Chef de Cuisine - Chocolatier

21c Museum Hotels; Burnham-on-Sea; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A luxury hotel brand in Burnham-on-Sea is seeking a Chef de Cuisine – Chocolatier to lead its chocolate and pastry culinary operations. This role blends senior kitchen leadership with advanced chocolate artistry to enhance guest experiences and support luxury brand standards. Candidates should have over 5 years of progressive culinary leadership experience and expertise in creating high-end chocolate confections. The position requires strong leadership, excellent communication skills, and a passion for innovative culinary practices.

Qualifications

• Advanced expertise in chocolate work, pastry arts, and modern culinary techniques.
• Minimum of 5 years’ progressive culinary leadership experience in luxury hotels or fine-dining establishments.
• Proven experience producing high-end chocolate creations with exceptional attention to detail.
• Strong understanding of international cuisines, seasonal ingredients, and contemporary culinary trends.
• Excellent leadership, organizational, and communication skills in high-pressure environments.
• Professional culinary or pastry certifications from reputable institutions preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead and oversee daily chocolatier and pastry kitchen operations.
• Develop and execute chocolate menus and luxury amenities.
• Produce high-quality chocolate confections such as bonbons, truffles, and plated desserts.
• Demonstrate technical mastery in chocolate tempering and advanced finishing techniques.
• Design and create artistic chocolate pieces that reflect Faena’s identity.
• Ensure compliance with health and safety standards in line with local regulations.
• Recruit, train, mentor, and inspire a multicultural culinary team.
• Develop seasonal menus and bespoke offerings inspired by global influences.
• Monitor food costs and adhere to departmental financial objectives.
• Participate in tastings and guest chef collaborations to elevate the brand’s culinary profile.

Job description

The FAENA Movement is a journey of art, culture, and community. Rooted in the soulful traditions of the South and elevated by imaginative design, our culture celebrates authentic hospitality and transformative experiences. We create spaces where dreams are brought to life—through bold ideas, meaningful collaboration, and a deep sense of purpose. As we continue our expansion into the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, FAENA The Red Sea will mark a new chapter—visionary in spirit, exceptional in execution. We’re building more than a hotel; we’re shaping a world of beauty, wonder, and connection. If you’re driven by creativity, excellence, and a desire to be part of something extraordinary, we invite you to help bring this vision to life.

Overview

Chef de Cuisine – Chocolatier to lead the chocolate and pastry culinary operations at Faena The Red Sea, delivering exceptional quality, creativity, and consistency aligned with Faena’s artistic vision and luxury brand standards. This role blends senior kitchen leadership with advanced chocolate artistry, collaborating closely with the Executive Pastry Chef, Executive Chef, and Culinary Leadership Team to elevate guest experiences and support the hotel’s pursuit of Forbes Five-Star recognition.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and oversee daily chocolatier and pastry kitchen operations, ensuring consistency, precision, and excellence across all chocolate creations.
• Develop and execute chocolate menus, luxury amenities, artistic garnishes, wedding and celebration cake decorations, and molecular gastronomy elements.
• Produce high-quality chocolate confections including bonbons, truffles, pralines, sculptures, and plated desserts that meet Faena brand standards.
• Demonstrate technical mastery in chocolate tempering, molding, ganache preparation, sugar work, and advanced finishing techniques.
• Design and create artistic chocolate pieces and visual centerpieces that reflect Faena’s visual and sensory identity.
• Ensure full compliance with health, safety, sanitation, and HACCP standards in line with local regulations and Faena policies.
• Lead pre-service briefings and collaborate closely with Front-of-House teams to ensure seamless service flow.
• Recruit, train, schedule, mentor, and inspire a multicultural culinary team aligned with Faena’s values and service philosophy.
• Conduct regular performance evaluations and create development plans to support skill growth and retention.
• Foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, creativity, and excellence across all shifts.
• Develop seasonal menus and bespoke offerings inspired by global influences and Faena’s artistic narrative.
• Collaborate with Executive Chef, Food & Beverage leadership, Marketing, Purchasing, and Cost Control teams to deliver signature experiences.
• Monitor food cost, labor productivity, inventory, and budget adherence to achieve departmental financial objectives.
• Review daily sales reports and adjust production schedules to optimize efficiency and minimize waste.
• Source premium ingredients in collaboration with Purchasing while maintaining cost effectiveness.
• Participate in tastings, media events, guest chef collaborations, and special activations to elevate the brand’s culinary profile.

Qualifications

• Advanced expertise in chocolate work, pastry arts, and modern culinary techniques.
• Minimum of 5 years’ progressive culinary leadership experience in luxury hotels or fine-dining establishments.
• Proven experience producing high-end chocolate creations with exceptional attention to detail.
• Strong understanding of international cuisines, seasonal ingredients, and contemporary culinary trends.
• Excellent leadership, organizational, and communication skills in high-pressure environments.
• Professional culinary or pastry certifications from reputable institutions preferred.