Lead chef

Say goodbye to working split-shifts, late evenings, every weekend, every Christmas and New Year. Say hello to a job that means something to so many.

Contract: Permanent / full time / 40 hours a week.
Salary: £27,508.
Holidays: 24 days a year, (rising by a day a year to a maximum of 30 days) plus public holidays.
Location: Outward Bound Ullswater and Howtown.
Apply by: 9am Friday, 13 October 2023.
Start date: January 2024.

Apply now

Job description

What you'll be doing...

Fancy contributing to the adventurous experience of a young person attending an Outward Bound course? Your ability to make great food is a vital part of our mission.

A critical part of an Outward Bound residential is eating food that fuels big adventures and tastes amazing. For some young people, this is their first experience of eating home cooked food and sitting at a table, so we value our chefs and hospitality team greatly. If you join us you'll be leading a catering team of eight, working in large spacious kitchens, providing wholesome, home cooked meals for up to 220 young people from a diverse range of backgrounds.

You will make a difference

This job is much more than just cooking. You’ll be part of something really worthwhile. Outward Bound is a charity. Thousands of young people come to our centres every year for a few days of outdoor learning and adventure. Most of them have never left the city they live in, never mind come to the Lake District and see hills and sheep!

Your food will give them the energy to get to the top of a mountain, row across the lake and climb up a waterfall. Without you, they simply won't have the physical energy to power through their week.

It's good working here...

No split shifts
Most weekends off
Every Christmas and New Year off
Full training provided
Meals on duty
Spacious, well equipped, open plan kitchens
Uniform provided
Cycle to work scheme
Personal healthcare plan plus other benefits
Your work will have a real impact on the lives of young people.

Adventures on Ullswater

Here’s why Michael loves his job…

“It is a lifestyle choice. You’re not stuck in kitchen never seeing your customers. I speak to young people every day. I hear about their adventures at Outward Bound and help them make the best food choices.

I’m also surrounded by mountaineers, climbers, paddlers, mountain bikers and some of the best outdoor educators in the world. I can access the lake on my days off. And the team here are always friendly, it's never dull.”

Apply now

Apply now...

If you have any questions or are ready to apply, please send us an email with your up to date CV to Grahame by 9am Friday 13 October 2023: grahame.devine@outwardbound.org.uk.

We know that confidence can sometimes hold us back from applying for a job. But we’ll let you in on a secret: there’s no such thing as a ‘perfect candidate. So however you identify and whatever background you bring with you, please apply if this is a role that would make you excited to come into work every day.

Please note: Outward Bound Ullswater and Howtown are in beautiful, lake shore locations. But they're both out of town, so ideally you'll have your own transport (we have free parking places for you on site) or be able to access public transport. And if we offer you the job, you'll be asked to do a DBS check.

Job description