If you are curious about chalet hosting or have even been offered a job in a ski resort then it is helpful to know what to expect. For four days a week your daily schedule will look something like this:
6.30 am: Alarm
Shower, get dressed, do your usual morning routine to make yourself presentable.
6.50 am: Grab bread
(Luckily our baguettes were delivered to our door every morning!)
7 am: Pre-heat oven and tidy up
This is your first real job of the morning where you put last night’s glasses in the dishwasher and set the table for breakfast. When the oven has heated up, whack in your pastry assortment and set an alarm so you don’t let them burn. Fill up the kettle and coffee machine for early risers. Begin to prep your veg for the evening meal. Peeling potatoes takes longer than you think!
7.30 am: Continental breakfast starts
Guests begin to surface and help themselves to bread, cereal and juice. Start prepping your cooked breakfast and if possible, start on your cake mix for afternoon tea. In our chalet we cooked a different hot breakfast option and cake every day.
8 am: Hot breakfast is served (till 9.30 am)
Tim and I found it easiest if one host was in charge of the majority of the cooking and the other host served the guests. Top up juices and cereals as required. During quiet breakfast periods continue to prep the evening meal, prioritising courses that need to set or be cooked for a few hours. One of you can tidy communal areas that are not being used during this time. Arrange van pick up for guests to get to the lifts. Bake cake and lay table for afternoon tea
9.30 am: Clean up after breakfast and start on rooms
Hopefully, by this time, your guests will have left to go up the mountain which means you can start on the bulk of the cleaning. We found it works best if one person cleans up after breakfast, finishes any other food prep that needs to be done and sets out afternoon tea. The other host will go upstairs to make beds, tidy up and clean bathrooms.
11 am: Hit the slopes
This will undoubtedly be the highlight of your day as you meet up with the other chalet hosts and cruise down the mountain. Make the most of these hours of fun as it will be all go the second you return to the chalet.
5 pm: Return to chalet (can return later if no kids are staying)
Many parents with children will want them to eat late afternoon so be prepared to start kids meals at around half five. It is best if one of you cooks and one of you clears away afternoon tea and serves dinner. You may need to prompt parents when the kids’ dinner is ready; families aren’t always punctual at meal times.
6 pm: Tidy dining area and prepare for the evening meal
Get ready to do a lot of hovering if you have children staying!
7.30 pm: Rally the guests and serve dinner
Every night we cooked a four-course meal for the adults which included a cheese course at the end. Have one host cook and one host serve the food, remembering to top up wine as needed. If you have the time it is helpful to wash up as you go; this will save you heaps of time at the end of the dinner service! Don’t forget to make time for your own evening meal.
10 pm: Clean up what you can
Clean up everything in the kitchen and if your guests have departed, tidy the dining area. If people are still drinking it is nice to sit and have a chat with them. This can also be a good time to organise van pick up for the morning. Don’t forget to put on the dishwasher before going to bed! Check out my top tips for being a great chalet host for more advice like this.
Changeover and Shopping Days
On the remaining two days that you are required to work, there will be a shopping day where you are able to stock up on everything you need for the following week. It’s worth bearing in mind that you will be responsible for weekly stock checking and making sure you stay within budget.
The hardest day of the week is known as changeover day. This involves getting the chalet ready for the new guest turn over. You will be required to clean the chalet from top to bottom in just a few hours before the arrival of your new guests. As this is your busiest day it is unlikely that you will be able to squeeze in any time on the mountain.
This post details what my day was like working in a chalet, it’s just a rough guide but most chalets tend to be pretty similar. At first glance, this timeline looks pretty intimidating but after a few weeks, you’ll be able to do it without even thinking. Enjoy your season!
Have you ever worked as a chalet host?
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