Chinese chef

gategroup; Dublin; On-site; EUR 42,000 - 56,000; Full time

Job summary

Gate Gourmet is seeking a Speciality Chef – Operations in Ireland, Dublin. You will prepare, produce, and present high-quality meals across multiple cuisines, ensure recipes execution, food safety, and support menu development under supervision of senior culinary leaders.

You will work in a designated kitchen area, drive production to specification, train junior team members, and engage with customers and stakeholders while adhering to HACCP and safety standards.

Qualifications

• Experience in culinary operations across multiple cuisines within a high-volume kitchen.
• Strong knowledge of food safety, HACCP, and portion controls.
• Proven ability to train and mentor junior team members.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and document recipes, menu methodologies, and production processes.
• Collaborate with regional/global chefs to meet client specifications and contribute to menu design.
• Ensure menu adherence to recipes, portion sizes, and food safety standards.
• Lead daily production within the assigned section and monitor yields and waste.
• Train and guide junior staff and coordinate with other kitchen sections.

Skills

Communication

Organisation

Culinary Skills

Customer Focus

Teamwork

Job description

Reporting to the Executive Sous Chef or Sous Chef, the Speciality Chef – Operations is responsible for preparing, producing, and presenting high-quality meals across multiple cuisines in line with Gate Gourmet’s standards and customer requirements. The role focuses on the consistent execution of recipes, maintenance of food safety standards, and support for menu development and menu cycle change under the supervision of senior culinary leaders.

The Chef works within a designated section of the kitchen (hot, cold, or speciality area), ensuring that production runs smoothly, efficiently, and to specification. This position contributes to culinary excellence by maintaining product quality, supporting innovation, and assisting in the training of junior team members.

Main Duties and Responsibilities:

Menu & Recipe Development

• Design, develop, and document recipes, menu methodologies, and production processes, incorporating nutritional, cultural, and seasonal considerations, and contribute to the speciality menu design team.
• Collaborate with the regional and global speciality development chefs for speciality and ethnic meals to meet client specifications.
• Research global food trends and emerging culinary concepts to adapt for in-flight catering.
• Support menu development, planning, degustation’s, tenders, workshops, and presentations in collaboration with the Menu Development team.
• Ensure menu adherence to customer recipes, portion specifications, and agreed standards.
• Participate in menu cycle changes and start-ups and collaborate with operational departments on customer issues.
• Collaborate with menu design teams to plan and align with customer requirements, operational capabilities, and seasonal product availability.
• Participate in planning, preparing, and delivering menu presentations, guiding customers through the process.
• Provide menu briefings and conduct training for operational teams to ensure accurate execution of meal cycles and changes.
• Engage with customers and stakeholders to showcase culinary expertise and innovations.

Customer Engagement & Relationship Management

• Build and maintain strong client relationships, ensuring clear communication and understanding of requirements.
• Liaise with customers, account managers, and internal departments to meet service and quality expectations.
• Collaborate across departments to improve menu offerings, enhance customer satisfaction, and increase profitability.
• Address and resolve client or internal issues promptly, providing progress updates.

Production & Operational Support

• Manage daily production activities within the assigned section, ensuring efficiency, consistency, and adherence to service schedules.
• Collaborate with the Sous Chef to ensure food production meets quality, quantity, and customer standards.
• Follow production plans, portion controls, and batch preparation requirements.
• Record production data accurately and report discrepancies in yield, quality, or output to the Sous Chef.
• Supervise food preparation within the area of responsibility to maintain portion accuracy, productivity, taste, and presentation standards.
• Monitor yields, optimise product usage, and minimise waste.
• Ensure all products meet approved specifications, including correct labelling, dating, and coding.
• Support effective handovers between shifts and communicate section priorities clearly.
• Attend shift briefings and ensure operational priorities are executed efficiently.
• Contribute to the improvement of operational performance by identifying and addressing production challenges.

Teamwork & Communication

• Work collaboratively with other kitchen sections to ensure seamless food production and workflow.
• Coordinate production priorities with the Sous Chefs.
• Provide guidance, support, and on-the-job training to junior team members.
• Foster a positive, safe, and productive team environment through clear communication and teamwork.

Quality, Safety & Compliance

• Ensure full compliance with Gate Gourmet, HACCP, and food safety regulations at all times.
• Verify that all food items are correctly labelled, dated, stored, and rotated according to FIFO procedures.
• Maintain the cleanliness and hygiene of work areas and equipment in line with company standards.
• Conduct and document regular internal quality and specification checks against approved standards.
• Report any safety hazards, quality issues, or non-compliances immediately and support corrective actions.
• Participate in scheduled audits, inspections, and required training sessions.
• Enforce compliance with international food safety, health, security, and sanitation regulations to maintain a safe and healthy work environment.
• Ensure compliance with culinary standards and maintain consistency across the culinary operation.
• Support the implementation and adherence of standardized specifications and visual plating guides.
• Oversee food preparation processes to ensure optimal efficiency, quality, and conformance to specifications.

Key Skills:

• Communication:
• Clear and respectful communication skills within a multicultural team.
• Ability to follow instructions and provide feedback constructively.
• Able to speak the customer's native language or the language of the country of the speciality cuisine.
• Organisation:
• Excellent time management and multitasking skills under pressure.
• Ability to prioritise tasks in a fast‑paced, high-volume production kitchen.
• Culinary Skills:
• Strong cooking skills in the required speciality cuisine and in food preparation techniques.
• Extensive product knowledge in required speciality cuisine.
• Knowledge of recipe interpretation, food safety, and portion control.
• Customer Focus:
• Commitment to delivering consistent quality and meeting customer expectations.
• Teamwork:

Cooperative and supportive team player who contributes to overall kitchen success