Senior Chef in Hythe

Closing date: 5th October 2026

Salary: £32,000.00-£38,000.00 DOE

Plus, Service Charge & Desirable Benefits

Permanent, Full-time Position Available

At Port Lympne Hotel & Reserve, we are looking to expand our team of Chefs within our beautiful, historic Mansion hotel & Garden Room Restaurant.

Our seasonal changing menu includes fresh and robust flavours, championing local ingredients and produce from local suppliers, and our kitchen garden. Whether our guests are in the mood for classic family favourites, or something a little more fancy for a special evening, Port Lympne Hotel & Reserve offers dining choices for all occasions in the heart of the Kent countryside.

As a Senior Chef Will Be Responsible For

• Supporting the Head Chef in day-to-day kitchen operations and food safety.
• Ensuring all kitchen sections are set and that all staff are following set recipes and specifications on dishes and functions.
• Ensuring all ordering is completed at end of service and mise en place is written for following day.
• Ensure the kitchen is cleaned and closed down at the end of service, ensuring your section fridge is tidy and organised and ensuring fridges are labelled correctly.
• Managing stock and rotation.
• Assist the kitchen with prep, cooking, and cleaning tasks
• Previous experience of a senior chef role working within a fast-paced kitchen will be essential and you will need to be confident working on your own and able to give clear instructions to supporting staff.

Contract Details

We are offering a full-time Chef position, working 45 hours a week, five days out of seven as per the roster. Working hours will include weekdays, weekends, and bank holidays. A reliable mode of transport is recommended due to our remote location of the park. All applicants must have right to work in the UK.

The location:

Port Lympne Hotel & Reserve is a world-renowned wild animal park set within 600 acres of Kentish savannah. The Reserve is home to some of the world's most rare and endangered animals and offers luxury short breaks accommodation, free roaming animal safaris, once-in-a-lifetime animal encounters and exquisite dining experiences. Most importantly, every one of our employees is part of real conservation in action and their efforts have contributed to animals such as black rhino and western lowland gorillas being returned to their natural habitats in collaboration with our partners at The Aspinall Foundation.

Why You Should Join Us

We're on a mission to create memorable experiences that matter, and our Core Values 'One Team', Customer' and 'Pride' are what drive us each day to become part of something extraordinary. As well as walking to work surrounded by the calls of Howler monkeys and the roars from our pride of Lions, you will join a supportive team who are passionate about their place of work.

You can also expect a host of other roarsome benefits including:

• Service Charge (TRONC) in additional to salary.
• 28 days annual leave inclusive of bank holidays, pro-rata to start date and working hours, rising with length of service
• Comprehensive training and development opportunities, including workshops and e-learning.
• Enhanced Sickness, Maternity and Paternity Policies.
• Unlimited free entry for you and a person of your choice into both of our parks as well as friends and family tickets.
• Exceptional discounts on food, retail and accommodation at our parks.
• Numerous retail discounts and access to a 24-hour counselling line through our Healthy Extras Scheme.
• Company Pension
• And many more length or service-related rewards and Benefits.

Your adventure awaits

#joinourpride