Head Chef - Mediterranean Dining

Accor Group; Dubai; On-site; AED 279,000 - 446,000; Full time

Job summary

Accor Group's standalone Mediterranean dining concept in Dubai seeks a Head Chef to lead pre-opening preparations, menu development, and a premium kitchen brigade.

You will shape the culinary identity, ensure HACCP compliance, cost control, and exceptional guest experiences while mentoring a large kitchen team in a high-volume luxury setting.

Qualifications

• Candidate has worked as Head Chef or similar in luxury standalone or premium dining venues.
• Experience with Mediterranean seafood, seasonal produce, and coastal cooking.
• Strong leadership, menu development, and kitchen systems for pre-opening projects.

Responsibilities

• Lead culinary preparations for restaurant opening, staffing, and procedures.
• Translate concept into modern Mediterranean menu with premium seafood and coastal flavours.
• Develop recipes, plating standards, portions, and production guidelines.
• Direct kitchen operations during service and manage high‑volume periods.
• Coach staff, build brigade, and maintain HACCP, safety, and quality standards.
• Collaborate with Culinary Director on vision, costs, and menu engineering.

Skills

Mediterranean cuisine

Seafood preparation

Menu development

Kitchen leadership

Restaurant pre-opening

Job description

Head Chef - Mediterranean Dining Job Snapshot

Role: Head Chef - Mediterranean Dining

Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Industry: Hospitality

Function: Chef/Culinary/Kitchen Management

Experience: Senior luxury restaurant leadership experience

Job Type: Full-time

Job Details

Country: United Arab Emirates

City: Dubai

Industry: Hospitality

Function: Chef/Culinary/Kitchen Management

Salary: 25000-40000 Estimated salary range based on similar jobs in the job city; please confirm the final offer with the employer.

Gender: Any

Candidate Nationality: Any

Job Type: Full-time

Role Context

The Head Chef will shape the culinary identity of Josephine, a standalone Mediterranean lifestyle restaurant overlooking the Arabian Gulf. The position carries full responsibility for pre-opening preparation, menu creation, brigade development, kitchen systems, food quality, cost control, and service execution. Successful leadership will position the restaurant as a premium Dubai dining destination while maintaining consistency, profitability, and a strong connection to Mediterranean coastal cuisine.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead all culinary preparations for the restaurant opening, including kitchen readiness, staffing, supplier coordination, menu testing, and operating procedures.
• Translate the Josephine concept into a contemporary Mediterranean menu built around premium seafood, seasonal produce, sharing dishes, and coastal flavours.
• Develop recipes, plating standards, preparation methods, portion specifications, and production guidelines.
• Test and refine dishes to ensure consistency, visual appeal, authenticity, and commercial viability.
• Work closely with the Corporate Culinary Director to deliver the approved culinary vision.
• Recruit chefs and kitchen employees with the technical ability and attitude required for a premium lifestyle restaurant.
• Build an effective brigade structure covering production, service, preparation, pastry, stewarding coordination, and supervisory responsibilities.
• Coach culinary employees through demonstrations, feedback, tastings, and structured development plans.
• Create a disciplined kitchen culture based on accountability, teamwork, creativity, and respect.
• Plan daily mise en place according to reservations, forecasted covers, events, and expected trading patterns.
• Direct kitchen operations during service and maintain control during high-volume periods.
• Ensure every dish meets approved standards for flavour, temperature, portion, garnish, and presentation.
• Monitor ingredient quality at receiving, storage, preparation, and final production stages.
• Establish purchasing specifications for seafood, meat, produce, dairy, dry goods, and specialty Mediterranean ingredients.
• Develop relationships with suppliers capable of delivering consistent quality and reliable availability.
• Control food cost through recipe costing, yield management, portion discipline, stock rotation, and waste reduction.
• Monitor labour deployment and adjust staffing according to business volume and operational requirements.
• Review kitchen profitability, purchasing trends, wastage, productivity, and menu contribution.
• Recommend pricing, menu engineering, and product changes that improve commercial performance.
• Maintain accurate inventory, requisition, transfer, and stock control procedures.
• Protect food quality while minimizing excess production and unnecessary storage.
• Ensure full compliance with HACCP, food safety, hygiene, allergen, and sanitation requirements.
• Maintain clean, organized, and inspection-ready kitchens, stores, preparation areas, and equipment.
• Establish clear opening, closing, cleaning, temperature, and food-handling checklists.
• Investigate food quality concerns and take corrective action before issues recur.
• Collaborate with restaurant management on service flow, guest feedback, events, promotions, and dining experiences.
• Support special menus, private events, seasonal activations, and destination-led culinary campaigns.
• Stay current with Mediterranean food trends, regional techniques, premium ingredients, and modern presentation styles.
• Encourage thoughtful innovation while protecting the restaurant 's identity and operational consistency.
• Represent the culinary concept professionally during tastings, media activity, guest interactions, and industry events.
• Prepare performance reports and communicate kitchen priorities, risks, and resource needs to senior management.

Ideal Profile

The preferred candidate has worked as a Head Chef, Executive Chef, or Executive Sous Chef within a luxury standalone restaurant, beach club, resort dining venue, or internationally recognized lifestyle concept. Deep expertise in Mediterranean cuisine is essential, including strong knowledge of seafood, regional produce, coastal cooking traditions, sharing menus, modern techniques, and premium presentation. Previous involvement in a restaurant pre-opening, relaunch, or major culinary transformation is highly desirable. Candidates should be able to create operational systems while simultaneously developing menus, recruiting employees, and preparing the kitchen for launch. The successful chef will have demonstrated experience managing a large culinary team in a high-volume premium environment. Strong commercial understanding is required across food cost, labour planning, purchasing, inventory, menu pricing, and kitchen profitability. HACCP or equivalent food safety certification is required. Fluency in English, calm decision-making, strong organization, and confident leadership are also essential.

Skills Set

• Mediterranean cuisine
• Seafood preparation
• Coastal dining concepts
• Luxury restaurant operations
• Restaurant pre-opening
• Menu development
• Recipe creation
• Recipe costing
• Menu engineering
• Culinary concept development
• Premium ingredient sourcing
• Supplier management
• Kitchen brigade leadership
• Chef recruitment
• Culinary training
• Team coaching
• Mise en place planning
• High-volume service
• Food presentation
• Portion control
• Food cost management
• Labour cost control
• Kitchen profitability
• Purchasing
• Inventory management
• Stock rotation
• Waste reduction
• Quality assurance
• HACCP
• Food safety
• Allergen management
• Kitchen sanitation
• Guest feedback analysis
• Event menu planning
• Seasonal menu development
• Operational reporting
• Restaurant launch planning

Why Join Us

This role offers the rare opportunity to leave a lasting culinary signature on a new premium restaurant concept in one of Dubai 's most competitive dining locations. The Head Chef will have meaningful influence over the menu, brigade, suppliers, kitchen culture, and overall identity of Josephine. Dubai 's luxury Hospitality market continues to create strong demand for distinctive destination restaurants led by chefs with both creative vision and commercial discipline. The position provides international brand support, access to professional development, and the possibility of future progression across Rixos and Accor 's global culinary network.

About the Company

Accor is an international hospitality group operating hotels, resorts, restaurants, and lifestyle destinations across a broad portfolio of brands. Rixos Premium Dubai combines luxury accommodation, entertainment, wellness, and destination dining in Jumeirah Beach Residence. Josephine is its new waterfront Mediterranean restaurant, designed around fresh coastal cuisine, generous hospitality, and an elegant day-to-night experience.