Chester Zoo to host special recruitment open days for chefs

Chester Zoo is searching for talented chefs to join its culinary team, with five roles available across a variety of locations throughout the zoo's 130-acre site.

The UK's most visited wildlife charity is inviting chefs to two special open days on Tuesday 16 and Wednesday 17 June, where candidates can drop in to find out more about the opportunities available and get a real taste of life working at one of the world's most famous zoos.

Available positions include one Line Chef, two Chef de Partie and two Lead Chef roles, with posts spread across a range of food and beverage outlets on site. Prospective applicants are encouraged to simply arrive on the day and bring their CV.

The event will offer a behind-the-scenes look at what a day in the life of a zoo chef really looks like - including guided tours of the kitchens, the chance to meet the Executive Head Chef and Head Chefs, and the opportunity to look over the menus. There will also be free tasters of food from the zoo’s various outlets.

Attendees will also be taken to the zoo's on-site garden to see first-hand what is grown there and how it feeds directly into the menus. Candidates who impress on the day will be invited back for a kitchen trial and interview.

Ben Finchett, Executive Head Chef at the zoo, said:

"Mention 'zoo chef' to most people in the industry and they picture a burger van - but that assumption is exactly why we're hosting these open days. The reality is we're running an award-winning gastro pub, a premium events space delivering weddings and corporate dining, and street food concepts inspired by the countries the animals in our care come from.

“We also cook with produce grown right here on site, which gives chefs a connection to their ingredients you rarely find anywhere else. There's genuinely something here for every kind of chef, whether your passion is premium dining, high-volume service or bold street food.

“Come and see the kitchens, meet the team, and I think most chefs will walk away surprised. Just bring your CV."

The events will take place between 11:00 and 14:00 on both days. No pre-registration is required – those interested in attending should report to the zoo’s Lodge entrance on Caughall Road (CH2 1LH), where they’ll be met and escorted to The Oakfield, the historic pub located at the heart of the zoo.