Executive Chef

Joud Coffee; Abu Dhabi; On-site; AED 120,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading café chain in the UAE is seeking an Executive Chef / Head of Culinary Operations to oversee multi-outlet operations. Responsibilities include enforcing culinary standards, training sous chefs, and ensuring quality control across all outlets. Ideal candidates should have experience in multi-unit culinary leadership and a solid understanding of food safety practices. The role requires English proficiency, with Arabic as a plus, and the willingness to travel between outlets. Competitive remuneration and opportunities for impact await those who can drive consistency and performance.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in multi-unit culinary leadership role or strong single-unit operator with evidence of systems and training capability.
• Strong breakfast and café operations experience, preferably in high-volume environments.
• Solid knowledge of food safety and HACCP discipline.

Responsibilities

• Own BOH execution across all outlets and align them into a consistent operating system.
• Lead and develop outlet sous chefs and CPU sous chef.
• Create culinary standards and enforce documentation.

Skills

Multi-unit culinary leadership

Standardizing recipes

Food safety knowledge

Coaching through sous chefs

Strong English communication

Job description

The Role (What this really is)

We are hiring an Executive Chef / Head of Culinary Operations to own BOH execution across all outlets and align the CPU + cafés into one consistent operating system.

This is not a single-outlet Head Chef role. This is a multi-unit leadership role focused on:

• standardization

• training

• auditing

• corrective actions

• CPU-to-outlet quality control

You will lead and develop our outlet sous chefs and the CPU sous chef, and you will be accountable for consistent guest experience across the network.

Scope

• Multioutlet BOH

• CPU coordination (via CPU sous chef)

• Menu categories include full breakfast, sandwiches, desserts, and other café items

• Mix of in-café final cook/plating + CPU supplied sauces/bases/components

What You Own (Core Responsibilities)

1) Culinary Standards & Documentation (the backbone)

You will create and enforce a “single source of truth” for BOH execution:

• Master recipes (CPU + café)

• Menu build cards (portion grams, assembly order, cook times)

• Plating standards (reference photos)

• Station SOPs (breakfast station, hot line, pantry, desserts)

• Holding rules and discard rules (quality first)

Outcome: no improvisation, no “depends who is on shift.”

2) Training System (train the trainers)

You will build a structured training program led by sous chefs:

• Train-the-trainer for all sous chefs + CPU sous chef

• BOH onboarding pathway and station certification

• Monthly refreshers on top drifting items

• Practical skills checks (not just reading documents)

Outcome: every outlet team executes the same way.

3) Multi-Outlet QA: Audits, Scoring, Corrective Actions

You will implement a simple discipline loop:

• Weekly outlet BOH audits (scorecard)

• Random plate checks against photo standards

• Line checks routine (opening + mid-shift)

• Corrective action plans (owner + deadline) for repeat issues

Outcome: drift is detected early and fixed permanently.

4) CPU ↔ Outlet Integration (quality gates that protect consistency)

Working with the CPU sous chef, you will implement:

• CPU product specs + release checks

• Outlet receiving QC (temp, labels, batch/expiry, visual checks)

• “Hold/Reject” rules + escalation path

• Feedback loop by batch code (what failed, why, fix)

Outcome: CPU variability stops affecting guest experience.

5) Menu Rollouts & Operational Readiness

• Lead execution of new items and seasonal changes across all outlets

• Controlled rollout plan (pilot → revise → deploy)

• Ensure equipment, tools, portioning utensils, and recipes match across outlets

Outcome: launches are smooth, not chaotic.

6) BOH Hygiene, Food Safety & Discipline

• Enforce food safety, allergen controls, labeling, and hygiene standards

• Ensure BOH areas are clean, organized, and service-ready

• Drive a culture of accountability and performance

Requirements

• Proven experience in a multi-unit culinary leadership role (Executive Chef / Culinary Ops / Group Chef) OR a strong single-unit operator ready to step up with clear evidence of systems + training capability

• Strong breakfast and café operations experience (high-volume, multi-daypart)

• Strong ability to standardize recipes and convert them into simple SOPs + training tools

• Comfortable leading and coaching multiple teams through sous chefs

• Solid food safety knowledge (HACCP discipline)

• Strong English communication (Arabic is a plus)

• Willing to travel between outlets and work flexible hours during critical periods

• How to Apply

  Submit your CV and a short note explaining:

  • multi-unit experience (how many outlets / volumes)

  • what systems you built (recipes, training, audits)

  • how you drove consistency across teams