Cluster Sous Chef

Araw Hospitality Group; El Nido; On-site; PHP 650,000 - 1,200,000; Full time

Job summary

Araw Hospitality Group is seeking a Cluster Sous Chef for its El Nido operations to lead the culinary team across multiple venues. You will direct the full culinary cycle, from menu planning and sourcing to production, plating and service, ensuring every dining experience aligns with the brand.

You’ll oversee all dining experiences, set quality standards, manage staff rosters, and lead safety and sustainability initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Culinary Operations: Direct the full culinary cycle from menu planning and sourcing to production, plating, and service.
• Culinary Operations: Oversee all dining experiences including breakfast, à la carte, tasting menus, in-villa and island dining, chef's tables, and private events.
• Culinary Operations: Conduct daily briefings, line checks, and pre-service tastings.
• Culinary Operations: Command the pass during peak and VIP services.
• Menu Development and Culinary Standards: Design menus and execute the Group Executive Chef’s vision, and propose new dishes and seasonal menus.
• Menu Development and Culinary Standards: Establish and enforce recipe, plating, and portion standards across outlets.
• Menu Development and Culinary Standards: Benchmark menus against global culinary trends and luxury competitors.
• Reporting and Communication: Submit weekly reports on food cost, inventory, menu performance, guest feedback, staffing, and incidents.
• Reporting and Communication: Align daily with the Property Head on occupancy, VIP arrivals, events, and guest concerns.
• Reporting and Communication: Escalate matters requiring group-level decisions.
• Sourcing, Cost and Inventory Control: Deliver food cost targets without compromising quality.
• Sourcing, Cost and Inventory Control: Approve market lists and requisitions.
• Sourcing, Cost and Inventory Control: Reduce food waste through yield management and wastage tracking.
• Food Safety and Sustainability: Enforce HACCP standards and compliance with Philippine FDA and local sanitation regulations.
• Food Safety and Sustainability: Maintain complete food safety records, including temperature logs and pest control.
• Food Safety and Sustainability: Lead kitchens through audits, and close out findings promptly.
• Food Safety and Sustainability: Champion sustainability practices, including responsible sourcing and plastic reduction.
• People Leadership and Development: Manage rosters balancing guest demand, labour cost, and staff wellbeing.
• People Leadership and Development: Train the team and evaluate techniques, plating, and guest engagement.
• Equipment and Workplace Safety: Maintain kitchen equipment through preventive maintenance with Engineering.
• Equipment and Workplace Safety: Recommend capital investments in equipment and plating ware.
• Equipment and Workplace Safety: Enforce workplace and fire safety, and safe handling of hazards.
• Equipment and Workplace Safety: Supervise stewarding standards for cleanliness and chemical control.
• Guest Experience: Deliver personalized dining by coordinating guest preferences, allergies, and celebrations with service teams.
• Guest Experience: Create signature moments such as chef’s table dinners and cooking demonstrations.
• Guest Experience: Engage with guests during service with warmth and discretion.
• Guest Experience: Act on guest feedback and share learnings with the team.

Job description

The Cluster Sous Chef is accountable for the culinary performance of the El Nido Cluster. The role directs the end-to-end culinary process, upholds group standards, and delivers a dining experience consistent with the brand.

Culinary Operations

• Direct the full culinary cycle, from menu planning and sourcing to production, plating, and service.
• Oversee all dining experiences, including breakfast, à la carte, tasting menus, in-villa and island dining, chef’s tables, and private events.
• Conduct daily briefings, line checks, and pre-service tastings.
• Command the pass during peak and VIP services.

Menu Development and Culinary Standards

• Design menus and execute the Group Executive Chef’s culinary vision, and propose new dishes, seasonal menus, and signature experiences.
• Establish and enforce recipe, plating, and portion standards across all outlets.
• Benchmark menus against global culinary trends and luxury competitors.

Reporting and Communication

• Submit weekly reports on food cost, inventory, menu performance, guest feedback, staffing, and incidents.
• Align daily with the Property Head on occupancy, VIP arrivals, events, and guest concerns.
• Escalate matters requiring group-level decisions.

Sourcing, Cost and Inventory Control

• Deliver food cost targets without compromising quality.
• Approve market lists and requisitions.
• Reduce food waste through yield management and wastage tracking.

Food Safety and Sustainability

• Enforce HACCP standards and compliance with Philippine FDA and local sanitation regulations.
• Maintain complete food safety records, including temperature logs, labelling, cleaning schedules, and pest control.
• Lead kitchens through internal, brand, and government audits, and close out findings promptly.
• Champion sustainability practices, including responsible sourcing, plastic reduction, and waste segregation.

People Leadership and Development

• Manage rosters that balance guest demand, labour cost, and staff wellbeing.
• Train the team and evaluate team members on techniques, plating, food safety, and guest engagement, including cross-training between sections.

Equipment and Workplace Safety

• Maintain kitchen equipment through preventive maintenance with Engineering.
• Recommend capital investments in equipment and plating ware.
• Enforce workplace and fire safety, and the safe handling of gas, knives, and chemicals.
• Supervise stewarding standards for cleanliness and chemical control.

Guest Experience

• Deliver personalized dining by coordinating guest preferences, allergies, and celebrations with butlers and service teams.
• Create signature moments such as chef’s table dinners, in-villa experiences, and cooking demonstrations.
• Engage with guests during service and VIP occasions with warmth and discretion.
• Act on guest feedback and online reviews, and share learnings with the team.