Kitchen Manager

Kitchen Manager

We have an exciting opportunity for a Kitchen Manager to join our Blackwood Forest team. Work in one of the UK’s most stunning forest locations, developing your skills while providing outstanding service to our guests. Sheltered beneath the protective canopy of ancient oak woodland or situated in the open meadow at the forest edge, our cabins at Forest of Dean offer an escape from everyday life in one of Britain’s most amazing forests.

The Kitchen Manager will oversee all kitchen activities within our Forest Retreat – the hub of the location, which includes a bar, restaurant, and small shop. Our guests can dine in the restaurant or have the full menu delivered to their cabin. You will be responsible for the kitchen set-up including any SSOW, HACCP changes required, while ensuring efficient service, timely order delivery, and commercial performance.

Our ideal Kitchen Manager is a dynamic, natural communicator with a strong work ethic and a passion for excellent service. A keen eye for detail, and skilled in preparation of locally sourced ingredients you can still manage, control and report on commercial targets and budgets.

Responsibilities include:

• ➡️ Day to day management of the kitchen
• ➡️ Auditing, coaching and mentoring the team to achieve the highest standards
• ➡️ Inspiring the kitchen team to over-deliver on our guests’ expectations, as well as developing them into future leaders
• ➡️ Skilled food preparation and handling, ensuring the quality and presentation of the food is to the highest standard and to agreed specification standards
• ➡️ Comply with Health and Safety and complete required paperwork associated within a food environment and oversee all cleaning rotas
• ➡️ Commercial acumen and a desire for both driving commerciality whilst controlling cost to budget
• ➡️ IT acumen and Microsoft Office software understanding

About You

We’re looking for a Kitchen Manager who enjoys leading from the front and creating a positive, supportive kitchen environment. You’ll take pride in developing your team, helping them grow in confidence and skill while maintaining a culture where everyone works together to deliver a fantastic experience for our guests. By coaching, mentoring and motivating the team, you’ll ensure the kitchen runs smoothly even during our busiest holiday periods.

You’ll bring:

• ✅ Experience of working in a fast-paced, busy kitchen in a food and beverage environment
• ✅Experience leading, coaching or mentoring a kitchen team
• ✅ Ability to multitask in a high-pressured environment with care and due diligence
• ✅ Passion for delivering great customer service
• ✅ A supportive and motivating leadership style
• ✅ Strong communication and teamwork skills
• ✅ The ability to remain calm and organised during busy services
• ✅ A passion for developing others and building a strong team culture
• ✅ Previous experience in purchasing and stock control is desirable

Please note: If successful in the role, any job offer will be subject to pre-employment checks, including a basic criminal record check.

Reasonable Adjustments: We’re all about diversity, inclusion, and bringing your authentic self to work. Need adjustments for the recruitment process? Just ask, our team is happy to help.

Click ‘Apply’ now to start your journey with us at Blackwood! Don’t miss out on this fantastic opportunity.