Catering Jobs

The catering operation at Gates Garden Centre Oakham currently consists of a 360 cover restaurant and a 120 cover coffee shop. There are an additional 76 covers on the restaurant balcony. The catering operation at Gates Garden Centre Woodlands Hinckley consists of a 300 cover restaurant.

We have significant expansion plans for our food operation and are always looking for capable individuals with hospitality and catering experience and a real passion for providing excellent customer service.

All our catering positions offer the significant advantage of no evening work and only one working day at weekends (For full time positions). You’ll also be off on Christmas day and Boxing Day, as well as New Year’s Day and Easter Sunday. As a growing business we can offer good opportunities for career progression.

Chef

Gates Oakham| Full Time, No Evenings or Split Shifts| Permanent

We are looking for a talented and enthusiastic Chef to join our friendly catering team in our busy 360-cover Garden Restaurant at Gates Oakham.

This is a fantastic opportunity for an experienced Chef who takes pride in producing great-quality food, enjoys working as part of a team, and thrives in a fast-paced environment.

The ideal candidate:

  • Must be experienced and passionate about working as a Chef
  • Positive, enthusiastic and brings a great attitude to the kitchen
  • Be calm and focused when working under pressure
  • Must be able to remain calm and focused, ensuring every dish is high quality
  • A team player with drive and ambition, with the ability to work efficiently alone when required
  • Be able to deliver a high level of customer service

The role includes:

  • Efficient preparation and cooking great food to a consistently high standard
  • Following and adapting to seasonal menu changes and understanding the elements to execute
  • Maintaining excellent standards of cleanliness and kitchen hygiene, including regular deep cleans
  • Working closely and collaboratively with the wider kitchen and catering team
  • Respond well to feedback and able to take direction and feedback from other members of the team.

At Gates we pride ourselves on offering a high standard of food at a great price.

If you’re looking for a permanent Chef role with a friendly team, a busy and varied environment, and no evening or split shifts, we’d love to hear from you.

Please email your CV to Natalie tills@gatesgardencentre.co.uk 

Pot Washer

Gates Oakham| Full Time| Permanent 

We are looking for a self-motivated team player to join our friendly kitchen team to work as a full-time Pot Washer.

You must be able to work unsupervised in a busy and fast paced working environment of a  360-cover restaurant. Applicants should be able to offer a flexible approach to working days and times, which does include working a weekend day.

The job will involve operating an industrial dishwasher and you'll need to always ensure that the kitchen is clean and tidy, in line with the government regulations.

Please email your CV to Natalie tills@gatesgardencentre.co.uk 

Restaurant Manager & Deputy Restaurant Manager

Gates Oakham| Full Time, No Evenings or Split Shifts| Permanent

We are looking for an experienced and passionate Restaurant Manager to manage our thriving 360-cover Garden Restaurant and 110-cover Courtyard Coffee Shop at Gates Oakham. Working primarily front of house, this role has a big focus on being hands-on and working as part of the team.

This is a fantastic opportunity for a hands-on hospitality professional who thrives in a customer-facing environment and enjoys leading by example. Working predominantly front of house, you will play a key role in delivering exceptional customer experiences while managing and developing a large and dedicated team.

Unlike many hospitality roles, this position offers an excellent work-life balance, with daytime shifts only, no evening work, no split shifts, and a rota that requires working only one weekend day per week.

Key Responsibilities

  • Lead, inspire and support the front-of-house teams to deliver outstanding customer service.
  • Manage, motivate and develop a team of up to 50 employees, ensuring high standards of food preparation, service and customer care.
  • Maintain exceptional standards of food quality, presentation and service in line with company policies and current legislation.
  • Ensure all hygiene, health and safety procedures are implemented and adhered to at all times.
  • Oversee stock management, purchasing and ordering processes, while controlling costs and minimising waste.
  • Manage staffing requirements, including rotas, holidays and absence management, ensuring appropriate cover is maintained.
  • Monitor operational performance and identify opportunities to improve efficiency, profitability and customer satisfaction.

The ideal candidate will have:

  • Extensive hands-on front of house management experience in a high-quality busy retailing/restaurant environment.
  • A hands-on manager looking for the next step in your career, with exceptionally high standards of customer service expertise willing to manage the back office but also working predominantly customer facing.
  • Experience in a high-volume operation
  • Excellent interpersonal and management skills to co-ordinate with the front of house teams.
  • Fully conversant with food hygiene regulations and relevant health and safety legislation.
  • A keen eye for cost-control, budgeting, profitability and efficiency.
  • A keenness to be involved in menu preparation and the creative development of the catering offer, both current and future developments.
  • Experience of purchasing and stock control
  • Strong organisational and time management skills

If you are an experienced hospitality professional looking for a rewarding management role with a healthier work-life balance, we would love to hear from you.

Please email your CV to Natalie tills@gatesgardencentre.co.uk 

Coffee Shop Supervisor 

Gates Oakham| Full Time, No Evenings or Split Shifts| Permanent

We are looking for a full time, permanent Coffee Shop Manager to support the smooth and efficient operation of the coffee shop. You will be responsible with the day to day running from staffing to delivery of the food and beverages.

You will greet customers warmly, take accurate orders, prepare and serve food and beverages, and maintain high standards of cleanliness and organisation throughout the dining area. Always maintain professional and friendly attitude to ensure an excellent dining experience for all.

You must work well under pressure and enjoy managing a busy environment and happy to get stuck in.

Responsibilities:

  • Handle cash and card transactions accurately, using the till.
  • Train the team and new members of the team
  • Maintain a clean and organised dining area, including ensuring the team are well set up and clearing tables, cleaning surfaces, and ensuring all areas meet health and safety regulations.
  • Work with kitchen staff and other café assistants to ensure smooth operations and high-quality service across the Coffee Shop
  • Managing stock and performing general housekeeping duties
  • Previous experience in a customer service or food service supervisor role is essential
  • Strong verbal communication skills to interact effectively with customers and team members.
  • Ability to work well in a team environment and maintain good working relationships.

This is a full-time position including working 1 weekend day per week.

Please email your CV to Natalie tills@gatesgardencentre.co.uk