Private Head Chef

Utopia Design; Barcelona; Presencial; EUR 60.000 - 90.000; A tiempo parcial

Ventajas ofrecidas por este puesto de trabajo

Premium kitchen

Career progression

Descripción de la vacante

Utopia Design is seeking a Head Chef for a private family residence above Barcelona. You will lead a small kitchen team, design daily meals for two principals and four children, and own the household dietary framework with a strict low-sugar, high-protein regime.

You will manage sourcing, HACCP documentation, and ensure service is impeccable across private events and occasional travel, working freelance/on-call with potential for a permanent position.

Formación

• 5+ years in private household or high-end dining environments
• Experience cooking to elimination diets
• Fluency in English and Spanish
• Expertise in multiple cuisines, nutrition, and allergen management
• Current HACCP and food-handler certification
• Discretion, professionalism and trustworthiness

Responsabilidades

• Design and execute daily meals, private dinners, and bespoke events tailored to household preferences
• Own end-to-end kitchen operations: menu planning, sourcing, stock control, and hygiene at the highest standards
• Lead and mentor kitchen staff and maintain kitchen culture of excellence
• Adapt to household schedule, including private events and occasional travel
• Proactively contribute ideas for seasonal menus and kitchen improvements

Conocimientos

Leadership in kitchen

Dietary management

Bilingual English/Spanish

Attention to detail

Flexibility

Educación

Food safety certification (HACCP)

Herramientas

HACCP documentation

Descripción del empleo

A private family residence in the hills above Barcelona is seeking a Head Chef to lead the kitchen. You will be cooking for two principals and four children, to an exacting standard.

The role is not restaurant work. It is precision cooking for people who eat here every day. The family follows a strict low-sugar, high-protein regime: all cooking is done in clarified butter, industrial seed oils and processed foods are excluded, and salads are always served per request. Everything is made from scratch on the day. Fish is bought and delivered fresh, each morning from a specialist fishmonger; fruit and vegetables from Barcelona's premium organic markets.

You will own the family's dietary framework completely — not follow it, own it. You will lead a Sous Chef and a kitchen porter, manage supplier relationships, maintain full HACCP documentation, and confirm every service with the General Manager before the first plate leaves the kitchen.

This is a freelance / on-call position, active during the principals' stays at the property. The frequency and duration of engagements may vary throughout the year. Candidates must be available to commit to confirmed dates and deliver the same level of excellence on every occasion, regardless of duration. There is potential for this role to evolve into a permanent position for the right candidate. Occasional travel may also be required as part of the engagement.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and execute daily meals, private dinners, and bespoke events, tailoring every experience to the household's preferences, dietary requirements, and seasonal produce
• Own end-to-end kitchen operations: menu planning, ingredient sourcing, supplier management, stock control, and kitchen hygiene to the highest food safety standards
• Lead and mentor kitchen staff, building a culture of excellence, precision, and proactive service
• Adapt seamlessly to the household's schedule, including availability for private events, gatherings, and occasional travel requirements
• Proactively contribute ideas for seasonal menus, themed dining concepts, and continuous kitchen improvement — bringing initiative to every interaction

Requirements

• 5+ years of experience in a private household, five-star hotel, or Michelin-starred restaurant environment, with proven experience in a senior culinary leadership role
• Demonstrated experience cooking daily to a strict medical or elimination diet
• Fluency in both English and Spanish (written and spoken) — essential for this role
• Deep expertise across multiple international cuisines, with strong knowledge of nutrition, allergen management, and specialist dietary requirements
• Current HACCP and food-handler certification
• Absolute discretion, professionalism, and trustworthiness
• A proactive, solutions-oriented mindset with exceptional attention to detail and a natural drive to exceed expectations without being asked
• Flexibility to adapt to the household's schedule, with openness to travel when required

Benefits

• We offer a competitive package, a fully equipped premium professional kitchen, a small dedicated team, and a genuine path into senior culinary roles across a growing portfolio of private properties
• Build and shape the kitchen culture and culinary identity from the ground up

Due to the nature of this placement, the client's identity is kept strictly confidential. Full details will be shared with shortlisted candidates at the appropriate stage of the process.