Chef

Reach for Remarkable

Chef – Start Your Culinary Career with Purpose at RAF Leeming

Location: RAF Leeming, Gatenby, Northallerton, DL7 9NJ 
Pay: £13.32 per hour 
Contract: Permanent, fulltime – 40 hours per week, 5 days over 7 
Shift times: Structured shifts between 06:30 and 20:00 – so your evenings stay free 

Build your skills. Gain experience. Make a difference. 
Looking for your next step in the kitchen — or a place to properly start your chef career?  

As a Chef at RAF Leeming , you’ll join a supportive, experienced team delivering great food to the Armed Forces community. 

This role is ideal for early career chefs or those still developing their confidence, offering a structured environment, strong leadership, and genuine opportunities to learn and progress — all with a rare worklife balance for hospitality. 

At Aramark UK, we believe in growing talent. Many of our senior chefs started exactly where you are now. 

Aramark UK are making a work life balance achievable whilst still working in hospitality, cultivating your culinary career with a world leading organisation. Aramark provides world-class contract catering services to our extensive list of clients across the UK, including Defence and Judicial, private industry and Education. We are lucky to have some of the best Culinary and Catering talent that the UK has to offer working within our teams. At RAF Leeming, we also offer 2 weeks off over Christmas and the New Year!

Why join us?

• Discounted meals on site
• Free onsite parking
• Employee Benefits App – Online GP, EAP support & hundreds of discounts
• Generous holiday allowance
• Pension scheme and life assurance
• Clear progression routes — many chefs move up quickly
• Apprenticeships, on-the-job training, and ongoing development.

What you’ll do:

• Working alongside experienced chefs, you’ll develop your skills in a professional kitchen environment:
• Preparing and cooking breakfast, lunch, and dinner dishes
• Supporting fine dining service for functions and special events
• Learning and following recipe cards to deliver consistent, high-quality food
• Supporting stock checks, deliveries, and kitchen records
• Learning food safety standards, temperature controls, and due diligence
• Helping with daily and weekly kitchen cleaning to keep standards high 
  Being supported and coached to grow your confidence and capability.

What we’re looking for:

• A passion for food and a desire to grow as a chef
• A basic or relevant culinary qualification (706/1, 706/2 or equivalent) — or working towards one
• A positive attitude and willingness to learn
• Good teamwork, reliability, and pride in your work
• UK residency for the past 3 years (required for security vetting)
• Ability to pass security clearance and DBS checks
• We welcome applications from early career chefs and those looking for structured development.

Your future starts here 
If you’re motivated to learn, enjoy working as part of a team, and want a chef role that offers structure, support, and real career prospects, this is a fantastic place to start.

Apply now and begin your culinary journey with Aramark UK.