Orcas Hotel is a small chef-run and owned hotel on stunning Orcas Island in northern Washington state. It is a landmark over 100 years old, surrounded by the serene nature, coastal beauty, and laid back community of the islands.
We are actively hiring for our intensive 18-month paid Apprenticeship program. If you are inspired by hospitality or dream of being an innkeeper, chef, or small business owner, this is an amazing opportunity to dive into a bit of everything in a very hands-on, experiential way. You’ll be learning with a group of apprentices and a supportive team who share the same interests and strive to do their best.
The program is demanding and will often push you out of your comfort zone. The work is physically and mentally challenging. One day you might be creating beautiful specials for the cafe, the next you will be stocking hundreds of pounds of ingredients and mopping floors. One morning you will be perfecting your latte pour and that afternoon you might be learning to clear drain lines and painting fences. We believe that no task is beyond your skillset, or beneath your abilities. The apprenticeship is far from glamorous, but reflective of the realities of running a small family business.
We create some truly beautiful, healthy, and local food for in our kitchen at the Norbu restaurant, which you will participate in making with us! Take a look at our Instagram to see some of our creations.
If you feel inspired to jump in, please apply on our website!
Take it from our staff:
Best job ever! Good coworkers, great tips, flexible hours, beautiful view, good costumers, free soup and salad plus 50% off, great management. Sad I can’t continue working here.
Prep Cook, 2018
The Orcas Hotel is a historic hotel located at the ferry landing on remote Orcas Island in Washington State. It was a wonderful place to work and I was able to gain an invaluable amount of experience throughout my time there.
Employee, 2018
Benefits & Activities:
- Gorgeous scenery and access to coastal activities
- We strongly encourage all of our team members to actively pursue their goals and to develop the skills that will best serve them in the future. We provide a private library with hundreds of cookbooks, hospitality management books and resources on everything from foraging to farm poetry to sustainability. We encourage our team to pursue stages, classes and other forms of continuing education. Once you are ready, we are happy to arrange stages at Michelin rated restaurants and Relais Chateaux resorts using our industry network. As part of your education we will create a personalized development program to help you focus and improve.
Meals: We offer a daily family meal for each employee & discounts on dining.
Housing: We have five individual units that share a common bathhouse, a hot tub, sauna, outdoor kitchen, fire pit, lawns and a recreation room appointed with a billiards table, musical instruments and (almost always) great late night junk food.
Seasons: Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter, Year-Round
Positions: (Beginning May 1st)
- 18-Month Chef/Innkeeper Apprenticeships
- All apprentices will participate in all departments, even if they have a specific base position. Pay is $20-28 per hour depending on season and gratuities.
- Summer Internships
Apply: Learn more & apply to Orcas Hotel online
Contact: John, chefcox@gmail.com
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