Seasonal Chefs | Smoking Lobster Group (Cowes & Ventnor)

Job Posted: 28 May 2026

• Contract Term: Seasonal
• Location: Cowes, Isle of Wight
• Contract Type: Full or part time
• Salary: Dependent on Experience
• Industries: Catering, Hospitality & Bar

Smoking Lobster is a family-run, Pan-Asian fusion restaurant group, with a focus on small plates, bold Eastern Asian-inspired flavours, exciting cocktails, a vibrant dining experience and celebrating local produce from the Isle of Wight.

About Us 

Smoking Lobster is focused on delivering an elevated style of food and hospitality in a professional, laid-back environment. Heavily influenced by a mix of Eastern Asian cuisine, our restaurants offer guests a contemporary dining experience centred around bold flavours, high-quality ingredients, thoughtful preparation and vibrant presentation.

Food is at the heart of what we do. Our menus celebrate fresh produce, seafood, seasonal ingredients and carefully balanced flavours, combining technical preparation with an informal style of hospitality.

Both of our kitchens are open-style, where guests can watch us prepare their food, so presentation & confidence in communicating with guests is important.

The Role

We are seeking confident, professional chefs to join our kitchen team.

This role is suited to chefs who care deeply about food, consistency and detail. You will be working with fresh ingredients, bold flavour profiles and a small-plates concept that requires strong organisation, communication and precision.

This is not standard restaurant cooking. We deliver an elevated but relaxed dining experience, where every plate matters. You will be expected to prepare, cook and present dishes to specification, maintain excellent kitchen standards and contribute to a food culture built around quality, pace and pride.

You will be part of a focused kitchen team where preparation, timing, presentation and flavour all come together to create a memorable guest experience.

What We Are Looking For

Smoking Lobster is a year-round business, seeking chefs for the upcoming Summer season, with the view to more hours during off-peak months for the successful candidates. For this role, there are multiple vacancies. We are looking for people with:

• A genuine passion for food, ingredients and flavour
• Strong attention to detail in preparation, cooking, plating and presentation
• Previous kitchen experience in a fresh-food or quality restaurant environment
• Confidence working with seafood, fresh produce and bold Eastern Asian-inspired flavours
• An interest in learning about our menus, suppliers, ingredients and preparation methods
• The ability to follow specifications and deliver consistency across every dish
• A strong sense of pace, timing and organisation during busy services
• A clean, disciplined and professional approach to kitchen standards
• Good awareness of food safety, hygiene, allergens and correct storage procedures
• Positive energy and a strong team ethic
• Flexibility and availability predominantly for weekends and evenings
• Flexibility in working between two Island venues

What You’ll Be Doing

• Preparing fresh ingredients for service to a high standard
• Cooking and presenting dishes in line with Smoking Lobster’s specifications
• Working across a small-plates menu with a focus on flavour, balance and presentation
• Handling seafood, seasonal produce and specialist ingredients with care and consistency, including raw dishes such as sushi & sashimi
• Maintaining quality and accuracy across prep, cooking, garnishing and plating
• Supporting the delivery of a smooth, well-timed service during busy periods
• Keeping your section clean, organised, stocked and ready for service
• Following food safety, hygiene, allergen, labelling and storage procedures at all times
• Communicating clearly with the wider kitchen team and front of house where needed
• Taking pride in the quality, appearance and consistency of every dish served
• Supporting menu execution, prep lists and daily kitchen routines
• Reporting to those managing you, supporting those beside you and guiding those under you

What We are Offering

• Full training in our food specifications, including preparation, cookery, assembly & garnish
• The opportunity to join our chefs on our fishing boat to provide our Catch of the Day
• Flexible, zero-hour contract
• Competitive rate of pay + tronc
• Staff discount of 20% when you dine with us
• On-shift discount of 50%
• Extended breaks & split-shifts
• Ability to set availability requests in our dedicated staff rota platform
• A strong, supporting team environment with a focus on growth & nurturing
• Measurable growth potential in your role
• Opportunity to undertake formal training & qualifications, such as Food Safety & Hygiene, First Aid

Hours

We are offering a flexible, zero hour contract (on a part-time or full-time basis) with the expectation to work split shifts of 12 hours, between 30 hours and up to 60 hours per week.

Tronc

We operate a transparent tronc system, meaning all tips are distributed fairly across the team based on hours worked and role. The tronc is managed independently and paid in addition to your hourly rate on a monthly basis, rewarding the whole team for delivering a consistently high standard of food and service. It ensures everyone contributes to, and benefits from, a busy and successful service. 

Your hourly rate of pay comprises your agreed wage + tronc. Any additional or surplus service charge collected is distributed via the tronc system in accordance with the Company’s tronc policy.

To Apply

Please read the full role description detailed above, and attach your CV, with a short cover note on why you are a good fit to join Smoking Lobster Group.