Kitchen Assistant

🍃 Be part of creating unforgettable escapes to a cabin in Glentress Forest 🍃

• Location: Glentress (Peebles)
• Salary: £12.21 per hour
• Working Hours: Full-time, 40 hours.
• Days of Work: 1 day off mid week and working alternate weekends.
• Transport: Please note that our location is not accessible by public transport. Therefore, a valid driving licence and access to a car, or another reliable means of transport, are essential for this role.

We have an exciting opportunity for a Kitchen Assistant to join our Glentress Forest team! Work in one of the UK’s most beautiful forest locations, developing your skills while providing outstanding service to our guests. Surrounded by swaying trees, thriving wildlife, and wide-open skies, you’ll enjoy fresh forest air and immerse yourself in a truly scenic setting.

About the Kitchen Assistant Role:

Open all year round, as our Kitchen Assistant you play a pivotal role in our Forest Retreat building, the hub of the location.  This is our reception, the first port of call for guests checking in on their holiday.  It houses a shop, bar, and restaurant. Opening hours are location and season dependant but there are no late openings which allows a better work/life balance. In this role you must deliver exceptional customer service, ensuring every guest enjoys the perfect Forest Feeling experience.

Your Responsibilities:

• Cleaning and sterilising countertops, kitchen walls, stoves, ovens, grills and sinks
• Pot wash and table cleaning in the café
• Cleaning the entire kitchen once it is closed to ensure it is ready for the next day
• Maintaining the food storage areas like freezers and refrigerators
• Receiving deliveries and organising them in the kitchen
• Washing dirty dishes like cutlery, pots, cutting boards and pans or loading dishes into the dishwasher
• Removing kitchen waste from waste containers and disposing of them properly
• Cleaning and maintaining cooking equipment like cookers, pots and food mixers
• Supporting the Chef in basic food preparation like cutting ingredients, peeling and washing food items
• Providing assistance to Cooks and other kitchen staff, as needed.
• Providing support working front of house when required.

What Are We Looking For?

Our ideal Kitchen Assistant is passionate about the little details - you’re the kind of person who gets how important cleanliness is and is keen to help our busy Kitchen team achieve a smooth shift and have everything they need to work efficiently for our guests.

We’re looking for someone with:

• ✅ Experience working in a kitchen previously is preferable.
• ✅ A friendly, positive, and helpful attitude.
• ✅ Passion for delivering an outstanding customer service.
• ✅ Excellent communication skills and attention to detail.

Who Are Forest Holidays?

We’re a Certified B Corp. Our business has been recognised as a force for good. It's what we’ve always known: our holidays are good for people and the planet. We’ve never done business as usual. Our holidays are unique, and so are we. We’re a team of 800 people. We’re stewards of 244.5 hectares of forest. We manage the land for conservation and create spaces in nature for people to stay. Our tucked-away cabin locations are always thoughtfully placed. They’re places to discover the wonders of nature and realise the part we all play in protecting it.

Why Join Us?

As a valued member of our team, you’ll enjoy a range of fantastic benefits, including:

• ✈️ Generous holiday allowance – Take the time you need to recharge
• 💰 Performance-based bonuses – Earn a 5% bonus (paid quarterly) when customer service targets are met
• 🎉 Social events and awards evenings – Celebrate success with your team
• 🔒 Pension scheme – Secure your future with our company pension
• 💛 One full paid day to volunteer – Give back to a cause you care about
• 🍴 Subsidised meals – Discounted food when working on location
• ❤️‍🩹 Wellbeing events & activities – Focus on your mental and physical wellness
• 🏠 Save on breaks – Enjoy up to 20% off. Friends and family also receive 15% off.
• 🛍️ Hundreds of discounts – Save on top brands across the UK

Pay Rates for Aged 16 and 17:

• 16 years: £7.55 per hour
• 17 years: £10.00 per hour

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.

🌲 Apply now to join us in creating unforgettable stays at Glentress Forest. Don’t miss this amazing opportunity! 🌲