Head Pastry Chef | 4 Days On, 3 Days Off

The Pine Trees Hotel Ltd.; Oldmeldrum; Remote; GBP 52,000 - 72,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

29 days holiday

Training and development from day one

Employee events and celebrations

Inhouse interactive employee app

Access to gym and pools

Healthy meals

External Employee Assistance Programme

Pension contributions

Discounts in restaurants

Cycle to Work Scheme

Discounted room rates for staff

Spa treatments and product discounts

Life Assurance cover

Job summary

Meldrum House Hotel in Aberdeenshire is seeking an outstanding Head Pastry Chef to lead the pastry and dessert operations across the estate. You will oversee pastry offerings for restaurant service, weddings, banqueting and bespoke events, developing an innovative, seasonal programme with a hallmark of elegance.

You will work closely with the Executive Chef and senior leadership to mentor the pastry team, uphold HACCP and food-safety standards, and champion local, sustainable ingredients while

Qualifications

• Proven experience as Head Pastry Chef or Senior Pastry Chef in a luxury hotel or fine-dining setting.
• Expertise in chocolate, viennoiserie, plated desserts, breads and celebration cakes.
• Strong leadership to inspire and mentor a pastry team.
• Solid understanding of cost control, menu engineering and kitchen operations.
• Creativity to deliver exceptional guest experiences and seasonal pastry programmes.
• Ability to thrive under pressure with precision and elegance.
• Experience in 4- or 5-Red Star hotel environments.
• Formal culinary training and food safety certification.

Responsibilities

• Lead on pastry menu development, seasonal innovation and signature dishes.
• Elevate pastry offerings across all dining outlets with consistency and presentation.
• Oversee daily pastry operations including mise en place, production planning and service.
• Maintain high standards of food safety, hygiene and HACCP compliance.
• Manage pastry budgets, stock control, ordering and costings.
• Build relationships with local suppliers and champion Scottish ingredients.
• Lead, mentor and develop the pastry team with training and reviews.
• Support events, tastings and culinary presentations.

Skills

Head Pastry Chef experience

Luxury hotel pastry leadership

Team leadership

Cost control

Menu engineering

Creative pastry

Food safety

High-pressure precision

Education

Formal culinary training

Food safety certification

Job description

Why join Meldrum House Hotel?

We’re transforming and elevating every dining outlet across the Meldrum House estate and this is your chance to be part of something extraordinary from day one. With all culinary offerings recently reimagined, we’re creating a new, signature culinary identity for the estate, and we’re looking for exceptional talent ready to innovate, lead, and help shape the future with us.

Set within 240 acres of stunning Aberdeenshire countryside, our multi-award-winning luxury retreat is celebrated for its refined dining, warm Scottish hospitality, and unforgettable guest experiences. From our 800-year-old Cave Bar boasting over 120 whiskies, to our contemporary dining domes and one of Scotland’s top-ranked golf courses, Meldrum House is a truly special place to work, grow, and create.

With 51 beautifully appointed bedrooms and a range of diverse event spaces including our breathtaking ballroom and the outdoor Titan Sky Bar dome we deliver excellence across weddings, events, fine dining, tasting menus, and beyond. This is a rare opportunity to bring your craft to a venue that values creativity, provenance, and world-class standards.

The Role

We are seeking an outstanding Head Pastry Chef to lead the pastry and dessert operation across the entire estate. This is a pivotal role for a visionary chef with exceptional technical skill, a modern creative approach, and a passion for delivering luxury pastry experiences.

As our Head Pastry Chef, you will oversee all pastry and dessert offerings from afternoon teas and restaurant service to weddings, banqueting, bespoke events, and in-room amenities. You’ll work alongside our Executive Chef and senior culinary leadership to develop an innovative, seasonal, and impeccably executed pastry programme that becomes a hallmark of the Meldrum House experience.

You will:

• Lead on pastry menu development, seasonal innovation, and signature dish creation.
• Elevate pastry offerings across all dining outlets, ensuring consistency, precision, and beautiful presentation.
• Oversee daily pastry operations including mise en place, production planning, and service delivery.
• Maintain exceptional standards of food safety, hygiene, and HACCP compliance.
• Manage pastry budgets, stock control, ordering, and costings.
• Build strong relationships with local suppliers, championing Scottish and seasonal ingredients.
• Play a key role in special events, menu tastings, and culinary presentations.
• Lead, mentor, and develop the pastry team, nurturing skill and confidence.
• Provide structured training, performance reviews, and development plans.
• Full compliance with all Health & Safety, Food Safety, and internal standards.
• Achievement of target audit scores and hygiene ratings.
• A focus on sustainable practices including local sourcing, reduced waste, responsible suppliers, and energy-aware production.

About You

Essential Experience & Skills:

• Proven experience as a Head Pastry Chef or Senior Pastry Chef in a luxury hotel, fine-dining, or equivalent high-calibre environment.
• Exceptional ability across pastry disciplines including chocolate, viennoiserie, plated desserts, bread, and celebration cakes.
• Strong leadership skills with the ability to inspire and mentor a team.
• Solid understanding of cost control, menu engineering, and kitchen operations.
• Passion for creativity, innovation, and delivering exceptional guest experiences.
• Ability to thrive under pressure while maintaining precision and elegance.
• Formal culinary training and food safety certification.
• Experience within 4 or 5 Red Star hotel environments.
• Highly organised, adaptable, and committed to continual learning.

You’ll meet great people, have fun at work, develop new friendships, learn new skills, and of course you will also receive a competitive rate of pay and a generous range of employee benefits which includes:

• 29 days holiday
• Training and development from day one
• Employee events and celebrations
• Inhouse company interactive employee communication APP
• Entry to our state-of-the-art gym and pools
• Healthy meals to enjoy while you're working.
• Access to an external Employee Assistance Programme
• Financial Wellbeing App, allowing you the flexibility to get paid earlier than your normal monthly pay date.
• Referral bonus when your friends or family join the team.
• Contributions to a pension plan.

Following your first successful 3 months, you’ll also receive ……

• Access to our discounts and wellbeing platform “Treat Yourself Here”, unlocking savings and experiences for you and your family.
• Involvement in our employee recognition schemes
• Long service recognition
• Probation pass and annual anniversary complimentary guest experience overnight stay and dinner for two
• 50% discount in our restaurants
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• Discounted room rates for employees, friends, and family
• Spa treatments and product discounts
• Life Assurance cover

This role is not eligible for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker visa route, although candidates with existing, continuous Skilled Worker status granted before 22 July 2025 may still qualify.