Head Chef

Job Description

• Lead and oversee all daily culinary operations of the restaurant, ensuring smooth and efficient kitchen performance. • Maintain the highest standards of food quality, taste, presentation, consistency, and portion control. • Ensure all dishes are prepared according to approved recipes, specifications, and restaurant standards. • Supervise, train, motivate, and develop the culinary team to achieve operational and service excellence. • Plan and organize daily mise en place, production, service, and kitchen workflow. • Work closely with the Executive Chef on menu development, seasonal offerings, and culinary initiatives. • Ensure the restaurant’s steakhouse concept and culinary identity are consistently reflected in all dishes. • Maintain high standards of meat preparation, butchery, cooking techniques, and product utilization. • Promote responsible and efficient use of ingredients, minimizing waste and supporting sustainable kitchen practices. • Monitor food costs, portion sizes, yields, and wastage to support departmental profitability. • Coordinate with Purchasing and suppliers to ensure the availability and quality of required ingredients. • Ensure proper receiving, storage, labeling, and handling of food products in accordance with food safety standards. • Monitor kitchen cleanliness, hygiene, sanitation, and compliance with HACCP and hotel standards. • Conduct regular quality checks and ensure corrective actions are taken when required. • Coordinate closely with the Restaurant Manager and Front of House team to ensure seamless service and guest satisfaction. • Manage kitchen staffing, scheduling, task allocation, and daily briefings. • Ensure all kitchen equipment is properly used, maintained, and reported for repair when necessary. • Support banquet, VIP, promotional, and special dining requirements when required.

Qualifications

• Culinary degree, diploma, or professional qualification from a recognized culinary institution; equivalent industry experience may be considered. • Minimum 5–7 years of progressive culinary experience, preferably within luxury hotels, upscale restaurants, or premium steakhouse operations, with at least 2–3 years in a senior supervisory or Head Chef role. • Strong knowledge of modern steakhouse cuisine, meat preparation, butchery, grilling, roasting, and various cooking techniques. • Knowledge of premium meat products, aging techniques, product quality, yield management, and responsible ingredient utilization. • Strong understanding of menu development, recipe costing, food cost control, portion control, and kitchen profitability. • Knowledge of food safety, HACCP, hygiene, sanitation, and health and safety standards. • Strong leadership and people-management skills, with the ability to train, motivate, and develop a diverse culinary team. • Excellent organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills. • Strong attention to detail with a commitment to quality, consistency, and presentation. • Ability to manage high-volume operations while maintaining exceptional culinary standards. • Strong problem-solving and decision-making abilities, with a proactive and hands-on approach. • Knowledge of sustainable kitchen practices, waste reduction, and efficient product utilization. • Proficiency in English; additional languages are an advantage. • Ability to work flexible hours, including evenings, weekends, and public holidays.