Cook

Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust; Mere; On-site; GBP 15,000 - 18,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

33 days annual leave

Free entry to wetland centres

Free car parking

Cycle to work scheme

Pension scheme

Life assurance

Job summary

The Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust at Martin Mere Wetland Centre is hiring a proactive Cook to join our busy café team. You'll work five days a week, including weekends, with seasonal hours, and you’ll help deliver a high-standard food service in a beautiful conservation setting.

You’ll need a Level 2 Food Hygiene certificate and catering experience. You’ll contribute to tasty menus, manage stock, and support front-of-house duties as part of an exceptional visitor experience.

Qualifications

• Previous catering experience in a high-volume environment.
• Must hold a Level 2 Food Hygiene certificate.
• Reliable and proactive team player.

Responsibilities

• Prepare high-standard food for the Café daily, minimising waste.
• Lead food preparation and stock management when Kitchen Manager is absent.
• Provide warm, efficient front-of-house service when needed.
• Follow health and safety and food hygiene guidelines at all times.

Skills

Catering experience

Food safety awareness

Customer service

Education

Food hygiene certificate Level 2

Job description

We are looking for a proactive individual to join our team at Martin Mere Wetland Centre. This is a unique opportunity to work for a local conservation charity and popular visitor attraction. You will not only be working in a beautiful natural setting but be part of the exceptional visitor experience at this busy visitor attraction. This role covers 5 days a week and will include weekend work. In autumn/winter the hours are 22.5 per week and in the spring/summer this will increase to 25 hours a week. There is also chance to work additional hours. As a Cook, you will be responsible for:

• Working within the kitchen team to produce a high standard of food for the Café on a daily basis ensuring minimum food wastage and meeting targets at all times.
• creatively preparing food and demonstrating innovation with seasonal produce
• following health and safety/food hygiene guidance and safe working practices relating to the catering department at all times
• performing some of the duties of the Kitchen Manager in their absence by taking full responsibility for the food produced for the Café when leading service, including ordering stock, preparation and delivery of final product.

In addition you would also be required to support the front of house team when appropriate:

• giving a warm welcome to every visitor to the café, demonstrating exceptional standards of customer service
• taking orders, making hot drinks as well as serving our seasonal menu and clearing table

Above all you will be contributing to an exceptional visitor experience.

About You

Candidates should have a food hygiene certificate Level 2 as well as an i ndustry recognised catering qualification or suitable experience.

Previous catering experience within a high volume food establishment is required along with p ractical experience in all areas of a kitchen, k nowledge of ordering and stock takes and e xperience of being the lead person in a catering environment.

You’ll be reliable, proactive and enjoy working as part of an effective and friendly team.

About Us

We’re WWT, and we’re on a mission to restore the super-powered ecosystems we call wetlands . There’s never been a more important moment for our work, and we’ve got some phenomenal people on the case.

Whether they’re taking a new visitor under their wing, or conducting ground-breaking research further afield, our team are second to none. And there’s nothing we love more than watching them soar.

Whatever you do here, you’ll be helping to restore wetlands and unlock their power. So, the only question left is, what role will you play?

Why you’ll love working at WWT

• Wake up every day knowing your work is helping to restore wetlands, and our world
• Be surrounded and inspired by our team of passionate, dedicated people
• 33 days annual leave (which goes up to 38 days after 5 years of service) –this includes bank holidays and you have flexibility to take those days whenever you want
• Free entry to all our wetland centres, including your family
• Free car parking and secure bike storage areas
• Colleague discount on shopping and memberships
• Cycle to work scheme
• Contributory pension scheme
• Life Assurance of three times your salary, for peace of mind for your loved ones
• Independent personal, workplace and financial advice from our Employee Assistance Programme

WWT is an equal opportunities employer and all applications will be considered solely on merit.