Head Chef

Head Chef

Salary: £45,000 - £50,000, depending on experience

Plus performance-related bonus of up to £6,000 per annum

Hours: 50 per week

Learn from the best.

Be part of a great team.

Work in a stunning location.

We're looking for a talented Head Chef to our enthusiastic and talented team.

Being a chef at The Gilpin Hotel & Lake House requires varying degrees of skill and bucket loads of enthusiasm. With three very different kitchens on our beautiful sites – we employ staff with a range of culinary skills and qualifications ranging from creative chefs with Michelin Star experience to our much-needed and hard-working kitchen porters.





Every staff member is important in helping to create a smooth and incredible dining experience for our guests.

Head Chef

- Takes responsibility for the consistent preparation of innovative and creative cuisine of the highest quality, presentation and flavour.

- Leads the kitchen brigade to ensure the smooth running of the kitchen.

- Manages areas of profit, stock, wastage control, hygiene practices, sustainability, management and training within the kitchen.

- Leads in the overall management of kitchen operations, including budgeting, staff scheduling, workflow coordination, and ensuring smooth day-to-day functioning of the kitchen.

- Oversees food preparation and cooking activities, ensures that dishes are prepared to the highest standards of taste, quality, and presentation. Monitors the cooking process, tastes and adjusts seasonings, and ensures consistency in flavours.

- Presents food to guests confidently and has the ability to explain dishes in a clear, confident and professional manner.

- Ensures that all dishes leaving the kitchen meet the established standards of quality, taste,





and presentation. Conducts regular inspections of food items, supervises plating techniques, and addresses any quality or consistency issues promptly.

- Leads on menu planning and development by providing creative ideas, new dish concepts and improvements. Designs and implements menu changes, seasonal offerings, and special promotions.

- Trains, mentors, and motivates kitchen staff, including chefs and kitchen assistants. Provides guidance on culinary techniques, menu items, and best practices to ensure consistent skill development and professional growth.

- Oversees inventory control, includes ingredient procurement, stock rotation, and minimising waste. Collaborates with suppliers,





monitors ingredient quality and maintains accurate records of inventory levels.

- Ensures compliance with all health and safety regulations, including proper food handling, storage, and sanitation practices. Conducts regular kitchen inspections to maintain a clean, tidy, organised and safe working environment at all times

- Fosters effective communication and collaboration within the kitchen team and with other departments. Coordinates with other chefs and staff members to ensure seamless operations, efficient service, and guest satisfaction.

- Assists in monitoring and controlling food costs, portion sizes, and wastage. Implements strategies to optimise ingredient utilisation, minimise expenses, and maximise profitability while maintaining quality standards.

- Supports the planning and execution of special events,





banquets, and catering functions from time to time.

- Is presentable at all times in clean pressed uniform, with long hair tied back. Attention to personal hygiene is also extremely important.

Our two iconic restaurants can be sustained at Gilpin due to our very high occupancy, often above 90% annually, plus a strong local and tourism market. The Lake District has the highest tourism in the UK after London, and within this market Gilpin is located next to the honeypot location of Windermere, is the only 5 AA Red Star hotel in the area, remains private and family run since 1987, is a member of Relais & Châteaux and Pride of Britain, and has achieved many accolades and awards with its’ exceptional reputation,





market presence and long-standing repeat business.

Gilpin is exceedingly PR focused, and our PR agency has no difficulty in attracting media given the appeal of the lakes, the opportunity to stay in our unique Spa Suites, and the choice of dining experiences, making Gilpin particularly attractive to food writers.

The restaurant achieves around 60 covers each evening and offers a lunch service too, as well as managing the hotel room service. The restaurant is vibrant and fun from being so. It is open seven days a week, and is supported by a team of enthusiastic chefs.

Skills and experience required for the role

- Culinary qualification or experience in a professional kitchen.

- Food hygiene qualification is essential - this must be at an appropriate level.







- Significant previous experience in a professional kitchen, including experience in a leadership role.

- Strong culinary skills with expertise in various cooking techniques and cuisines.

- Excellent organisational and time management skills to manage kitchen operations effectively.

- Leadership abilities to motivate and guide a diverse team of kitchen staff.

- Attention to detail and a commitment to delivering high-quality dishes.

- Strong knowledge of food safety and sanitation regulations.

- Creative mindset with a passion for innovation and menu development.

- Ability to work efficiently in a high-pressure, fast-paced environment.

- Flexibility to work evenings, weekends and holidays as per the demands of the establishment.







- Can act as a First Aid Aider or Fire Warden in the event of an accident or emergency.

- Physical stamina and dexterity to stand for long periods, lift heavy pots and pans, and perform repetitive tasks.

Other Things you need to know

Gilpin is proud to run a training programme which encourages staff to learn through incremental stages. This in turn then gives the ability to increase wages and benefits as they progress through the Skills Development (SD) levels. Gilpin Academy (as it’s currently known) is a training and development programme which also has the facility to log guest issues as they occur and report maintenance issues to the team so that problems can be resolved quickly and effectively.

