Executive Pastry Chef

Executive Pastry Chef

We invite you to join the world of luxury hospitality at Raffles Dubai as our new Executive Pastry Chef. You are responsible for the overall Pastry leadership, operational performance, financial management, and quality standards of the hotel's Pastry, Bakery, Chocolate, Confectionery, and Dessert operations.

The role leads the development of exceptional pastry experiences across restaurants, afternoon tea, banquets events, weddings, IRD, VIP amenities, and seasonal celebrations, while ensuring consistency with the hotel's luxury positioning, brand standards, and commercial objectives.

KEY ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Quality Standards, Culinary Direction & Product Innovation

• Ensure consistency and highest quality in food taste, temperature and presentation
• Ensure the quality and cleanliness of all food displays with maximum creativity
• Establish the overall pastry and bakery vision and culinary direction for the hotel.
• Develop innovative and distinctive pastries, desserts, cakes, chocolates, confectionery, breads, viennoiserie, and plated desserts.
• Create signature products that reflect the hotel's luxury identity and culinary positioning.
• Lead seasonal menu development, afternoon tea concepts, festive collections, and special culinary promotions.
• Develop bespoke products and presentations for VIP guests, weddings, private events, and special occasions.
• Maintain a balance between classical techniques, contemporary trends, local influences, and operational practicality.
• Conduct regular product tastings, menu reviews, benchmarking, and innovation sessions.
• Ensure all products meet defined standards for taste, texture, presentation, portioning, and consistency.

Operations

• Direct the daily operation of all pastry and bakery production areas.
• Develop production plans based on occupancy, forecast, outlet requirements, events, and business levels.
• Maintain appropriate par levels and ensure timely supply to all hotel outlets.
• Check all set-ups for restaurant and banquet functions. Responsible for the correct timing during service and that food served is always of the highest standards
• Coordinate all Restaurant / Banquet / food production, and all specific duties to chefs and other staff under his/her supervision
• Monitor and implement portion control established with the recipe cards and the butcher test; minimize waste and spoilage
• Establish and maintain standardized recipes, specifications, production procedures, and presentation standards.
• Ensure pastry displays, afternoon tea, buffets, plated desserts, amenities, and event products reflect five-star luxury standards.
• Maintain readiness for LQA, brand, internal, and external quality assessments, where applicable.
• Monitor guest feedback and implement improvements that enhance the overall pastry experience.
• Ensure seamless coordination with restaurants, banquets, room service, events, stewarding, stores, purchasing, and other culinary departments.
• Ensure effective communication among the kitchens and with other departments.
• Work closely with receiving and storeroom to ensure received goods meet Hotel’s quality standards specifications
• Supervise food tasting sessions and guide chefs for new menu implementation
• Attend meetings with Executive Chef to discuss future business strategy and review ongoing action plan progress, and other departmental meetings as required
• Update menu recipe cards and menu planning for promotions

Training/ Development

• Conduct staff training and on-the-job training on kitchen skills and new menu items
• Lead, motivate, coach, and develop the pastry and bakery team.
• Establish clear performance standards, responsibilities, and accountability.
• Manage staffing requirements, production schedules, and departmental organization.
• Conduct regular briefings, training, demonstrations, performance reviews, and development discussions.
• Identify high-potential talent and establish succession and career-development plans.
• Build a culture of creativity, discipline, teamwork, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Support recruitment, onboarding, and retention of pastry talent.
• Encourage participation in competitions, masterclasses, supplier demonstrations, and professional development opportunities.
• Guide employee orientation for new hires
• Ensure staff adhere to hotel regulations re: fire, safety and emergency procedures

Financial, Commercial & Resource Management

• Own the pastry department's food-cost performance and contribute to overall culinary financial targets.
• Maintain accurate recipe costing, yields, portion control, and theoretical food-cost calculations.
• Monitor actual versus theoretical food cost and investigate variances.
• Control inventory, purchasing, production quantities, waste, and high-value ingredient usage.
• Develop commercially viable products without compromising luxury standards.
• Participate in menu pricing and profitability reviews.
• Prepare annual operating CAPEX planning.
• Evaluate new equipment and technology based on quality, productivity, sustainability, and return on investment.
• Maintain proper controls over purchase orders and requisitions
• Monitor monthly food inventory turnover and slow moving items
• Ensure purchasing, receiving and all storage are efficiently handled
• Review food cost analysis on a daily basis to in line with budget and forecast
• Work closely with Finance, Purchasing, and suppliers to optimize cost and resource utilization.

Hygiene and Sanitation

• Maintain full compliance with HACCP, food safety, allergen management, sanitation, and hotel regulatory requirements.
• Ensure appropriate temperature control, storage, labeling, traceability, and cross-contamination prevention.
• Maintain high standards of personal hygiene and cleanliness throughout pastry and bakery areas.
• Ensure all team members are trained and compliant with food safety procedures.
• Lead initiatives to reduce food waste through accurate forecasting, production planning, yield management, and responsible utilization of ingredients.
• Promote efficient use of energy, water, packaging, and raw materials.
• Support the hotel's sustainability strategy and measurable waste-reduction initiatives.
• Works closely with Chief Steward to monitor and ensure that all cleaning is properly conducted and according to schedule

Supplier, Equipment & Strategic Partnerships

• Work with Purchasing to source premium-quality ingredients and products that meet hotel specifications.
• Evaluate new ingredients, equipment, technology, packaging, and production solutions.
• Conduct supplier trials, tastings, benchmarking, and product evaluations.
• Establish and maintain product specifications for key pastry ingredients.
• Coordinate with Engineering on preventive maintenance and equipment requirements.
• Develop and justify pastry CAPEX requirements and equipment replacement plans.
• Maintain professional relationships with key suppliers, culinary partners, and industry professionals.

Staffing/People and Culture Relations

• Recommend promotions, transfers of staff to various outlets for Executive Chef approval
• Monitor staff schedules for the assigned outlets
• Conduct section / departmental meetings and staff daily briefings
• Manage staff appraisal process
• Responsible for proper efficiency and profitable functioning of the assigned F&B outlets

Qualifications

• What will you bring to this role?

• QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

• Minimum 8 years experience in an International Class Hotel with at least 2 years experience in a similar capacity

• Diploma or degree in Pastry Arts, Culinary Arts, Hospitality Management, or equivalent professional qualification