Live-in Summer Chef - Cycling Guesthouse in the French Pyrenees
We’re looking for a capable, motivated chef to join us for the summer season at a small, high-quality cycling guesthouse in the French Pyrenees.
This is a unique role that sits somewhere between restaurant cooking and lifestyle hospitality: serious food, but in a relaxed, friendly environment.
The Role
You’ll be responsible for preparing three-course dinners each evening for 5–15 guests. We serve a set menu of your choice each evening, with adaptations as necessary for dietary requirements.
Typical workload: ~4–5 hours per day
Our guests are here to ride big weeks in the mountains, so the food is a core part of the experience:
- Restaurant-quality cooking
- Fresh, nutritious, generous portions
- Thoughtful menus suited to guests burning 3-5000kcal/day cycling
You’ll also handle:
- Daily grocery shopping (car provided)
- Kitchen organisation and cleanliness
Who This Suits
This role works best for a young professional chef who:
- Has solid kitchen experience and can work independently
- Enjoys cooking to a high standard without restaurant pressure
- Likes the idea of combining work with time in the mountains
If you have worked in a professional kitchen, you’ll likely find this significantly less stressful than service in a restaurant—while still being rewarding and creative.
Pay & Conditions
- €13/hour (fixed-term French contract – fully declared)
- Payslips, social security contributions, and legal employment
- Payment via bank transfer
Included:
- All food and drink
- Accommodation (see below)
→ Your living costs here are essentially zero
Accommodation
- Private modern caravan in the garden
- Double bed
- Electricity + WiFI
- Small bathroom + awning living space
- Access to a full shower room in the house
- Large domestic kitchen with two ovens + plenty of workspace
- Electric car provided for shopping and personal use
⚠️ Important: Schedule
We serve dinner every night when guests are in-house, so there are not regular fixed nights off. However:
- The workload is relatively short each day
- Breaks do occur (especially mid/late season) and are often multiple days at a time
- This structure has worked well with previous chefs over the past 3 summers
👉 This role suits someone comfortable with a steady daily rhythm rather than a classic rota.
The Lifestyle
This is a social, relaxed environment:
- Friendly dinners with guests each evening
- A small team (you + housekeeper + host)
- Plenty of each day free
We actively encourage staff to enjoy the area—cycling, hiking, swimming, exploring the mountains. Many of our previous staff have stayed friends.
Non-smoking environment:
Smoking is not permitted anywhere on the property (including accommodation and vehicles). Applicants must be comfortable adhering to a fully non-smoking workplace.
📅 Dates
Season starts: 30 May 2026
Season ends: 11 Oct 2026
I am open to splitting the season, so perhaps you might prefer to work half of this period.
(Flexible start/end dates depending on availability)
📩 Apply
Please send:
- A short introduction
- Your relevant kitchen experience
- A three-course dinner menu tailored to a group of hungry cyclists
- Your availability for the summer
If you’re looking for a summer that combines great cooking in a low pressure environment, great people, and an incredible location, we’d love to hear from you.