ABOUT OUR FOOD

Gilpin has two very different restaurants,





with two teams of very different chefs who work together, sharing the same vision, commitment, passion and values, built on sustainable sourcing with low to no food miles and supporting local producers.

SOURCE at Gilpin Hotel

Ollie Bridgwater – Executive Chef – One Michelin Star

Ollie has created his own unique Lake District restaurant with sourcing, local produce and sustainability at the top of his agenda, topped with a sprinkling of culinary magic and storytelling that pushes the boundaries of what diners have come to expect. “SOURCE is a fun, vibrant restaurant that provides a great place to come & have an amazing, inspiring experience, and at the same time providing a professional engaging place for people to work in & be a part of.”

Gilpin Spice

Gilpin Spice is renowned locally for its inspired pan-Asian dishes. Food here is fun, and there’s always a bit of a story behind it.

Under the guidance of owner Barney Cunliffe, the property has also introduced its’ strategy for sustainability, which includes new procedures and techniques for procurement, scrutinising the supply chain and developing a new Culinary Centre. Working as sustainably as possible is something that’s hugely important to us at Gilpin. The chefs are working on taking a nose-to-tail, low-to-no food mile approach to sourcing.

LIVE, WORK & PLAY IN THE LAKE DISTRICT

Work hard but really enjoy your days off? There's nowhere better to do that than in the beautiful Lake District. As well as the traditional hospitality jobs at Gilpin Hotel and Lake House, you can also be an accountant, an agri-scientist, an interior designer, a landscape gardener, a marketeer, and much more… the opportunities are endless!

LOVE & LAUGHTER - WE LOVE WHAT WE DO - JOIN US AS OUR HEAD CHEF

Many of our guests come to Gilpin for very special celebrations, investing time, money, expectations, memories and feelings into their stay with us. Our job is to help create the magic, sowing the seeds for lasting happy memories with five star service, and a lot of love and laughter.

THE WORLD IS YOUR OYSTER - WE WILL TRAIN & DEVELOP YOU

You can start at whatever level is right for you, and immediately start learning about the work and our team spirit; everything you need will be provided in a combination of on the job training and via our online Gilpin Training Academy, with clear pay progression built in. If you want to prove yourself and become a manager, the opportunity is there – you can see for yourself what you need to do to progress, and if you wish to take it further this can lead to a degree or leadership course without needing previous qualifications. We don't pigeon hole and we support you to create your own career path - you might start off in one department and decide you want to try something in another department, For those that have a set career path in mind though, we'll support you to develop as far as you want to go. This is your future – our job is to train you & prepare you for whatever you do next.

WHAT’S IN IT FOR ME?

SOCIAL

Staff social events, activities and parties throughout the year.

FOOD

Home-cooked food for just £1 per meal. A breakfast of toast and cereal is free, and available at all times. We also have snacks and tasty treats available throughout the day.

SUBSIDISED ACCOMMODATION

Fantastic subsidised shared staff accommodation, some at the hotel, some in the countryside, and some in the centre of Windermere and Bowness. In all accommodation there is a shared kitchen and lounge area. We spring clean your room before you move in, meet you, show you around, and settle you in with a welcome pack, and check all the accommodation monthly to make sure everything is still lovely. Our staff accommodation ranges from mobile static homes to ensuite rooms in Bowness and Windermere (from £130 to £350 per month including bills). If you’re really trying to save and don’t have a lot of stuff, there are a few very small mobile static home rooms that we don’t charge anything for.

STAFF TRANSPORT

Free staff transport between Gilpin Hotel and Lake House and the staff houses in Crook, Windermere and Bowness.

GYM MEMBERSHIP

Free use of Choices Health Club in Troutbeck Bridge with gym, swimming pool, steam room, sauna and hot tub.

MYCUMBRIA CARD

We buy MyCumbria Cards for all of our team – old and new! With this you can get offers and discounts throughout Cumbria on food & drink, activities, shopping and more. We’ll also be introducing a scheme where you can get even more money off certain activities, so watch this space to go bike riding, canoeing, rock climbing, or relax with a lovely meal or go to the cinema…

ENGLISH LESSONS

We provide personalised English classes (while you’re paid) if you wish to gain confidence and ability to communicate in English. The aim is to motivate and encourage progression here at Gilpin as well as to gain confidence outside of work.

TREATS - DINING & HOTEL STAYS

Discounted rates in our restaurants, as well as amazing opportunities to stay at other Relais & Châteaux and Pride of Britain hotels from just £150 per night!

FRIENDSHIP & FUN

There are around 170 of us in Team Gilpin, but we’re not a big international hotel. We love what we do, and believe it’s important to have a friendly warm atmosphere behind the scenes as well as out front. We are family run with a strong team of managers who really look after, look out for and nurture our teams. We have a lovely, friendly, close knit team, where great friendships are made (often long term). We believe in enjoying what we do!

▶️ Head Chef
🖊️ Gilpin Hotel
📍 Windermere