Chef de Partie

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(working on a 2-week shift rota, including weekends and evenings)

An excellent opportunity for a Chef de Partie to be part of our friendly team of chefs dedicated to preparing a range of high-quality dishes, including fine dining for the College community and our commercial guests. In this role you will ensure the highest possible standards of food preparation and presentation, showcasing both classical and modern culinary techniques. The successful candidate will also have the opportunity to extend their skills and learn additional techniques from our experienced chefs.

To be considered for this role, you will need to have:

• An NVQ Level 2/3 in Catering or equivalent
• A Certificate in Food Hygiene
• Relevant experience gained in a busy commercial environment
• Excellent culinary skills
• A good understanding of current Food Safety and relevant Health & Safety legislation

Please view the attached job description and person specification above for more details.

About Downing College

Founded in 1800, Downing College in the University of Cambridge has a unique and magnificent setting among twenty acres of lawns and trees yet is located in the centre of Cambridge. The open landscape has a superb collection of neo-classical buildings from the nineteenth, twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Those living and working in Downing enjoy a beautiful environment unique in Cambridge in its spaciousness.

Downing also has a thriving conference business and provides customers with a choice of superior conference, meeting and theatre facilities. The Catering team supports this business as well as serving lunch and dinner for up to 400 Fellows, staff and students each day.

Details of the role

The role of Chef de Partie is a permanent full-time position. The working hours are 37.5 hours per week, with a 30-minute break each day, allocated according to a two-week shift rota (including evenings & weekends).

The salary for this role is £33,328.85 (Step 40 on the College Salary Scale) for 37.5 hours per week

In addition to the salary, we offer an attractive benefits package. Please see the advert attachment above for a full list. (Please note that these benefits are non-contractual and may be amended or withdrawn at our discretion.)

Closing date: Midday on Tuesday 12 August 2026.

Please note that the closing date for this post may be brought forward if there is a high volume of applicants.

Applications are welcomed from a broad range of backgrounds. Candidates must be eligible to work in the UK.

Applicants who declare a disability will be offered an interview if they meet the minimum criteria for the job.

We are pleased to be able offer this document in an accessible format. Please contact HR ( ) if you wish to receive this advert and role profile or an application form in a different, accessible format, e.g. large print.

For further information or in event of queries, please contact the HR Office: