The catering and hospitality sector in Milton Keynes
- Head chef salary (October 2019) in Milton Keynes: £31,150 a year / £14.98 per hour
- Sous chef salary (October 2019) in Milton Keynes: £29,467 a year / £13.12 per hour
- Chef de partie salary (October 2019) in Milton Keynes: £19,978 a year / £9.61 per hour
Experimentation is what Milton Keynes is all about. Founded by the UK government as a “New Town” in the 1960s by incorporating the existing towns of Bletchley, Wolverton and Stony Stratford, has evolved into one of the most successful local economies in the country.
Several national and multinational companies have a home here, including Argos, Domino’s Pizza, Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen AG, Marshall Amplification and Red Bull Racing. If that’s not all, the town’s also the home of the Open University. In some way, Milton Keynes has touched all of our lives.
When scouring a map of the region, MK is instantly recognisable for its North American-style grid system. Green spaces abound, too: no matter where you are across the town, you’ll be no more than half a mile away from a park. There’s certainly lots of space — if London had the same density as Milton Keynes, it would cover an area the size of East Anglia.
If you’re a catering and hospitality professional looking for a fresh start in a lively new location, MK is certainly worth consideration. Over the last few years, a thriving food and drink scene has emerged, from the seven monthly farmers’ markets to food festivals, gastropubs and a host of restaurants.
Culture is well represented, too. With breweries (the Concrete Cow Brewery is a particular local favourite), music venues (the National Bowl, an open-air, 65,000-capacity amphitheatre, has hosted the likes of David Bowie, Queen and The Prodigy), and sports venues (Stadium MK is home to the League One football club, MK Dons), there’s plenty to do on your days off work.
For aspirational chefs looking to upskill, Milton Keynes also has plenty of training opportunities. Milton Keynes College, for example, offers courses in Professional Cookery and Hospitality and Catering.
From a head chef role in a classy restaurant to matchday bar work at Stadium MK, a range of catering and hospitality roles at all levels of experience are available in Milton Keynes. And with various events and festivals running throughout the year, seasonal employment is readily available, too.
