You could work at the Leeds burger joint which has been mired in controversy after its ‘offensive’ Madeleine McCann advert was banned.
The Otley Burger Company owner Joe Scholey, 29, who is now looking to boost his team of 20, admits he has to show applicants the controversial posts during the interview stage.
The burger joint recently received a caution from the Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) which deemed the dark Mother’s Day ‘joke’ he posted as likely to cause "unjustified distress and serious and widespread offence".
Read more: The Otley Burger Company gets death threats after Madeleine McCann post
The post features an image of the missing tot and mum Kate McCann, along with a tongue-in-cheek message. Joe responded to the ban, saying he'll "tone it down" in future but defended his actions as reigniting "awareness to a kid that’s gone missing".
Joe is looking to hire two new members of staff to work with him in burger trailer which is located in beer garden of The Otley Tap House in Boroughgate, in the market town centre. He has put out adverts for two new chefs, offering a £25,000 salary for full time applicants and an £18,750 salary for part time applicants.
Full-time contracts involve 40 contracted hours per week and part-time involves 30 contracted hours per week.
The advert states perks include: discounts on food and drinks; one free meal during the working day; 50 per cent off food on the day of your shift; 20 percent off on other days and deliveries; paid holiday and pension.
Would you like to work for Joe and The Otley Burger Company? Leave your thoughts in the comments sections below.
The awkward interviews which can go 'either way'
Joe said that he’s heard from “a lot of nice applicants” but that he has tell them about the controversy surrounding the burger company during the interview stage.
Previous controversial posts by Joe made light of disgraced mum Karen Matthews for Mother’s Day and Yorkshire Ripper Peter Sutcliffe, Jimmy Saville and Fred West for Father’s Day, in 2021. Plus, he caused further controversy by accusing Google one-star reviewers of being 'sexual predators' to get their scores deleted.
The burger boss said: “We make them aware during the interview. We do tell them this is what we sort of do, this is our sense of humour and if it’s not for you, fair enough.”
He says he’ll bring it up on conversation casually but then if the applicant asks anything further about it, he’ll get the posts up on his phone which he has saved for just the occasion. Or he’ll do a Google search on The Otley Burger Company and show them past news articles.
He says applicants either say: “That’s not for me” or “That’s a good laugh”.
Joe said that not everyone in his company shares his dark sense of humour, however. He adds that if his employees are ever upset by something said, he’ll make sure to not upset them any further.
“When they work for us, if they’re upset by anything we say, they’re more than welcome to come tell us and then we just don’t do that sort of stuff anymore,” he said.
Joe adds the current staff aren’t “fussed” about the controversial posts but groan “not again” whenever he posts them. Joe said: “I think there’s only a couple of us with a dark sense of humour, the rest of them are sort of are just really cool. They’re all nice people.
“I think I’m the villain of the group but the rest of them are all pretty cool.”
The Otley Burger Company ask those interested to send a CV and covering letter over to theotleyburgerco@outlook.com
Joe wants chefs with fluent spoken English, the right to live and work in the UK, locally located or means of transport and at least one year's worth of cooking experience.
