Love Cooking, But Ready for Better Balance? Join Forest Holidays as a Kitchen Manager Forest of Dean, Coleford (Gloucestershire) Up to £32,000 per annum Full-time | 40 hours per week 5 days out of 7, including alternate weekends Are you a passionate Kitchen Manager looking for something more than the usual hospitality grind? At Forest Holidays, you can continue doing what you love while enjoying a healthier work-life balance in one of the UK’s most breathtaking woodland locations. Nestled within the ancient Forest of Dean, our unique retreat offers guests the chance to escape everyday life — and offers you the opportunity to lead a kitchen surrounded by nature, not city stress. The Role As Kitchen Manager, you’ll lead all kitchen operations within our Forest Retreat — the social heart of the location, featuring a restaurant, bar and shop. Guests can dine with us or enjoy freshly prepared meals delivered directly to their cabin. This is a hands-on leadership role where you’ll inspire your team, drive standards, manage commercial performance and help create unforgettable guest experiences. You’ll be responsible for: ➡️ Leading the day-to-day kitchen operation ➡️ Coaching, mentoring and developing your team ➡️ Maintaining exceptional food quality and presentation standards ➡️ Managing kitchen compliance, HACCP and health & safety procedures ➡️ Driving efficiency, stock control and budget management ➡️ Creating a positive, supportive and high-performing kitchen culture ➡️ Ensuring smooth service during busy holiday periods What We’re Looking For We’re looking for a confident and motivating leader who thrives in a busy kitchen environment and genuinely enjoys developing people. You’ll ideally have: ✅ Experience in a fast-paced food & beverage environment ✅ Previous leadership or kitchen management experience ✅ Strong organisational and multitasking skills ✅ A calm, solutions-focused approach under pressure ✅ Passion for great food and outstanding guest service ✅ Experience with stock control and purchasing ✅ Good IT skills, including Microsoft Office Most importantly, you’ll be someone who leads from the front and takes pride in creating a kitchen where people enjoy coming to work. Why Forest Holidays? We’re not your typical hospitality business. We create memorable stays in beautiful forest locations while protecting and conserving the land around us. With over 800 colleagues across the UK, we’re passionate about sustainability, wellbeing and helping people reconnect with nature. What You’ll Get ✨ 31 days holiday (including bank holidays), plus extra with long service Annual bonus linked to customer service performance Enhanced maternity & paternity pay Subsidised meals while on shift Discounted Forest Holidays and Sykes Cottages breaks for you, friends & family One paid volunteering day each year Pension scheme, life assurance & health cash plan Long service awards, wellbeing events & team celebrations ️ Hundreds of retail discounts across top UK brands At Forest Holidays, we believe in creating an inclusive workplace where everyone feels welcome. If you need any adjustments during the recruitment process, we’ll be happy to support you. Please note: If successful in the role, any job offer will be subject to pre-employment checks, including a basic criminal record check. Ready to combine your passion for food with a lifestyle you’ll love? Click Apply now and start your next adventure in the Forest of Dean.