good level of numeracy and literacy
• The ability to work flexibly as part of a team

Experience within hospitality, restaurants, pubs, cafés, events or other customer-facing environments would be beneficial.

Desirable Experience
It would be great if you have experience in any of the following, although full training will be provided:
• Barista or coffee shop experience
• Bar or drinks service
• Restaurant or gastro-pub experience
• Table service
• Weddings, corporate functions or other events
• Food and beverage service in a busy visitor attraction

What makes Chester Zoo a great place to work?

Well, where do we start? Here goes…
We’re a huge team of conservationists, scientists, educators, animal welfare experts, marketeers, visitor experience professionals, environmental policy influencers; the list goes on. Each and every one of us is on a mission to make Chester Zoo the best in the world, and our planet a better place.
As the UK’s biggest and best zoo, we have ambitious goals, exciting plans, and there’s always lots going on here. We’re an inclusive and diverse organisation, made up of over 600 permanent and up to 500 temporary team members, and we know how important it is to invest in our colleagues to help boost their career development. We have ambitious goals, and we want you to be with us for the long term on our exciting journey.
Our working environment could not be more different from a typical place of work – where else can you see critically endangered orangutans, rare giraffes and tigers on your lunch break?

We reserve the right to close our vacancies earlier than the listed date if we have received a high level of applications. We recommend that if you do wish to be considered that you submit your application as promptly as possible as shortlisting and interviews may be taking place whilst the advert is live.