Cook

Who we are

Fancy working somewhere a little different?

Did you know Welsh Water has its very own visitor attraction at Elan Valley? Open all year round, our Visitor Centre is home to a café, retail area and activity centre offering both land and water-based activities. Join our friendly, enthusiastic team and enjoy working in one of the most beautiful settings in Powys.

Located in the heart of mid-Wales, Elan Valley is easily accessible from the nearby town of Rhayader.

📍 What3words: ///earpiece.herds.nickname

📍 Postcode: LD6 5HP

📍 Getting here: Elan Valley is in a rural location with limited public transport, so you'll need access to your own transport to get to and from site five days a week. There is no home working in this role.

Want a glimpse of where you could be working? Take a look around our beautiful Visitor Centre and see the setting for yourself: Watch our video!

What you'll be responsible for

You'll play an important part in creating a great experience for everyone who visits Elan Valley Visitor Centre.

Working closely with the Café Supervisor and Manager, you'll help keep the café kitchen running smoothly and serve freshly prepared, high-quality food that visitors can enjoy as part of their day with us.

You'll also have the opportunity to take the lead in the kitchen when the Supervisor is away, maintaining high standards of food quality, hygiene and service.

This will include

• Preparing, cooking and serving high-quality meals, following our agreed standards and cost targets.
• Working closely with the wider café team to keep service running smoothly and create a positive team environment.
• Delivering friendly, exceptional service and helping create a great experience for our visitors.
• Taking pride in maintaining a safe, clean and well-organised kitchen, ensuring food safety procedures are followed at all times.
• Building a strong knowledge of our menus and food allergens so you can help provide a safe and enjoyable experience for every visitor.
• Getting involved in menu planning and supporting events at the Visitor Centre.
• Helping manage stock and ordering to make sure the kitchen has everything it needs for a successful service.

About you

Essential Qualifications

• Means to attend site 5 days / week via own public transport (postcode LD65HP)

Essential Experience

• Prior demonstrable experience of food preparation
• Experience of working in a busy kitchen as a commis chef or cook

Essential Knowledge & Skills

• Able to deliver high levels of customer service
• Able to effectively communicate with customers and colleagues
• Able to be organised and follow process

🚀 Develop your career with us

We're particularly interested in people who want to grow and develop, rather than simply looking for their next job.

The redevelopment will create opportunities for:

• 🌱 Developing your leadership skills
• 👩🍳 Building a team of outstanding Food Assistants
• 👥 Developing and mentoring team members (Food Assistants)
• 🎓 Supporting training and development
• 🏗️ Being involved in the transition to the new visitor centre
• 📈 Taking on greater responsibility as the operation grows

Join us now and help shape what comes next.

Good to know

Working Pattern

• 37 hours over 5 days out of 7
• Annualised hours (usually more hours in summer and less in winter)

• Rota scheduled every 4 weeks
• Shifts will include bank holidays, school holidays and every other weekend
• Typical shift patterns: Monday - Sunday 8.30am-4.30pm or 10am-6.30pm (to cover an 8 hour working day)
• Weekends and school holidays are our busiest times where more hours will be available

Recruitment process

Our recruitment process will include:

• Application: Submit your CV to Pauline Nineham at Pauline.Nineham@dwrcymru.com, or apply directly via the link in this advert. Either application method is accepted.
• Stage 1: Initial telephone conversation.
• Stage 2: Site visit and competency-based interview.

For more information on the role please contact Pauline.Nineham@dwrcymru.com.

Please note, we may close this role sooner if required. We may also extend the original closing date depending on interest.

Due to the nature of the industry, we require satisfactory references, post offer medical clearance, and a criminal records Basic Disclosure check on all new employees joining the business. For some roles there may be additional checks and security clearance required, and this offer is subject all checks being satisfied. You will receive further information on how to complete these checks via email once you have accepted this offer.

Benefits

As well as a market competitive salary, 34 days annual leave (pro rata, including public holidays), we offer a range of employee benefits and rewards including:

• TOIL

• Annual Living Wage increase
• 20% employee discount on Elan Valley activities for you and your family
• 20% employee discount across all our visitor attractions
• 22 hours of fully paid training upfront to help you get started
• Opportunities to learn, develop and progress your career
• Uniform provided
• Refreshments available
• A beautiful working location at Elan Valley
• Free on-site parking
• Free mortgage brokering services
• Enhanced family-friendly policies
• Bicycle purchase discount payment schemes (affordability permitting)
• Employee Assistance Programme for you and your immediate family

And as part of Welsh Water, you'll be working for a not-for-profit company that truly cares about earning the trust of our customers and protecting our beautiful environment.

And that's not all! You can find even more of our employee benefits on our website!

🌟 Why join us now?

This isn't just another Cook job.

You'll be joining the team at the beginning of an exciting journey, with the opportunity to develop your leadership skills, take on greater responsibility and grow alongside the future Elan Valley operation.

As the redevelopment progresses, there will be opportunities to be involved in developing new ways of working, supporting training and helping shape the future café and kitchen operation.

You could be joining us now and growing with the role as the new visitor centre takes shape.