Head Chef - Inflight Catering

Newrest; Dragør; On-site; DKK 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Newrest Denmark is seeking an experienced Head Chef to lead our inflight catering kitchen in Copenhagen. You will own daily production, ensure quality, safety, and airline schedule adherence while steering a diverse team across 28 nationalities.

The role reports to the Production Manager and requires strong leadership and culinary excellence to deliver consistent, top-tier meals. You will optimize operations, manage costs, and contribute to menu design with a focus on fresh, seasonal

Qualifications

• Formal culinary education
• At least 5 years as Executive Chef or Head Chef in high-volume catering/hotel/large-scale production
• Experience leading diverse on-site teams (28 nationalities)
• Strong command of HACCP and quality assurance processes
• Fluent English communication; solid MS Office and ERP knowledge
• Residence in Denmark or Sweden within commuting distance of Copenhagen Airport; clean record for security clearance

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end daily kitchen production to ensure on-time delivery and compliance with HACCP and airline SLAs
• Inspire, mentor and manage a diverse culinary and production team; handle shift/holiday planning and performance follow-ups
• Optimize workflows, control food waste and costs, and allocate resources for fluctuating flight schedules without compromising quality
• Collaborate with Head of Menu Design to develop cyclical menus reflecting fresh, seasonal Scandinavian flavors

Skills

Culinary leadership

People management

Operational QA

English communication

ERP knowledge

MS Office

Education

Culinary education

Tools

Microsoft Office

ERP system

Job description

Do you thrive in a fast-paced, high-volume culinary environment where precision, quality, and leadership meet?

Newrest is looking for an experienced and hands-on Head Chef to lead our Kitchen operations at our inflight catering unit in Copenhagen. Reporting directly to the Production Manager, you will take operational ownership of daily kitchen production—ensuring that every meal leaving our facility meets the highest standards of taste, presentation, food safety, and airline schedule precision.

What You Will Do

• Lead Daily Kitchen Operations: Oversee end-to-end production across our Kitchen, ensuring consistent culinary excellence, on-time delivery, and strict compliance with HACCP and airline Service Level Agreements (SLAs).
• Inspire & Manage Your Team: Lead, mentor, and develop a diverse culinary and production team. You will handle daily floor leadership, shift and holiday planning, timekeeping, and performance follow-ups in close alignment with the Production Manager.
• Drive Efficiency & Cost Control: Optimize workflows, manage food waste and material costs, and ensure smart resource allocation to meet fluctuating flight schedules without compromising quality.
• Execute & Elevate Menus: Partner with the Head of Menu Design to bring cyclical menus to life, contributing practical culinary expertise rooted in fresh, seasonal, and clean Scandinavian flavours.

What You Bring To The Table

• Proven Culinary Leadership: At least 5 years of experience as an Executive Chef or Head Chef, ideally within high-volume catering, hotel, or large-scale food production.
• People-First Management: Solid experience leading both skilled chefs and production staff in a dynamic, multicultural environment (we have 28 nationalities on-site).
• Operational & QA Mastery: Strong command of large-scale food assembly, hygiene standards, HACCP, and Quality Assurance processes.
• Qualifications: Formal culinary education
• Communication & Tech: Strong verbal and written communication skills in English, a sharp eye for detail, and solid working knowledge of Microsoft Office and ERP system.
• Practical Requirements: You reside in Denmark or Sweden (within commuting distance of Copenhagen Airport) and hold a clean criminal record to pass mandatory airport security clearance.

Why Join Newrest?

At Newrest Denmark, no two days are the same. You will join a direct, open, and action-oriented operation where your decisions have an immediate impact on thousands of travellers every day. As part of a global leader operating in 54 countries with 62,000 employees, we offer stability, international scope, and the opportunity to shape a high-performing kitchen team.

Questions about the role? Reach out to Morten Ottesen, Head of Menu Development, Design & Procurement Scandinavia, at [e-mail].