Shire and Wold logo

Private Cook, Near Kingham, Oxfordshire, UK

A warm and informal private family household, located near Kingham between Burford and Stow-on-the-Wold, is seeking a capable and flexible Private Cook/Houseman to work alongside its long-standing live-in Housekeeper.

The successful candidate will take primary responsibility for preparing fresh, healthy and well-presented family-style meals. Alongside cooking, they should be practical and willing to provide general support around the household and estate, including heavier tasks, errands and straightforward interior and exterior duties.

This is ideally a live-in position, although an exceptional candidate who lives very locally may be considered on a live-out basis.

Cooking responsibilities:

  • Preparing fresh, healthy and varied family-style meals
  • Planning menus in consultation with the family
  • Sourcing high-quality seasonal ingredients and completing food shopping
  • Managing kitchen supplies and stock rotation
  • Keeping the kitchen, pantry and food-storage areas clean and organised
  • Accommodating dietary requirements and family preferences
  • Preparing meals in advance when appropriate
  • Catering for occasional dinner parties; experience in this area is a strong advantage
  • Assisting with informal or formal service when the family entertains

Household and estate support:

  • Working collaboratively with the current live-in Housekeeper
  • Running household and food-related errands
  • Assisting with deliveries and liaising with tradespeople when required
  • Providing practical support inside and outside the residence
  • Undertaking heavy lifting and helping to move furniture or deliveries
  • Assisting with straightforward household maintenance and basic DIY
  • Helping to maintain the exterior areas immediately surrounding the residence
  • Undertaking occasional driving duties and assisting with the family’s dog when needed

Candidate requirements:

  • Previous experience as a Private Cook, Household Cook, Cook/Houseman, Yacht Chef, Crew Chef or Chef/Deckhand
  • A confident family-style cook able to prepare nutritious, attractive and varied meals
  • Practical, physically capable and happy to assist beyond the kitchen
  • Proactive, organised and comfortable working with the existing Housekeeper
  • Personable, discreet, trustworthy and flexible
  • Dog-friendly and a confident driver with a valid driving licence
  • Excellent references and the right to work in the UK

Candidates transitioning from a yacht or superyacht background are warmly encouraged to apply, particularly those seeking a permanent, long-term land-based position. Practical deck, maintenance or general yacht-operations experience would be especially useful.

Position details:

  • Location: Near Kingham, between Burford and Stow-on-the-Wold, Cotswolds
  • Employment: Permanent and full-time
  • Living arrangement: Ideally live-in; an exceptional candidate based very locally may be considered live-out
  • Accommodation: Separate, self-contained accommodation within the estate courtyard
  • Pets: One well-behaved small pet may be considered
  • Driving: Essential

Schedule: Five days per week, including weekends, with two consecutive weekdays off

Hours: Flexible according to the household’s requirements

Salary: Circa £45,000 gross per annum

REF:S&W#3658486

Ready to Hire?

Sunday Times magazine logo
© 2026 Shire and Wold Staffing Ltd | Privacy Policy | Anti Slavery | Diversity & Inclusion Policy | B Corp | Website by Space Five