Food & Beverage Assistant

Hand Picked Hotels; Maidstone; On-site; GBP 26,000 - 29,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive hourly rate £13

Service charge share

28 days holiday incl. bank holidays

Uniform provided

Meals on shift

Company pension

Wellbeing support

Discount platform

Job summary

Hand Picked Hotels is looking for a Food & Beverage Assistant at Chilston Park Hotel in Maidstone. This full-time, permanent role covers 5 days out of 7 and includes a 40-hour working week with flexible hours where possible.

You will help deliver exceptional guest experiences, keep dining areas pristine, and support smooth service across restaurant and bar areas while maintaining our high standards of hospitality and teamwork.

Qualifications

• Previous restaurant and bar or food and beverage experience.
• Able to work as part of a team in a fast-paced hospitality environment.
• Welcoming and friendly nature with proactive attitude.

Responsibilities

• Maintain dining areas, bars and service spaces to the highest standards.
• Support smooth delivery of food and drink service and ensure tables are beautifully set.
• Work confidently on the floor, providing excellent service and upholding hospitality standards.

Skills

Food & Beverage service

Customer service

Teamwork

Job description

Hand Picked Hotels

Food & Beverage Assistant - Chilston Park Hotel

Location: Maidstone, Kent, ME17 2BE

Salary: Starting at £13 per hour + service charge + excellent colleague benefits

Job Type: Full-time | Permanent | 5 days out of 7

Come and join our Team...

We are currently seeking an enthusiastic Food & Beverage Assistant at Chilston Park Hotel, part of Hand Picked Hotels.

Set within 77 acres of breathtaking parkland, Chilston Park Hotel is more than a captivating country house hotel - it's a place where hospitality professionals thrive. Tucked away along tranquil, tree‑lined avenues, our team delivers unforgettable weddings, stylish escapes, and exclusive events, all with a seamless blend of heritage, contemporary flair, and refined elegance.

As a member of our team, you will help create unforgettable moments for guests as they explore our tranquil parkland, celebrate special events, and enjoy our personalised service, with an emphasis on service excellence & consistency.

If you're passionate about hospitality, thrive in a supportive environment, and enjoy making a real difference to someone's stay, Chilston Park Hotel offers an inspiring place to grow your career.

What will the role involve?

As a Food & Beverage Assistant, you will help create an exceptional guest experience by ensuring our dining areas, bars, and service spaces are presented and maintained to the highest standards. With meticulous attention to detail, you will support the smooth delivery of food and drink service, ensure tables are beautifully set, service stations are fully stocked, and food and beverage offerings are presented with care and consistency. Your commitment to excellence will contribute to an unforgettable and memorable guest experience. A true team player, you will work confidently alongside colleagues on the floor, providing excellent service and helping to uphold our reputation for outstanding hospitality and quality service.

This is a full‑time role working 5 days out of 7 including weekends on a rota basis, 40 hours per week, which may vary depending on business.

Flexible working hours can be accommodated where possible.

What's in it for you?

• A competitive hourly rate of £13 with incremental pay reviews based on recognition of commitment and performance, plus a share of service charge.
• A welcoming, inclusive culture where long‑terms friendships and diversity are celebrated.
• Ongoing career development with in‑house and external training, including apprenticeships and industry‑recognised courses.
• 28 days holiday per year including bank holidays, increasing to 33 days including bank holidays with length of service.
• Uniform and meals on shift provided.
• Free onsite parking (where applicable).
• Access to wellbeing support through our Employee Assistance Programme.
• Company pension, enhanced sick pay & Life assurance scheme.
• Online retail discount platform offering thousands of savings with high street retailers and restaurants as well as a health and well‑being platform.
• Discounted stays in our hotels and on food, drink, spa treatments & products.
• Annual loyalty awards (like afternoon teas and overnight stays).
• Introduction bonus for new colleague recommendations.
• Colleague‑of-the-Month awards, which leads to our annual awards ceremony.
• Regular team gatherings and appreciation events.

Are you Hand Picked?

• We are looking for proactive and enthusiastic candidates that have a willing attitude and a welcoming and friendly nature. We thrive on excelling together to ensure as a team we deliver service, excellence and consistency, fostering a culture of collaboration, partnership & teamwork.
• You will have passion and pride in delivering exceptional, high‑quality, personalised service to ensure our guests experiences are memorable.
• You will have previous restaurant and bar or food and beverage experience, with the confidence to work as part of a team and deliver exceptional service standards in a fast‑paced, busy hospitality environment.

Who we are...

Hand Picked Hotels was founded in 2001 by owner and Chairman, Julia Hands MBE, and today still remains a family‑owned group which has 21 unique luxury country houses and coastal retreats, each hand‑picked for their individuality. Architecturally distinctive and quintessentially British, every hotel boasts an extraordinary location from Scotland to the Channel Islands, offering breathtaking views from vast countryside to expansive beaches, to lush woodlands.

Dedicated to creating unique and enchanting stays, curated personalised service runs through the heart of every hotel. Whilst each hotel is individual, each property fulfils the company values of family, individuality, community and care, with a team commitment to aiming higher and delight their guests with magical experiences that offer a true escape from the every day.

Hand Picked Hotels are committed to protecting the environment for a sustainable future, and all of our hotels have received the 'Green Tourism' accreditation. A Recognition of our progress in reducing energy use and waste, supporting biodiversity, and sourcing responsibly from local and ethical partners.

Hand Picked Hotels is an Equal Opportunities employer. Candidates must be eligible to live and work in the UK.