Retreat venue cook - 37.5 hours per week, permanent contract (but open to job-share/p-t hrs)

This role oversees the catering for a mix of our own retreats and private hire groups of up to 18 participants, who will attend the Coach House weekly, arriving on varying days for different lengths of stays. 

The excellence of Sharpham’s vegetarian and vegan food has been rightly celebrated for a number of years and we want to continue this high standard, using the amazing produce grown in our own walled, kitchen garden. 

The successful candidate will liaise with our Head Gardeners and create menus based on the produce available. The kitchen will usually produce a buffet breakfast, a full lunch menu and a lighter evening meal. Volunteers & retreatants help with washing-up and may also support with veg prep, overseen by the cook in the still-new commercial kitchen. 

About the role

We are looking for a well-organised and flexible person to join our garden team. We are a registered charity caring for the historic Grade I-listed Sharpham House and Estate on the banks of the River Dart near to Totnes. At the heart of the Sharpham Trust ethos is our desire to build a more mindful, compassionate and environmentally sustainable world.  We connect people with nature and foster mindfulness and well-being through our programme of retreats, mindfulness courses, public events, outdoor learning and the arts.

This is a varied role, within a small team, in an organisation which has seen significant growth in recent years and is committed in the pursuit of its charitable objectives. There can be no better environment to work in than the one offered at Sharpham.

About you

This is a role for someone who is well organised with excellent communication skills and the ability to work with volunteers, retreatants & private hire guests. You will need previous experience of vegetarian cooking in a professional context for groups and the ability to manage a small commercial kitchen. You will have a passion for food and be able to manage multiple priorities and always achieve high standards as well as food safety standards. Flexibility and a sense of humour will be vital. Since the kitchen is central to the mindful retreat space, having a calm, grounded presence and being at ease in a retreat setting will be important. 

An interest in The Sharpham Trust’s charitable work and mindfulness would also be an advantage. Staff are able to access the Trust’s programme of mindfulness courses and retreats.

For this role you will need to be able to get to the Coach House retreat centre on the Sharpham Estate, which is not served by public transport.

Job description and how to apply

Download and read through the job description (here as PDF, here as Word.doc)

To apply, download our application form (here as PDF, here as Word.doc) and return to [email protected]

Closing Date: Friday 11 July – 9am

Interviews: Thursday 17 July

Cooking demonstration if you are chosen:  Friday 18 July

Further Information: see our website for further information here or email [email protected]