Chef de Partie / Sous Chef

Unique Wellness Retreat | Northamptonshire | Cottage Accommodation Available

Salary TBC | Full-Time | 1-Bedroom Cottage Available

A genuinely different opportunity has arisen for a talented Chef de Partie or Sous Chef to take a leading role within the kitchen of a transformational wellness retreat in the Northamptonshire countryside.

Having moved away from traditional boutique hotel operations, the property now specialises in retreats centred around physical and mental wellbeing, operating with a small team and a much more focused guest experience.

The successful chef will take responsibility for managing the kitchen and preparing menus for the property's wellness retreats, making this an interesting opportunity for a chef looking for greater ownership, creativity and independence.

The Retreat

Set within the Castle Ashby Estate in Northamptonshire, the operation has been completely repositioned from its previous life as a traditional boutique hotel.

Today, the focus is on providing transformational retreats centred around physical and mental wellbeing, with food forming an important part of the overall guest experience.

The team is now deliberately small, creating a very different environment from a conventional hotel kitchen and offering the successful chef the opportunity to have genuine influence over the food operation.

The Role

The business is flexible between Chef de Partie and Sous Chef level, with the right person and their capability more important than a rigid job title.

You'll take significant responsibility for the day-to-day kitchen operation, including:

Managing the kitchen during wellness retreats
Planning and preparing menus for retreat guests
Organising daily preparation and service
Producing consistently high-quality food
Maintaining excellent kitchen organisation
Ensuring food hygiene and safety standards are maintained
Working effectively as part of a small retreat team
Taking ownership and responsibility for the food operation
Adapting menus and preparation to the requirements of individual retreats

Further details around guest numbers and the extent of menu-development autonomy are currently being confirmed.

The Package

Salary – TBC
Full-time permanent opportunity
One-bedroom cottage available
Cottage located within walking distance of the property
Discounted accommodation
All household bills included
Final accommodation rental cost currently being confirmed
Opportunity to take significant ownership of a small kitchen operation
Unique countryside wellness-retreat environment

Contracted hours and working pattern are currently being confirmed.

The Ideal Candidate

This could suit either a strong Chef de Partie ready to step into a more responsible position or an established Sous Chef looking for greater independence.

You'll ideally have:

A strong professional chef background
Experience within quality restaurants, hotels or similar hospitality environments
Confidence working with a high degree of independence
Excellent organisation and kitchen-management skills
Strong menu-planning and preparation ability
Consistently high standards
Excellent food hygiene knowledge
An adaptable approach suited to a smaller operation
An interest in producing food as part of a broader wellness-focused guest experience

Why This Role?

This isn't another conventional hotel CDP or Sous Chef vacancy.

The successful chef will have the opportunity to take genuine ownership of a small kitchen and create menus for dedicated wellness retreats, within a business that has deliberately moved away from traditional hotel operations.

For someone who enjoys independence and wants their next move to offer something different from the usual restaurant brigade structure, it could be a particularly interesting opportunity.

There's also the significant benefit of a private one-bedroom cottage within walking distance, offered at a discounted rate with all bills included.