Seasonal Hospitality Couple - Cook and Front of House

Ardtornish Estate is seeking an enthusiastic couple - cook and front of house - to join The Coal Shed Caf until the end of November 2026. This is a fantastic opportunity to live and work in a stunning West Highland location as part of a friendly, close-knit team.

Ardtornish are looking for a friendly, reliable and hardworking couple to join us at our newest enterprise, The Coal Shed Café, with an immediate start until the end of November 2026.

The Coal Shed is a newly established, fifty cover “estate to plate” café, set in the heart of a beautiful highland landscape and operates alongside an organic farm, self-catering holiday portfolio, visitor gardens, hydro-schemes and conservation projects.

Both positions advertised play a key role in the day-to-day operation of the café and require two motivated individuals with strong hospitality experience. We’re a small team at Ardtornish, so we need people with a positive, ‘can do’ attitude who have plenty of initiative and genuinely enjoy looking after customers.

Position One – Cook – Salary £30,000 pro rata; 40 hours/week

As your primary role, you will be trained to prepare and cook all menu items and rotating daily specials. Responsibilities will include food preparation, stock management and waste control and ordering stock as well as close collaboration with the front of house team to ensure consistently high standards of service efficiency and minimal waste. You will share the responsibility for managing the kitchen and working on your own during service at quieter times, supported by the tourism team during peak periods.

The café operates seven days a week, so your working hours will be scheduled on a five-day rota, combining mid-week and weekend shifts in the kitchen. On rare occasions, such as to provide holiday cover, you may be required to work up to seven consecutive days, with time off in lieu provided. We have two evening nights scheduled in August and September, which you will also be required to work, all within your contracted hours.

What we are looking for

• Experience in kitchen management; including stock and waste control, service, food costing and adherence to food hygiene standards
• Friendly, reliable, punctual and well-presented, with a genuine interest in hospitality
• A keen eye for detail with high standards of food presentation, cleanliness and hygiene
• The ability to multitask during busy service periods and work calmly and cooperatively as part of a close-knit team as well as independently

Position Two – Front of House and Kitchen Prep – Salary £26,500 pro rata, 40 hours/week

Your primary role will be front of house, welcoming visitors, taking orders, serving food and drinks, and sharing information about our menu and estate-to-plate ethos. You’ll work closely with the kitchen and wider tourism team to ensure every guest enjoys an excellent experience. During busy periods, you’ll need to work efficiently across both the indoor and outdoor café spaces, balancing multiple tasks with a friendly, professional approach.

As a secondary role, you’ll support the kitchen with food preparation, plate dressing and stocking core menu items. You’ll also assist with the day-to-day running of the café, including pot washing, stock takes and receiving deliveries when required.

The café operates seven days a week, and you will work a five-day rota comprising a mixture of weekday and weekend shifts. Depending on operational needs, you may work either front of house or across both front of house and kitchen duties. You will also be required to work our two scheduled evening service nights within your contracted hours. On rare occasions, such as to provide holiday cover, you may be asked to work up to seven consecutive days, with time off in lieu provided.

Key responsibilities

• Welcoming customers and delivering friendly, professional service
• Taking and serving food and drink orders accurately and efficiently
• Preparing basic beverages
• Handling cash and card payments using the till
• Keeping the café clean, tidy, and well-presented at all times
• Clearing tables and assisting with KP duties
• Restocking supplies and monitoring stock levels
• Supporting the kitchen is food preparation and service during busier times
• Following food hygiene, health & safety, and company procedures throughout

What we are looking for

• Friendly, reliable, punctual and well-presented, with a genuine interest in hospitality
• Confident communication and strong customer service skills
• A keen eye for detail, with accuracy in order taking and pride in high standards of food presentation, cleanliness and hygiene
• The ability to multitask during busy service periods and work calmly and cooperatively as part of a close-knit team
• Flexibility and willingness to work across both kitchen and front of house as required
• Good numerical skills, with confidence in handling cash and card transactions
• Previous experience in food preparation and food hygiene compliance is desirable

What’s included for the couple?

• 🏡 Shared Accommodation
• ⚡ All utilities
• 🍽️ Meals while on shift
• 🛍️ Staff discounts
• 💷 Share of gratuities

This is a fantastic opportunity to spend a season living and working in one of the most beautiful parts of Scotland while helping us grow an exciting new business.

The most important thing for us is to find the right team players; we would love to hear from you if your experience, as a duo, spans over the job requirements.

If you think this could be the right fit for you, please send your CV’s to hannah@ardtornish.co.uk with a covering letter letting us know why you would be suitable for the role.

We look forward to hearing from you.