Executive Sous Chef

Seazen Group; Kuwait; On-site; KWD 32,000 - 64,000; Full time

Job summary

Seazen Group in Kuwait seeks a senior Area Chef to oversee culinary operations across the group. You will manage budgeting, cost control, and a comprehensive menu program, while guiding training and SOP adherence.

You will lead a skilled team, ensure food quality and sanitation, and partner with management to achieve KPIs and guest satisfaction. The role demands strong leadership, strategic planning, and hands-on involvement in menu development and events.

Qualifications

• Minimum 10–12 years of experience in hospitality.
• Bachelor’s Degree in Catering Science, Culinary Arts or related field.
• Excellent English communication skills (spoken and written).
• Strong planning, organizational, and time-management skills.
• Excellent interpersonal and leadership skills.

Responsibilities

• Schedules and coordinates the work of Area Chefs to achieve budgets, KPI targets, food quality, cost of sales and food safety standards.
• Collaborates with management to execute strategy and departmental goals.
• Oversees catering and special events, including demonstrations of culinary techniques at events.
• Ensures guest expectations for quality and presentation are met and drives guest loyalty.
• Assists in menu development to ensure product quality and food cost management.
• Manages operating budgets, expenses, and labor according to demand.
• Hires, trains, coaches, and develops a capable team with cross-training.

Skills

Budgeting

Cost control

Menu development

Training oversight

Quality & safety

Staff supervision

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Catering Science, Culinary Arts

Job description

Responsible for the culinary oversight of Seazen Group. He is responsible for budgeting, cost control, and a comprehensive menu program for Seazen. The position also has the responsibility for the oversight of all culinary training; special functions; food quality; safety, sanitation, and the supervision of the culinary staff. He must develop and monitor the food and labor budget for the department. Maintain the highest professionalism in food quality and sanitation standards.

Key Responsibilities:

• Schedules and coordinates the work of Area Chef’s to assure that kitchen operations are efficient in terms of achieving budgets, KPI’s, food quality, cost of sales and food safety standards.
• Works closely with the management team to execute the strategy and focus on meeting and exceeding departmental goals.
• Oversee activities relates to catering and special events provided throughout the including cross-trained instruction and the demonstration of culinary techniques at designated events.
• Understands the guest expectations related to food quality and presentation and ensures culinary associates strive to meet or exceed expectations and help build guest loyalty.
• Assists in menu development to ensure product quality and food cost management.
• Participates in the development of operating budgets and administers those budgets in an ongoing basis by monitoring and tracking expenses.
• Helps to manage wages, productivity, and expenses in accordance with business demand.
• Hires, trains, coaches, and develops a successful and enthusiastic team of associates, and ensures associates are cross trained to support successful daily operations.
• Validates a departmental orientation program for associates to receive the appropriate new hire training to successfully perform their job.
• Motivates associates by engaging in recognition, coaching, performance reviews, and performance management.
• Validates scheduling in accordance with employment policies and budget targets and ensures that all time management and payroll processes are carried out in an accurate and timely manner.
• Validation of scheduled inventories, stocks, and requisitions for necessary supplies, supporting procedures for portion and waste controls, etc.
• Verify all purchase appropriate supplies and validate inventories according to budget.
• Ensures compliance with all local, provincial, and federal health regulations, and monitor the training of associates on the proper handling and temperatures of all food products.
• Validate the cleaning schedule to ensure work areas are clean and sanitize.
• Cross check the reporting of equipment’s malfunctions with departments and its progress.
• Assists the Corporate Chef in maintaining entire F&B standards.
• Validate training on food knowledge and menu items including ingredients, preparation methods and unique tastes.
• Maintain discretion and maturity in handling sensitive or confidential data.
• Working closely with different departments and stakeholders.
• Analyze food industry trends and lead new product development accordingly
• To be able to manage the attrition rate to bare minimum level by regularly engaging with culinary employees post assessing their performance/feedback.
• Periodic competitors analysis to be done to ensure effective menu planning and to judge various cost factors.
• Frequently addressing PIC meetings to address the positives and scope of improvement.
• Carrying out the weekly Area chef’s meeting addressing weekly performance and concerns.
• To review rejection portal on monthly basis along with QA & supply chain.
• To work in coordination with Quality assurance team to achieve excellence in food safety parameters.
• To monitor R&D projects for new product/concept development as required.
• Culinary KPI’s to be updated on viva goals towards the end of every month.
• To analyze the P&L report in terms of revenue, cost of sales, BOH staff cost and manager controllable.
• To manage and review employee performance review on monthly basis, conduct counselling and related PIP’s. This is essential to be documented and maintained for middle management team followed by down the line BOH employees.
• To conduct monthly meetings with the Facility team along with Executive Sous Chef’s and Area Chef’s to carry out all maintenance related issues in all the branches.
• Validate food tastings regularly to maintain consistency, identify errors and perform corrective action plan accordingly.
• Frequent branch visits to monitor the culinary operations.
• Develop and validate layouts for the new projects in lieu with Interior designers and Corporate Chef/Operations Director.
• Frequently validate the asset inventory and align with the new project and pop up events.
• Allocation/restructuring as per the requirement of the Area Chef’s.
• To monitor the F&B processes and its efficiency.
• Improvement plan for cost lines and waste management.
• Planning of all strategic projects on quarterly/half-yearly basis.
• Regular validation of all SOP’s and seek opportunities on improving every time.
• Integrate and support brand ops/marketing team on opportunities to elevate sales and raise brand awareness through marketing campaigns.

Skills

Experience & Qualifications Required

Experience Required

• Minimum 10–12 years of experience in hospitality field.

Educational Qualification

• Bachelor’s Degree in Catering Science, Culinary Arts, or a related field.

Personal Skills

• Excellent interpersonal and leadership skills.
• Strong planning, organizational, and time-management skills.
• Positive attitude and strong team player.
• Self-motivated with a passion for hospitality.
• Excellent English communication skills (spoken and written).
• Strong administrative and reporting skills.
• Strong research, development, and innovation skills.
• Solid technical and operational knowledge in catering operations.