Director of Catering & Estate Hospitality.

This is a private, gated estate in Kerry, completely closed to the public, with gardens most five-star resorts would envy and land where livestock graze freely across the surrounding acres. The family are on-site four to six times a year. The rest of the time, the estate keeps running, and it has to run at the same standard whether they’re there or not. We need someone to lead all of it on the catering and hospitality side: chefs, butlers, front and back of house, the lot. You’ll have run a serious kitchen or cellar before, Michelin-level, five-star resort, or a private VIP household where the standard was never negotiable. You’ll know your wine, and you’ll know how to source properly, not just from a supplier catalogue but from the people who actually grow and make the good stuff. Above all, you’ll know how to lead a team so well that things run smoothly whether you’re standing there or not. Food, wine and service The estate grows its own fruit and veg, and part of this role is building menus around what’s actually ready in the garden that week. You’ll work closely with the head gardener and land manager, who are already in place, to plan seasonally rather than simply phoning a supplier. Beyond that, you’re sourcing wine, spirits and ingredients from the best producers you can find, managing dietary requirements without fuss, and running formal private dining to a standard that doesn’t allow for a bad night. Leading the team You’re the one the chefs, butlers and household staff answer to on catering and hospitality. Hire well, train properly, and build a team good enough that they don’t need you standing over their shoulder every service. Trust and discretion This family value their privacy as much as their standards. What happens on the estate stays on the estate: vendors, guests, routines, none of it goes further. If you’ve worked in private households before, you already know why that matters. What we’re looking for Five years minimum in a senior catering or F&B leadership role: Michelin kitchen, five-star resort, or private household Real, practical wine knowledge and the confidence to source at the top end Experience managing complex dietary requirements properly A proven track record leading and developing hospitality teams Comfortable cooking seasonally around home-grown produce, not just ordering it in Available and on-site during the family’s visits, with a schedule that flexes around them the rest of the year Discretion that’s second nature, not something you have to be reminded of Happy to travel around Europe to source the best of the best What’s on offer A rare private estate role with a serious compensation package to match your experience. This isn’t a job for someone padding a CV. It’s for someone who already has the calibre and wants somewhere worth bringing it. To apply in complete confidence, contact Fred McDonogh at Red Chair Recruitment: [email protected]