The Hotel Chef
Hotel Chef
Catherine Boyle, 20
What? Demi-chef, larder section
Where? Palm Court Restaurant, Bovey Castle, Dartmoor, Devon
Owner? One of the Peter de Savary collection of luxury hotels
Salary range: £10,000-£13,000 a year
How did you land this job?
I started in January just after I left college. I had been doing a catering and food level 3 NVQ for four years before that, which included extension courses such as a hygiene diploma.
What's your impression so far? I like the atmosphere and working with food. I prepare the hot and cold starters and salads for buffets. The dishes are always freshly made and the ingredients are good quality.
Tell us what your hours are like I work from 9am to 2pm and then from 5pm to 11pm five days a week. I've got live-in accommodation in one of the staff houses, just 20 minutes from the hotel.
What about further development? Chef is very keen on giving on-the-job training. I am lucky at my age to be working with such a good brigade of chefs. I love working with food and believe I can learn a lot. Chef has contacts - I may go on to do a stage somewhere.
Any ambitions at this stage? There are three of us in my section at the moment - me, the sous chef and demi-chef - but I think I could run the section myself with two people under me. Chef is looking at that. He already lets me run the section on other people's days off. www.boveycastle.com