When naturalist Iolo Williams visited Bodnant Garden to open a new area our catering team provided the icing on the cake – with a gigantic celebration sponge.
VIP guest Iolo Williams helps Mark cut the Furnace celebration cake
Rachel and Julie creating THE CAKE
The 1mx1m baking masterpiece was created to mark the opening of Furnace Wood and Meadow. It was so big it nearly didn’t fit through the Pavilion cafe’s kitchen doors – but staff and volunteers managed to carry it down to the Old Mill in one piece where VIP guest Iolo served it out to hundreds of visitors.
It was one of the highlights of the big day on April 11. The stop to our tearooms is often a highlight of visitors’ day at Bodnant Garden – that pre or post coffee and cake, the leisurely lunch, the al fresco ice cream in summer and hot chocolate in winter, these are the treats which make a garden visit a memorable day out.
And with another garden highlight approaching, the flowering of the famous Laburnum Arch in June, we’re growing our catering team for the summer season.
Elain takes the ice cream trike for a spin
We’re looking to recruit around ten staff from May to the end of October (both full time and part time hours available.) There will be an open day on Thursday, May 4, when anyone can drop by at the Pavilion tearoom, from 10am – 4pm, and chat to catering manager Ailsa Morris about working at Bodnant Garden.
Ailsa says: “There’s never a dull moment working here at Bodnant Garden! It’s a beautiful place to work, and you get to work with a great team of staff and volunteers.”
Our tearooms provide varied menus of Welsh produce (some of it comes from the garden) and are creative designing menus for events like Valentine’s and other special days. Based at our Pavilion and Magnolia tearooms, staff get to go out into the garden, serving at our kiosks in the Dell and Far End. We’ve also got a new ice cream trike in the upper garden – another opportunity to enjoy the garden and mingle.
Bodnant Garden property manager William and catering manager Ailsa with chef Jay Rayner
As well as looking after visitors on a daily basis there are events to cater for here at the garden – like cooking up lunch for staff and volunteer work groups or hosting school parties – and outside events too, such as exhibitions and shows. This last year the team have represented the National Trust at Countryfile Live event at Blenheim Palace and hosted BBC Radio 4 programme with celebrity chef Jay Rayner at the Pavilion tearoom.
If you’d like to be part of our team here at Bodnant Garden drop in anytime on our open day on Thursday, or call Ailsa on 01492 651924 for more information.
For more details about Bodnant Garden call 01492 650460, check out our website nationaltrust.org.uk/bodnant-garden or find us on Facebook, Twitter and Insta
