The Queen Is Hiring A Chef At Buckingham Palace, So Break Out Your Cooking Skills
If cooking for the Queen, Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, and the rest of the royal family sounds like the gig of your dreams, get ready to brush up your resume. Queen Elizabeth is currently looking to add a cook to her staff, according to a new job posting, and the successful Demi Chef de Partie applicant will get to reside in Buckingham Palace alongside the royal family if he or she chooses. Here's how to apply to the Queen's chef job opening if you're interested in the culinary arts and are ready to whip up some gourmet masterpieces in the royal kitchen.
According to a new job posting from the Royal Palace, aspiring applicants have until Sunday, July 28 at 11:55 p.m. to submit their name in the ring for the royals' latest opening. The full-time role, which is titled Demi Chef de Partie, can expect a salary of £22,076.04 per year (or about $27,533.02) in addition to other benefits like a 15% employer contribution pension scheme. It might not seem like a whole lot, but it's actually just above the average U.K. salary for the position, according to data from Totaljobs.com.
While it's arguably an honor itself just to cook for members of the royal family, the icing on the cake is that you have the option to actually take up residence in Buckingham Palace and have your meals provided if you so choose. According to the job details, your salary will be adjusted if you choose this option, but the cost of possibly seeing Meghan Markle and baby Archie in person or passing the longtime monarch in the hall? Priceless.
I took a look at the job details, and surprisingly enough, the requirements aren't as stringent as you'd expect for a gig with the royals. While the posting does say the hiring team is looking for applicants "previous experience within a premier kitchen or volume catering environment," it's ultimately "your ability and enthusiasm to deliver across all sections of the kitchen that we're looking for." In other words, they're looking for someone who's passionate about food, the catering industry and what they do, and can keep a cool head under pressure while looking to learn new skills.
Still, they are looking for an "ambitious and qualified chef" who can keep up with the palace's "exceptionally high" standards and deliver superior attention to detail, unfailingly meet deadlines, and most of all, ensure that food is delivered on time.
One of the best things about the role is that they're looking for an applicant to eventually move up in the kitchen, as they emphasize that the successful person will be encouraged to "grow within their role" and develop "new skills that will help you to take the next step in your career." In addition, you can expect to travel to "other Royal residences" as well, so I wouldn't be surprised if you take a trip to Windsor Castle or maybe even see Prince William and Kate Middleton at Kensington Palace.
As far as the application process, it looks pretty simple. You have until Sunday, July 28 to make a profile and go through the palace's job portal, where you will answer questions about your background and skill level. You'll also likely be asked some role-specific questions. According to the website, the hiring team will then email you when they've received your application, as well as share some details about what steps to expect next.
Only time will tell whether you’re successful, but if you meet these specifications, there's a chance that you could be taking up residence and showing off your culinary prowess in the kitchens of Buckingham Palace in the coming months.
