Head Chef

SeeMeHired.com; Dunboyne; On-site; EUR 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Meals on duty

Discounted room & dining rates

Career progression opportunities

Training and development

Employee recognition scheme

Job summary

Dunboyne Castle Hotel & Spa is seeking a talented Head Chef to lead the Kitchen Department across all outlets. You will drive food quality, presentation, and guest satisfaction while managing costs and coaching a large kitchen team.

The role requires strong leadership, extensive senior kitchen experience, and a hands-on approach in a busy hotel environment. Reporting to the General Manager, you will develop menus, source ingredients, and ensure compliance with hygiene and safety standards.

Qualifications

• Excellent leadership to manage a large kitchen team.
• Proven Head Chef or senior kitchen management experience.
• Experience in busy, high-quality kitchen environments.
• Strong culinary skills with quality, consistency and presentation.
• Proven ability to manage food costs, stock control, and budgets.
• Experience in training and coaching kitchen staff.
• Strong health, safety, and hygiene knowledge.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage daily Kitchen Department operations across outlets.
• Supervise, motivate and develop the kitchen team through coaching.
• Collaborate with F&B and hotel teams for smooth service.
• Oversee menu development, sourcing, and new dish introduction.
• Monitor and control food costs, labour, stock and budgets.
• Ensure compliance with Health & Safety and hotel standards.
• Manage staff performance and HR-related matters with HR input.
• Maintain staffing levels and efficient labour practices.

Skills

Leadership

Head Chef experience

Kitchen management

Food cost control

Menu development

Training & coaching

Health & Safety knowledge

Communication skills

Interpersonal skills

Flexibility

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Head Chef

A fantastic opportunity to join the team atDunboyne Castle Hotel & SpaasHead Chef

About Us

Dunboyne Castle Hotel & Spa is a luxury estate, nestled in 21 acres of lush green Meath countryside. The Georgian mansion which welcomes visitors today was originally built in 1764, on the same site as the original castle. Dunboyne Castle wasacquired by Mr. Thomas Röggla in December 2022. The hotel joined his collection of luxury Irish hotels forming the TMR Hotel Collection, including Farnham Estate Spa & Golf Resort, Harvey's Point, Mount Wolseley & Aghadoe Heights.

As part of the TMR Collection & under the guidance of Windward Management, Dunboyne Castle offers great opportunities for growth & progression in your hospitality career.

Responsibilities

Reporting to the General Manager, the Head Chef will take overall responsibility for the daily operation of the Kitchen Department, ensuring the highest standards of food quality, presentation, hygiene and service across all food outlets at Dunboyne Castle Hotel & Spa.

As part of your role:

• Lead and manage the daily operation of the Kitchen Department, ensuring consistently high-quality food across all outlets.
• Supervise, motivate and develop the kitchen team, providing effective training, coaching and support.
• Work closely with the Food & Beverage and wider hotel teams to ensure smooth daily operations and an excellent guest experience.
• Take responsibility for menu development, product sourcing and introducing new dishes and culinary trends.
• Ensure effective control of food costs, labour costs, stock levels and departmental budgets.
• Maintain high standards of food quality, presentation and consistency through regular monitoring and follow-up.
• Ensure all food preparation, cooking and kitchen operations comply with Health & Hygiene, Health & Safety and hotel standards.
• Manage employee performance and employee relations matters professionally, working closely with the HR Department where required.
• Ensure appropriate staffing levels and efficient labour practices are maintained within the department.
• Monitor guest feedback and operational reports, taking action to continually improve the food operation.
• Lead regular kitchen briefings and contribute to departmental and hotel meetings.
• Promote a positive team culture and maintain strong working relationships across all hotel departments.

About the role

Requirements

• Excellent leadership capabilities to effectively manage a large team.
• Proven experience as a Head Chef, Senior Sous Chef or similar senior kitchen management role
• Extensive experience working in a busy, high-quality kitchen environment.
• Strong culinary skills with a passion for quality, consistency and presentation.
• Proven experience managing food costs, menu costing, stock control and departmental budgets.
• Proven ability to supervise, motivate and develop colleagues.
• Experience in training and coaching kitchen team members.
• Strong ability to work efficiently and deal with busy periods competently.
• Strong understanding of Health & Safety, food hygiene and kitchen operating standards.
• Strong communication skills, both verbal and written.
• Self-Motivated and Enthusiastic.
• Excellent Interpersonal Skills.
• Ability to work flexibly and maintain a hands-on approach within a busy hotel operation.

Perks and Benefits of working atDunboyne Castle Hotel & Spa

• Career progression opportunities across the Windward group
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Meals on duty
• Discounted room & dining rates in Windward properties for you as well as friends and family
• Refer-a-friend scheme
• Training and development opportunities dedicated to your development
• Employee awards & staff recognition scheme including employee of the month, long service awards,team recognition days and random treat days

Salary Information

The advertised pay range represents the salary available for this role. Final starting salary will be determined within this range, based on relevant skills, qualifications, experience, and business requirements.

About Windward Management

Dunboyne Castle Hotel & Spais managed by Windward Management.

Windward Management is a team of highly experienced hotel operators and investors with a hotel portfolio ofapprox. 2,000 keys* in Ireland. Founded in 2007, Windward is a leading hospitalitymanagement company, managing and operating hotels on behalf of their owners.

About the company

Windward Management Limited is a trusted leader in hospitality management, renowned for delivering operational excellence and exceptional guest experiences. Established in 2007 and headquartered in Dublin, the company specializes in managing hotels across Ireland, blending strategic expertise with personalized service. With a strong commitment to innovation, employee development, and quality, Windward Management offers an exciting opportunity for professionals passionate about making a meaningful impact in the hospitality industry.

Required Criteria

• Fluent written and spoken English
• Past experience as a Head Chef, Sous Chef or comparable role
• Must have full eligibility to work in Ireland
• Must have experience using Microsoft Office applications

Skills you'll need

• KPIs
• Leading Teams
• Menu/Product Knowledge
• Chefing Skills
• Food Costing Skills
• Menu Engineering Skills
• Budgeting and Forecasting