Baker

Sodexo; City of Edinburgh; On-site; GBP 29,000 - 35,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading catering company is seeking an experienced Baker for the Heritage Portfolio at Edinburgh Zoo. The ideal candidate will create exceptional baked goods while supporting sustainability and conservation goals. This full-time position requires creativity, strong bakery skills, and the ability to work in a dynamic environment. With a commitment to using local ingredients and minimizing waste, you'll be part of a team that values innovation and community impact. Join us in delivering memorable food experiences in an iconic setting.

Benefits

Opportunities for growth and training

Creative and collaborative team environment

Contribution to conservation efforts

Qualifications

• Experience with high volume baked goods production.
• Ability to develop new ideas and follow recipes.
• Strong organisational and adaptable skills required.

Responsibilities

• Produce high volume baked goods to specifications.
• Assist with bakery planning and recipe accuracy.
• Support sustainability and community commitments.

Skills

Strong bakery experience with high-volume production

Creative flair and recipe development

Excellent organisational skills

Passion for sustainability and local sourcing

Comfortable with digital tools

Education

Level 2 Food Hygiene certification

Job description

Baker - Heritage Portfolio at Edinburgh Zoo

Help us Feed Natural Curiosity through exceptional baking, sustainability & storytelling

Location: Edinburgh Zoo

Contract: Full time - 5 out of 7 days per week, evenings and weekends required

Salary: up to 35k per annum

Reporting to: Senior Sous Chef

About the Role

We are seeking an experienced and creative Baker to join the Heritage Portfolio team at one of Scotland's most iconic destinations - Edinburgh Zoo.

This role goes far beyond traditional baking: you will help deliver a food experience that sparks curiosity, enhances the visitor journey, and strengthens the Zoo's mission of conservation, education and community.

You’ll join a kitchen passionate about fresh, scratch‑made products, using seasonal Scottish ingredients, supporting local suppliers, and contributing meaningfully to the Zoo's immersive, story‑led food concepts such as The Gannet, Grasslands, Penguin Cafe, and more.

What You'll Be Creating

As part of the in house Bakery, you’ll craft an exciting, varied range of products that feature across all Zoo outlets and menus, including:

• Traybakes, biscuits, muffins and scones
• Desserts, signature cakes celebration items
• Seasonal bakes inspired by animal habitats
• Items that champion provenance, plant forward ingredients, and carbon‑conscious choices

Your work will help bring to life the Zoo's unique Feeding Natural Curiosity food vision - combining flavour, fun and education.

Key Responsibilities

Daily Production & Quality

• Produce high volume baked goods to precise specifications, maintaining consistency, freshness and high‑quality presentation.
• Support themed menus aligned with exhibitions, animal habitats, seasons and visitor events.
• Uphold allergen management, food safety, and sustainability standards.

Planning & Operations

• Assist with weekly bakery planning, stock management, ordering and recipe accuracy.
• Maintain thorough records, HACCP documentation and support audit readiness across all outlets.
• Collaborate with chefs, retail teams and the central HPL CPU to evolve menus over time.

Sustainability & Community Impact

Your role directly supports the Zoo's sustainability and community commitments, including:

• Using local Scottish suppliers, ethical producers and low‑carbon ingredients wherever possible.
• Minimising food waste with creative reuse, portion accuracy, and responsible production.
• Supporting community initiatives through surplus food donation and seasonal campaigns.

About You

Essential

• Strong bakery experience with a background in high‑volume production.
• Creative flair with the ability to follow recipes and develop new ideas.
• Excellent organisational skills and ability to adapt quickly.
• Passion for sustainability, local sourcing and scratch production.
• Level 2 Food Hygiene certification.
• Comfortable with digital tools (Excel, Teams, Outlook).

Desirable

• Experience supporting themed menus or visitor attraction catering.
• Familiarity with menu planning tools, carbon tracking or sustainable kitchen practices.
• Advanced Food Hygiene certification.

What Makes This Role Unique

Working at Edinburgh Zoo isn't just about producing exceptional baked goods - it's about:

• Telling stories through food that connect visitors with animals, habitats and conservation.
• Creating products for immersive, themed spaces like The Gannet, Grasslands, Penguin Cafe, and more.
• Supporting inclusive, accessible and community‑focused food experiences.
• Being part of a mission‑driven partnership aligned to RZSS's values and global conservation goals.

You’ll join an empowered, collaborative team committed to sustainability, creativity and service excellence - with investment in training, development and innovation from day one.

Why Join Heritage Portfolio at Edinburgh Zoo?

• Work at a one of a kind venue filled with inspiration
• Be involved in award winning food innovation
• Opportunities for growth via the Innovation & Development Panel and specialist training programmes
• Contribute directly to conservation and community impact
• Be part of a team culture rooted in creativity, sustainability and purpose

Ready to Help Us Feed Natural Curiosity?

If you're passionate about baking, sustainability, creativity and delivering memorable food moments - we'd love to welcome you to the herd.