Sous Chef - Cold Kitchen

AccorHotel; Municipality of Al Shamal; On-site; SAR 48,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

A luxury hotel brand in Riyadh is looking for a Sous Chef – Cold Kitchen to oversee cold kitchen production across multiple dining outlets. The candidate will have a minimum of 5 years culinary experience, including 2 years in a leadership role within a luxury setting. Responsibilities include supervising daily operations, fostering a creative culinary team, and ensuring adherence to health and safety regulations. This role offers an opportunity to shape culinary excellence in a dynamic environment.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years progressive culinary experience, with at least 2 years in a leadership role.
• Comprehensive knowledge of food safety, HACCP, and sanitation standards.
• Flexibility to work nights, weekends, and holidays.

Responsibilities

• Prepare and oversee a wide range of cold kitchen items.
• Supervise and coordinate daily cold kitchen operations.
• Lead, motivate, train, mentor, and evaluate culinary team members.
• Assist the Chef de Cuisine in controlling food and labor costs.

Skills

Leadership skills

Organizational skills

Communication skills

Financial acumen

Creativity in food presentation

Education

Formal culinary education or equivalent apprenticeship

ServSafe or equivalent certification

Job description

The FAENA Movement is a journey of art, culture, and community. Rooted in the soulful traditions of the South and elevated by imaginative design, our culture celebrates authentic hospitality and transformative experiences. We create spaces where dreams are brought to life—through bold ideas, meaningful collaboration, and a deep sense of purpose.
As we continue our expansion into the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, FAENA The Red Sea will mark a new chapter—visionary in spirit, exceptional in execution. We’re building more than a hotel; we’re shaping a world of beauty, wonder, and connection. If you’re driven by creativity, excellence, and a desire to be part of something extraordinary, we invite you to help bring this vision to life.

Job Description

We are seeking a Sous Chef – Cold Kitchen to support the daily culinary operations at Faena The Red Sea, overseeing cold kitchen production across restaurants, banquets, in-room dining, oriental mezza, and special events. Working closely with the Chef de Cuisine, this role ensures exceptional quality, artistic presentation, and flawless execution aligned with Faena’s culinary vision and Forbes Five-Star service standards, while leading and developing a high-performing culinary team.

Key Responsibilities

• Prepare and oversee a wide range of cold kitchen items including salads, pâtés, charcuterie, smoked items, canapés, oriental mezza, molecular gastronomy, buffet and coffee break setups, verrines, and modern sandwiches.
• Supervise and coordinate daily cold kitchen operations, ensuring consistency, quality, and timely service across all outlets and events.
• Demonstrate creativity and artistry in food creation, taste balance, and presentation in line with Faena’s visual and sensory identity.
• Operate all kitchen equipment safely and ensure equipment and facilities are maintained in optimal working condition.
• Oversee assigned kitchen stations and production areas, ensuring adherence to recipes, presentation standards, and portion control.
• Conduct daily line checks to ensure readiness, organization, freshness, and product quality.
• Support menu development, seasonal updates, and special event menus in collaboration with senior culinary leadership.
• Maintain full compliance with health, safety, sanitation, and HACCP regulations.
• Lead, motivate, train, mentor, and evaluate culinary team members, fostering a positive, collaborative, and disciplined work culture.
• Supervise cooks at all levels and ensure standards of preparation, plating, and timing are consistently met.
• Conduct pre-service briefings and communicate effectively with front- and back-of-house teams to ensure seamless service.
• Assist the Chef de Cuisine in controlling food and labor costs through effective scheduling, purchasing, and waste management.
• Manage inventory accuracy, ordering, and stock levels to support daily operations.
• Review sales and cost reports to identify opportunities for efficiency and improvement.
• Support vendor relationships and ensure sourcing of premium ingredients aligned with Faena’s luxury standards.
• Partner with Events, Banquets, and Restaurant teams to deliver exceptional guest experiences for VIP functions and luxury events.
• Uphold Forbes Five-Star standards and represent Faena’s culinary excellence during tastings, inspections, and special occasions.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years’ progressive culinary experience, with at least 2 years in a leadership role within a luxury hotel, resort, or fine-dining restaurant.
• Formal culinary education or equivalent professional apprenticeship required.
• Strong leadership, organizational, and communication skills.
• Comprehensive knowledge of food safety, HACCP, and sanitation standards.
• Sound financial acumen related to food cost control and labor management.
• ServSafe or equivalent certification required.
• Flexibility to work nights, weekends, and holidays as required.