The Donkey Sanctuary is an international animal welfare organisation, offering care and protection to donkeys worldwide. Our vision is a world where every donkey has a good quality of life, and our mission is to improve the lives of donkeys every day. We will achieve this by transforming the lives of donkeys in need worldwide by fostering greater understanding, collaboration and support, and by promoting lasting, mutually life-enhancing relationships. 

As Junior Sous Chef, you will make a visit to our restaurant an integral part of the visitor experience at The Donkey Sanctuary acting as an ambassador of all that we offer. Working with the Head Chef you will translate The Donkey Sanctuary’s core values into a successfully operating, team-focused kitchen where excellent and compassionate food quality is delivered to this standard, consistently and without compromise.

About you:

• Substantial experience of working as a chef within the catering industry and relevant qualifications.
• Food Hygiene level 2 certificate or above.
• Excellent customer service skills.
• Able to make good decisions under pressure and deliver on deadlines.
• A true team player.
• Self-motivated with a flexible “can do” attitude.
• UK full valid driving licence.

About the role:

Your principal duties and responsibilities will include –

• Supporting the team to deliver exceptional food quality that embraces higher welfare standards, ensuring that all dishes are delivered appropriately.
• Inspiring and teaching the Chefs and Kitchen Assistants to ensure that food quality exceeds customer expectations at all times.
• Assisting the team and helping to build future succession by developing, coaching and mentoring individual members.
• Working with the Head Chef and Sous Chef to ensure food quality is delivered with the highest standards of food safety and that all food hygiene procedures are maintained by the team as a whole.
• Ensuring that the food on offer fully reflects our core values and always includes an appropriate balance of higher-welfare, vegetarian and vegan choices and caters for general covers as well as functions.
• Collaborating with the kitchen team towards consistently achieving gross profit and reporting accurate food gross profit to the Head and Sous Chefs.
• Running the kitchen and managing the team in the absence of the Head and Sous Chefs.

This is a full-time, fixed term contract starting as soon as possible, until 31 December 2025, working 37.5 hours per week, 5 days over 7, with some weekend work as part of the team rota.

Please note: These roles will not include split-shifts.

The Donkey Sanctuary is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of vulnerable people (children and adults), and expects all staff and volunteers to undertake this commitment. Applicants will be subject to safer recruitment processes, including an application for a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check where required for the post.

Please note: The Guaranteed interview scheme is only applicable to candidates who consider themselves to have a disability applying for roles based within the United Kingdom.

NOTE TO APPLICANTS: We look forward to receiving your application, but we do ask you to complete this in your own words, and not to employ an Artificial Intelligence (AI) writing tool or assistant. Applications that are considered not to be an applicant’s own work may not be shortlisted for interview.