Kitchen Manager

As Kitchen Manager, you'll lead all kitchen operations within our Forest Retreat - the social heart of the location, featuring a restaurant, bar and shop. Guests can dine with us or enjoy freshly prepared meals delivered directly to their cabin.

This is a hands-on leadership role where you'll inspire your team, drive standards, manage commercial performance and help create unforgettable guest experiences.

You'll be responsible for:

️ Leading the day-to-day kitchen operation
️ Coaching, mentoring and developing your team
️ Maintaining exceptional food quality and presentation standards
️ Managing kitchen compliance, HACCP and health & safety procedures
️ Driving efficiency, stock control and budget management
️ Creating a positive, supportive and high-performing kitchen culture
️ Ensuring smooth service during busy holiday periods

We're looking for a confident and motivating leader who thrives in a busy kitchen environment and genuinely enjoys developing people.

You'll ideally have:

Experience in a fast-paced food & beverage environment
Previous leadership or kitchen management experience
Strong organisational and multitasking skills
A calm, solutions-focused approach under pressure
Passion for great food and outstanding guest service
Experience with stock control and purchasing
Good IT skills, including Microsoft Office

Most importantly, you'll be someone who leads from the front and takes pride in creating a kitchen where people enjoy coming to work.

We're not your typical hospitality business. We create memorable stays in beautiful forest locations while protecting and conserving the land around us. With over 800 colleagues across the UK, we're passionate about sustainability, wellbeing and helping people reconnect with nature.

Salary: Up to £32,000 per annum
Hours: Full time - 40 hours per week
Working pattern: 5 days out of 7, including alternate weekends

Are you a passionate Kitchen Manager looking for something more than the usual hospitality grind?

At Forest Holidays, you can continue doing what you love while enjoying a healthier work-life balance in one of the UK's most breathtaking woodland locations. Nestled within Glentress Forst, our unique retreat offers guests the chance to escape everyday life, and offers you the opportunity to lead a kitchen surrounded by nature, not city stress., 31 days holiday (including bank holidays), plus extra with long service
Annual bonus linked to customer service performance
Enhanced maternity & paternity pay
Subsidised meals while on shift
Discounted Forest Holidays and Sykes Cottages breaks for you, friends & family
One paid volunteering day each year
Pension scheme, life assurance & health cash plan
Long service awards, wellbeing events & team celebrations
️ Hundreds of retail discounts across top UK brands

At Forest Holidays, we believe in creating an inclusive workplace where everyone feels welcome. If you need any adjustments during the recruitment process, we'll be happy to support you.

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