Executive Head Chef

SDA - Kitchen; Dublin; On-site; EUR 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Free meals on duty

Employee discounts for friends & F

Food & beverage discounts

Christmas gifts and employee parties

Life assurance

Job summary

Sofitel Dublin Airport Hotel is seeking an Executive Chef to lead the pre-opening kitchen, ensuring exceptional food and guest experiences. You will manage a large team across multiple outlets, develop menus, and align operations with brand standards while monitoring budgets and cost controls.

The role requires a minimum of 10 years of Executive Chef experience, Food Hygiene Level 4, Health and Safety certificates, and fluency in English. 5-star hotel background is highly advantageous.

Qualifications

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Strong leadership and motivational abilities.
• Proven experience as Executive Chef with 10+ years in luxury/hospitality.
• Experience in budgeting, costings, and P&L responsibilities.
• Holder of Food Hygiene Level 4 certificate and Health & Safety certificates.
• Experience in a 5-star hotel is a significant advantage.

Responsibilities

• Manage and inspire a large kitchen team across multiple outlets and events.
• Develop menu design and concepts aligned with trends.
• Balance financials with culinary excellence and guest satisfaction.
• Complete payroll reports, forecasts, and assist in annual budget preparation.
• Maintain stock control and ensure safe, compliant operations.
• Coach and train the team to uphold high standards and brand guidelines.

Skills

Communication

Leadership

Team management

Budgeting

Brand standards

English proficiency

Attention to detail

Problem solving

Education

Food Hygiene Level 4 certificate

Health and Safety certificates

Job description

We are seeking an experienced Executive Chef to play a pivotal role in the pre-opening and launch of Sofitel Dublin Airport Hotel—a luxury flagship property managed by the award-winning Arora Group in partnership with Accor’s Sofitel brand.

Directly connected to Terminal 2, this landmark hotel will redefine the guest experience at one of Europe’s busiest international gateways and will feature:

• 412 elegant guestrooms
• Extensive meetings and events facilities
• A spectacular rooftop bar with panoramic views across Dublin and the airport

A bit about what you will do...

The Executive Chef in our luxurious hotel oversees all kitchen operations, ensuring that the Kitchen Brigade consistently delivers exceptional food and always puts the guest at the heart of everything they do.

• Manage and inspire a large team with multiple food and beverage outlets and meeting and events facilities.
• Lead the team in effectively delivering department goals, planning and organising work activities and continuously seeking to improve ways of working and engaging the team to do the same.
• Develop menu design and concepts for all Food and Beverage outlets, whilst monitoring competitor and industry trends.
• Combine financial awareness with a flair and passion for food.
• Complete payroll reports, forecasts, and participate in the preparation of the hotel’s annual budget.
• Ensuring all financial aspects of kitchen management are adhered to, carrying out costings within the budgeted guidelines.
• Manage efficient stock control and procedures.
• Maintain a safe, healthy and secure workplace environment, following all work protocols and engaging the team with training initiatives.
• Monitor and analyse guest feedback to improve food and presentation quality.
• Coach, train, and support the team to provide consistently high standards, while continually looking to improve.

More about you...

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Exceptional attention to detail and a drive to maintain high standards.
• Strong leadership and motivational abilities.
• Resilience and a proactive approach to problem-solving.
• Commercially astute and knowledgeable about the latest food trends.
• Proven experience of managing, coaching and developing teams.
• Excellent at building rapport with colleagues and guests.
• Approachable and positive manner with a "can do" attitude.
• Full understanding of financial aspects, budgeting and profit and loss.
• Experience of working with brand standards.
• Excellent standard of English, both written and spoken.
• Proven track record as Executive Chef with at least 10 years’ experience.
• Holder of Food Hygiene Level 4 certificate and Health and Safety certificates.
• Experience within a 5-star hotel is a significant advantage.

What’s in it for you…

Competitive salary

But there’s more...

• Free meals on duty.

• Discounted employee friends & family rates at Arora Hotels.

• Food and beverage discounts.

• Christmas gifts and employee parties.

• Introduce a friend scheme.

• Life assurance scheme.

• Employee assistance programme.

• Arora star employee recognition.

• Long service recognition award.

Grow with us...

We are growing rapidly and with growth comes advancement opportunities. Being part of the Arora group there are exciting opportunities for career progression and development across our properties and brands.

Compensation: Competitive salary