Commis Chef

The University of Edinburgh; Easter Howgate; On-site; GBP 22,000 - 27,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous annual leave entitlement

Defined benefits pension scheme

Staff discounts

Job summary

The University of Edinburgh is seeking a Commis Chef for Canopy Kitchen & Courtyard at the Edinburgh Future’s Institute. You will support the preparation, cooking and service for a busy Grab & Go café, a 70-cover restaurant and delivered hospitality.

The role reports to the Head Chef and Restaurant Manager, with weekend and evening shifts required. We value team players with attention to detail, a real passion for food, and experience in a catering environment.

Qualifications

• Experience in a catering environment.
• Able to work weekends and evenings.
• Experience in a similar role within catering is desirable.

Responsibilities

• Assist in the preparation and service of food across restaurant, café and delivered hospitality.
• Prepare grab & go items and meals to pre-set recipes, supporting sous chefs and CDPs.
• Deliver brunch and dinner dishes to restaurant diners with attention to brand standards.

Skills

Team player

Attention to detail

Passion for food

Flexible shifts

Job description

Grade UE02: £24,547 per annum, plus 5% Premium Band for flexible working

Corporate Services Group / Accommodation, Catering and Events – Catering

Full-time: 35 hours per week, 5 over 7 days including weekends

Open-ended (permanent)

Together we can do great things. Be part of something bigger.

The Universityisn’tjust any employer. We are part of alocal communityand a contributor toglobal thinking,progress and research. In Edinburgh, you are in one of the world’s most attractive cities with active arts and social sectors, while working in aUniversitythat has made significant contributions to society, medicine,physicsand teaching for over four centuries. Our people have helped create the modern world and are working on more ground-breaking technologies and practices.

From student accommodation to café’s restaurants and hotels, we are a 24/7 organisation that embraces the traditional and the modern in equal measure. From historical buildings to state of the art technical and research hubs our mission is to ‘enrich student learning and growth as well as impact our local communities’ and our values drive everything we do.

The Opportunity:

We are looking for a Commis Chef to be part of our team at Canopy Kitchen & Courtyard, based at the iconic Edinburgh Future’s Institute, in the heart of the Meadows. Canopy provides a busy Grab & Go style café service, where all the products are made fresh daily in house. A 70-cover restaurant serving up brunch 6 days per week and dinner 3 days per week, focusing on seasonal, Scottish ingredients, whilst also provides delivered hospitality and event catering to the clients in the building.This complex operation, with so much going on, is the perfect opportunity for a Commis Chef looking to take the next step in their career development.

Reporting to the Head Chef and Restaurant Manager, the Commis Chef will assist in the preparation and service of food in the restaurant, café and delivered hospitality side of the business. Main responsibilities include; preparing a range of grab and go items and delivered hospitality meals to pre-set recipes and supporting the sous chefs and CDPs to deliver fantastic quality brunch and dinner dishes to restaurant diners. This complex operation, with so much going on, is the perfect opportunity for a commis chef looking for the next step in their development.

The successful candidate will be a team player who enjoys working as part of a team to deliver the brand standards and exceed the customer’s expectations. You will demonstrate fantastic attention to detail and a passion for food. You will currently be working in a similar role within a catering environment.

It is essential to be able to work flexible shifts, including weekends and evenings.

At ACE our mission is to ‘enrich student learning and growth as well and impact our local communities.’ Our values drive everything we do, therefore ask yourself:

Are you PASSIONATE about making a difference?

Do you like to COLLABORATE and achieve things as a team?

Is INCLUSION at the forefront of all you do?

Do you thrive when given OWNERSHIP?

Are you INNOVATION and excited to bring new ideas to life?

A career with us has a range of other benefits that can be tailored to your lifestyle:

• Interesting work.
• Good salary / pay rates.
• Responsibility and autonomy.

As a valued member of our team, you can expect:

• A competitive salary.
• An exciting, positive, creative, challenging and rewarding place to work.
• To be part of a diverse and vibrant international community.
• Comprehensive Staff Benefits, including generous annual leave entitlement, a defined benefits pension scheme, a wide range of staff discounts, family-friendly initiatives, and flexible work options. Check out the full list on our staff benefits page and use our reward calculator to discover the value of your pay and benefits.

Championing equality, diversity, and inclusion

The University of Edinburgh holds a Silver Athena SWAN award in recognition of our commitment to advance gender equality in higher education. We are members of the Race Equality Charter, and we are also Stonewall Scotland Diversity Champions, actively promoting LGBT equality.

Prior to any employment commencing with the University, you will be required to evidence your right to work in the UK. Further information is available on our right to work webpages.

The University is unable to sponsor the employment of international workers in this role. International applicants will therefore be unable to apply for and secure a Skilled Worker visa. They will only be able to take up this role if they can demonstrate an alternative right to work in the UK.

Key dates to note

The closing date for applications is 20 August 2026.

Unless stated otherwise, the closing time for applications is 11:59 pm (UK time). If you are applying from outside the UK, the closing time shown on our adverts will automatically adjust to your browser’s local time zone.