Housekeeper/ Cook in St John’s Wood, London
Forbes Private Staff has been instructed to recruit an experienced Housekeeper/Cook for a fully staffed private household in St John’s Wood.
This is a permanent, long-term position supporting a single Principal within an established household team. The residence already employs a dedicated Chef and housekeeping staff, so the successful candidate must enjoy working collaboratively while also being capable of working independently.
Cooking forms an important part of the position. The Housekeeper/Cook will assist the Chef, prepare staff meals and take responsibility for cooking when the Chef is away. The remaining responsibilities will consist of general housekeeping and supporting the wider household team.
POSITION DETAILS
Location: St John’s Wood, London
Start date: As soon as the ideal candidate is found
Contract: Permanent, full-time
Working schedule:
- Monday to Friday, 8.00 am–5.00 pm, with a one-hour break
- Every other Saturday, 10.30 am–3.30 pm, working on a rota with the Chef
Salary:
- Live-in: £45,000–£48,500 gross per annum
- Live-out: £45,000–£50,000 gross per annum
Accommodation:
The live-in candidate will be provided with a completely private, self-contained studio flat with its own separate entrance.
MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES
Cooking duties:
- Preparing breakfast for the Principal according to specific instructions
- Preparing fresh, healthy staff meals
- Assisting the Chef with meal preparation when required
- Following recipes confidently
- Taking responsibility for cooking when the Chef is away
- Covering cooking duties every other Saturday
- Keeping the kitchen clean, organised and well presented
The Principal enjoys healthy, family-style food and follows a predominantly gluten-free and dairy-free diet. Experience preparing Asian cuisine, particularly Japanese or Chinese dishes, would be an advantage but is not essential. Formal chef training is not required, provided the candidate is a capable and confident home-style cook.
Housekeeping duties:
- General cleaning and housekeeping
- Maintaining the residence to a high standard
- Supporting the existing housekeeping team
- Assisting with laundry and ironing when required
- Household organisation and presentation
- Working cooperatively with the wider household staff
CANDIDATE REQUIREMENTS
The successful candidate should:
- Have strong previous Housekeeper/Cook experience within a private household
- Demonstrate good longevity and stability in previous positions
- Be a confident home-style cook
- Be comfortable following recipes and accommodating dietary requirements
- Have excellent housekeeping standards and attention to detail
- Be discreet, reliable, organised and trustworthy
- Work well both independently and as part of an established household team
- Be seeking a stable, long-term position
Previous UHNW household experience would be advantageous. However, the main priority is a strong traditional Housekeeper/Cook background with demonstrable longevity in previous roles.