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SD Guthrie Berhad is seeking a Senior Hospitality & Culinary Operations Leader to oversee all kitchen and dining operations across Elaeis Garden’s facilities. You will establish standards, optimise staffing, and drive menu development reflecting Malaysian heritage and Nusantara flavours.
You will collaborate with the CEO and Sales & Marketing to support business growth, manage procurement and inventory, and ensure Halal compliance and top-quality food safety across outlets.
SD Guthrie Berhad (SD Guthrie) is one of the world’s leading producers of Certified Sustainable Palm Oil (CSPO), representing approximately 12% of the global market share (as of 31 December 2022). With over 84,000 employees across 12 countries, we pride ourselves on innovation, sustainability, and excellence. Our operations span the entire palm oil value chain, and we are expanding into new business verticals such as green industrial parks and renewable energy. We offer enriching career opportunities supported by cutting-edge technology and a commitment to sustainability. We are the world’s first palm oil company to have our net-zero GHG emissions reduction targets approved by the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi).
Join us today, as we continue to Unlock Nature's Superpowers!
Lead, manage and oversee all kitchen and culinary operations across Elaeis Garden's hospitality facilities, including the Clubhouse Restaurant, Golf Café, Academy Kitchen and future hospitality facilities as may be established.
Establish consistent culinary standards, operating procedures and service quality across all kitchen operations.
Ensure efficient daily kitchen operations while maintaining high standards of food quality, presentation, hygiene and customer satisfaction.
Optimise manpower deployment and kitchen productivity across multiple operating locations.
Develop operational policies, kitchen standards and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to support sustainable business growth.
Foster a culture of culinary excellence, teamwork, accountability and continuous improvement.
Develop and continuously enhance menus that reflect Elaeis Garden's hospitality and heritage positioning, with emphasis on Malaysian heritage cuisine, Nusantara flavours, international buffet offerings and contemporary dining experiences.
Design seasonal menus, festive promotions, signature dishes, banquet offerings, golf dining menus, academy meal programmes and catering packages in collaboration with the CEO and Sales & Marketing.
Continuously evaluate market trends, customer preferences and emerging culinary innovations to introduce new products and dining concepts.
Standardise recipes, portion control, preparation methods and presentation to ensure consistency across all outlets.
Ensure menus are commercially viable while maintaining food quality and profitability.
Partner with the CEO and Sales & Marketing to develop culinary offerings that support business growth, customer acquisition and revenue generation.
Support the development of dining concepts, promotional campaigns, corporate functions, weddings, private events and external catering opportunities.
Participate in business planning discussions by providing culinary expertise, operational insights and commercial recommendations.
Contribute to the development of hospitality offerings that enhance customer experience and strengthen Elaeis Garden's brand positioning.
Support food styling, menu presentation and culinary showcases for marketing campaigns and promotional materials.
Ensure full compliance with all applicable Malaysian food safety legislation, food hygiene regulations and Halal requirements.
Maintain the highest standards of food hygiene, sanitation, cleanliness and workplace safety across all kitchen operations.
Ensure compliance with:
Food Act 1983 and Food Hygiene Regulations 2009 (Malaysia)
Ministry of Health food hygiene requirements
Halal Assurance requirements
Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP)
Occupational Safety & Health requirements
Company policies and operating procedures
Lead internal food safety inspections, hygiene audits and corrective action programmes.
Ensure all food handlers maintain valid certifications and mandatory health requirements.
Lead procurement planning for all culinary operations while working collaboratively with the CEO and Group Procurement.
Participate in supplier sourcing, evaluation, tender exercises and vendor performance reviews.
Develop purchasing plans that balance quality, availability, cost effectiveness and operational requirements.
Manage food costs through effective purchasing, inventory optimisation and waste reduction initiatives.
Establish inventory controls covering food, beverages, kitchen consumables and operational supplies.
Oversee kitchen assets including equipment, utensils, crockery, cutlery, linen and uniforms to ensure proper maintenance, utilisation and replacement planning.
Implement preventive maintenance programmes to maximise equipment reliability and operational continuity.
Manage food cost performance through effective menu engineering, portion control, purchasing and inventory management.
Monitor kitchen labour productivity and recommend workforce optimisation initiatives.
Support annual operational planning, budgeting and forecasting for culinary operations.
Analyse operational data to identify improvement opportunities relating to efficiency, cost management and service quality.
Recommend operational improvements that contribute towards sustainable financial performance.
Lead culinary planning and execution for VIP functions, corporate events, weddings, banquets and special hospitality programmes.
Coordinate with internal stakeholders to ensure successful execution of hospitality events.
Ensure adequate manpower, menu preparation, food quality and operational readiness for all scheduled functions.
Maintain consistency in food quality and guest experience regardless of event size.
Lead, coach and develop culinary teams across multiple operating locations.
Build a high-performing, customer-focused kitchen workforce through effective supervision, coaching and performance management.
Identify capability gaps and develop structured training plans to strengthen culinary competencies.
Foster teamwork, accountability, discipline and continuous learning within the kitchen teams.
Promote a positive workplace culture that encourages innovation, collaboration and operational excellence.
Minimum 8 years of progressive culinary and hospitality experience within hotels, hospitality, tourism, clubs, resorts, restaurants or integrated food service operations.
Minimum 3 years leading culinary operations across multiple outlets or locations, preferably within a hospitality or tourism environment.
Demonstrated experience in menu development, culinary innovation and commercial food operations.
Experience supporting weddings, banquets, corporate events and catering operations.
Experience managing procurement, supplier negotiations, inventory control and food cost optimisation.
Proven experience leading diverse kitchen teams and implementing operational improvements.
Experience in Halal-certified operations
Valid Typhoid Vaccination (where required by prevailing regulations).
Sound working knowledge of HACCP principles.
Knowledge of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and Good Hygiene Practices (GHP).
Knowledge of Malaysian food hygiene regulations.
Knowledge of Halal food preparation and handling requirements.
Professional Culinary Certification.
Certified Executive Chef (or equivalent).
Certified Food Safety qualification.
ISO 22000 Food Safety Management System knowledge.
Occupational Safety & Health training.
Fire Safety awareness certification.
Flexible Benefits Coverage
Learning on Demand
Employee Wellness Programme
Employee Engagement Activities
Fully Subsidised Sports Clubs
Education Assistance (terms & conditions apply)
and many more...