Head Chef

BAMBINO STEPHEN LIMITED; Dublin; On-site; EUR 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A local culinary establishment in Dublin is seeking a Kitchen Manager to lead and manage all culinary operations. The ideal candidate will be responsible for planning menu changes, managing budgets, and ensuring food quality and safety. Key duties include overseeing daily kitchen operations, supplier procurement, and training kitchen staff. This role requires strong leadership skills and experience in culinary management, making it essential for achieving operational excellence and guest satisfaction.

Qualifications

• Proven leadership in culinary operations.
• Strong financial management and budgeting skills.
• Experience in supplier management and procurement.

Responsibilities

• Leads the kitchen by managing culinary operations.
• Plans and develops menus and recipes.
• Oversees financial management including food costing.
• Manages supplier relationships and procurement.
• Coordinates daily kitchen operations and service.

Job description

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Application Details

In order to work in Ireland a non-EEA National, unless they are exempted, must hold a valid employment permit. Please review the Eligibility and requirements for an employment permit if you are unsure of your eligibility to apply for this vacancy.

Job Description

Role Overview

Leads the kitchen by planning, managing, and developing all culinary operations. Implements kitchen strategy, owns budgets and food costing, manages the culinary team, and ensures best-in‑class food quality, safety, consistency, and service speed. Collaborates with the General Manager and directs the Sous Chef to execute daily service, while driving continuous improvement, controlling costs, and delivering margin and guest satisfaction targets.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

Strategic Planning & Culinary Development

Plans, develops, and implements a roadmap (menu changes, seasonal rotations, slice specials, LTOs). Designs and standardises recipes and SOPs with detailed yields, cook times, and plating guides; updates documentation after trials. Conducts menu engineering: analyses popularity vs. profitability, plans price points, and repositions items to maximise GP. Leads tastings and R&D sessions; sets innovation targets and approves final recipes before onboarding the team.

Financial Management, Budgeting & Food Costing

Owns kitchen P&L lines (COGS, waste, labour, smallwares); sets monthly/weekly budgets and monitors variances. Builds and maintains recipe costings at PLU level; calculates theoretical vs. actual food cost and implements corrective actions. Plans and manages portion control, yield tests, trim utilisation, and waste logs to reduce variance and improve margins. Implements stock control cycles: ordering calendars, par levels, first-in/first-out rotations, and month-end counts; reconciles stock to sales. Negotiates pricing, rebates, and delivery schedules with suppliers; reviews alternatives to improve quality‑to‑cost ratios.

Procurement & Supplier Management

Defines product specs (flour, tomatoes, cheese, meats, veg) and approves suppliers against quality, safety, and sustainability criteria. Plans purchasing based on sales forecasts and menu mix; manages requisitions and authorises purchase orders. Examines deliveries and escalates non-conformance (temperature, weight, quality); implements supplier scorecards.

Kitchen Operations & Service Execution

Plans, coordinates, and manages daily production: dough schedules, sauce prep, toppings, bake profiles, slicing and service speed. Oversees pass management and ticket flow; implements expo standards to maintain timing, temperature, and presentation. Develops and enforces mise en place lists, prep sheets, and cleaning schedules; monitors completion and adjusts workloads. Implements equipment maintenance plans (ovens, mixers, refrigeration) and coordinates repairs to minimise downtime.

People Leadership, Training & Performance

Builds the team structure and headcount plan; recruits, selects, and onboards kitchen staff with clear role definitions. Develops and implements training programmes (HACCP, allergen control, oven management, dough handling, knife skills).

• Sector: accommodation and food service activities

Career Level

• Managerial