Head Chef

Do you love creating healthy, delicious, and sustainable meals?

Join us at Field Studies Council Dale Fort, where your skills help fuel an organisation that inspires people to connect with nature.

Why you’ll love working with us:

• No late-night shifts, our finish time is normally by 8pm!
• Fixed mealtimes and planned menus – giving you predictable hours and structured shifts for a healthy work–life balance
• Permanent full-time contract – average 37.5 hours per week
• Salary equivalent to circa £16.12 per hour 
• Excellent benefits including 28 days holiday plus bank holidays, extra loyalty days with service, life assurance 5 x your salary, Cycle to work, EV scheme, discounts and cashback opportunities
• Plus, a Health and Wellbeing Support App for you and eligible family members to access remote GP appointments, mental health consultations, physiotherapy sessions and financial & legal support
• Accommodation available – making it easier to relocate to this stunning part of Wales

What you’ll be doing 

As our Head Chef, you’ll lead our hospitality team to deliver memorable meals for up to 154 visitors.

This role combines hands-on cooking with team management. You’ll be creating nutritious, sustainable menus for diverse diets and allergens, including, but not limited to vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, nut-free, and religious or cultural options.

Typical day:

• Breakfast: 7–11am
• Dinner: 3–8pm
• Set menus with 2–3 options per meal
• A mix of prep, cooking, and kitchen leadership
• Leading a small team of 8-10 part time staff to maintain high standards of hygiene and food safety

We’re proud to have achieved the Soil Association; ‘Food for Life’ (Bronze) & ‘Green Kitchen Standard’ awards, recognising our commitment to healthy, sustainable meals.

Your weekly hours will vary across the year, with more during busy periods and fewer in quieter weeks.

Where you’ll be based

Dale Fort is a truly unique place to live and work. Perched on the cliffs of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, you’ll be surrounded by breathtaking sea views, coastal wildlife and some of the UK’s most spectacular shoreline. Whether you’re walking the coast path, exploring nearby beaches or watching seabirds soar over the cliffs, nature is never far away.

Living and working at Dale Fort isn’t just a job, it’s an opportunity to combine your passion for food with an outdoor lifestyle in an inspiring coastal setting.

You’ll join a friendly and supportive team, helping to create memorable experiences for visitors while enjoying everything this remarkable corner of Wales has to offer.

Who we’re looking for someone who has:

• Previous catering experience with some management exposure
• A catering qualification or relevant vocational experience
• Strong knowledge of food safety and compliance (HACCP/CookSafe)
• Pride in your work, a flexible approach, and a positive team spirit
• An interest in sustainability and supporting our environmental mission

Ready to apply?

If this sounds like the opportunity you’ve been looking for, we’d love to hear from you!

Applications will be reviewed as they arrive, so apply early to avoid disappointment. We may close the role early if we have enough suitable applicants.

If you don’t meet every requirement listed in the person specification, we would still encourage you to apply and tell us about the unique skills and experiences you can bring to the role. We welcome applications from all backgrounds and abilities. 

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults, and we expect all team members to share this commitment. Any offer of employment will only be confirmed following the successful completion of rigorous pre-employment checks, including appropriate Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks.

Gellir darparu fersiwn Gymraeg o’n pecyn swyddi gwag hefyd ar gais. Anfonwch e-bost i gyda’ch cais a byddwn yn anelu gysylltu â chi cyn gynted â phosibl.

A Welsh version of our vacancy pack can also be provided on request. Please email your request and we will aim to get back to you as soon as possible.

The Company

We want to create a world where everyone feels connected to the environment so they can enjoy the benefits it gives and make choices that help protect it.

As an Investors in People charity, we realise that to achieve our vision we need diverse teams of staff who have a wide range of skills, a real passion for the work of the charity and pride in their role within it. No matter what role you perform at the Field Studies Council, everyone can make a difference and every role is vital to delivering our mission and vision…if this inspires you, we would love to hear from you.

What we offer

• Pension Scheme
• Life Assurance
• Health and Wellbeing Support App
• Training & development
• Free parking
• Retail discounts
• Family leave
• Flexible working
• Free refreshments