Advertised from 1 September 2025

Role

Bridgend Farmhouse is a community-owned hub in South Edinburgh dedicated to bringing people together through food, learning, and shared activities. Our community café, catering services, and food-related workshops are at the heart of what we do, supporting local people from diverse backgrounds.

We are seeking an enthusiastic and skilled Chef to join our community kitchen team. You will be responsible for preparing and serving delicious, nutritious food in our community café, supporting menu development, and ensuring effective stock control. This role involves working closely with volunteers from a variety of backgrounds and supporting their skills development in a welcoming and inclusive environment.

Our community cafe opens Wednesdays to Sundays. We also prepare food for our outside catering operation and food for internal events during these days.

Key Responsibilities

• Prepare, cook, and serve food for the community café in line with our menu and quality standards.
• Collaborate on menu planning and development to reflect seasonal produce and community needs.
• Maintain excellent food hygiene and safety standards in line with HACCP and legal requirements.
• Manage stock levels, carry out stock rotation, and ensure correct storage of all food items.
• Provide a supportive, inclusive, and positive environment for volunteers, assisting them with tasks in the kitchen and café service.
• Contribute to food preparation for catering orders and events when required.
• Ensure the kitchen is kept clean, tidy, and organised at all times.
• Work collaboratively with staff, volunteers, and community members to deliver our shared goals.
• Communicate clearly and respectfully with staff, volunteers, and community members.
• Handle challenging or difficult situations in a calm and professional manner.

Essential Skills and Experience

• Professional cooking experience in a café, restaurant, or similar setting.
• Good knowledge of food hygiene, safety standards, and allergen awareness.
• Experience of stock management and ordering supplies.
• Ability to work collaboratively and respectfully with people from all backgrounds.
• Strong organisational and time management skills.
• Good communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to remain calm and solution-focused under pressure.

Desirable Skills and Experience

• Experience working in a community kitchen or social enterprise setting.
• An interest in seasonal and sustainable cooking.
• Experience training, mentoring, or supporting volunteers.

Additional Requirements

Given the nature of this role, a PVG certificate (working with protected groups) is required. Bridgend Farmhouse will reimburse the cost of this.

What We Offer

• A supportive, friendly, and inclusive working environment.
• Opportunities to contribute to a community-led project making a real difference.
• Training and professional development opportunities.

Reports to: Food Project Coordinator

Application notes

To apply, please send your CV and reasons why you should be considered for this position to admin@bridgendfarmhouse.org.uk by 5pm on Wednesday 24th September.