Executive Chef – European Cuisine

Ambitions Travel & Hospitality Recruitment; Cape Town; On-site; ZAR 200 000 - 300 000; Full time

Job summary

A premier hospitality recruitment agency is seeking an Executive Chef for a prestigious luxury dining establishment in Cape Town. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in French and contemporary European cuisine, along with proven leadership skills to manage a high-performing kitchen team. This is a unique opportunity to make a substantial impact with an iconic global brand, offering a competitive salary and growth opportunities.

Benefits

Competitive salary

Growth opportunities

Iconic global brand

Passionate, high-performance team

Qualifications

• Extensive experience in luxury hospitality with French and contemporary cuisine.
• Proven leadership abilities in a fine-dining kitchen.
• Skilled in curating menus that reflect seasonality and creativity.

Responsibilities

• Lead the culinary team to craft exquisite dishes.
• Design and develop seasonal menus reflecting restaurant style.
• Oversee daily kitchen operations ensuring quality output.

Skills

Extensive experience in French and contemporary European cuisine

Proven ability to lead a high-performing kitchen brigade

Expertise in elegant plate presentation and luxury service standards

Strong leadership and mentoring abilities

Excellent communication skills

Job description

EXECUTIVE CHEF – EUROPEAN CUISINECAPE TOWN – ON-SITECOMPETITIVE SALARYOur Customer : Our customer is an exciting, well-established name in luxury hospitality, renowned worldwide for its exceptional quality and attention to detail.

With a global presence and reputation for delivering outstanding experiences, they pride themselves on maintaining the highest standards of service and presentation across all their properties. They are now looking for an Executive Chef to join their newest venture in Cape Town.

This role is key to supporting the successful launch of their latest endeavour, and they are seeking a driven, experienced professional with the ambition to make a real impact from the outset. Job Description : In this role you will lead the culinary excellence of our customers savoury kitchen.

Responsibilities

• Craft exquisite dishes that reflect sophistication, precision, and world-class standards.
• Blend classical techniques with contemporary flair, creating flavors and presentations that leave a lasting impression.
• Lead and inspire the kitchen brigade, fostering a culture of excellence, discipline, and creativity.
• Recruit, train, mentor, and evaluate kitchen staff to maintain a high-performance team.
• Set standards for culinary techniques, presentation, and service quality.
• Design and develop seasonal menus that reflect the restaurant's concept, style, and target clientele.
• Introduce innovative dishes while maintaining consistency and culinary excellence.
• Collaborate with sommeliers and front-of-house teams to ensure harmonious pairing of food and beverages.
• Oversee daily kitchen operations, ensuring efficiency, organization, and high-quality output.
• Manage inventory, ingredient sourcing, and supplier relationships.
• Ensure proper storage, handling, and rotation of ingredients to maintain freshness and minimize waste.
• Monitor and maintain the highest standards of food quality, taste, and presentation.
• Implement and enforce hygiene, health, and safety regulations in the kitchen.
• Conduct regular checks on consistency, portion control, and plating aesthetics.
• Develop and manage food and labour budgets.
• Monitor food costs, implement cost-saving measures, and reduce wastage without compromising quality.
• Prepare reports on kitchen performance, inventory, and expenditure.
• Ensure dishes meet the expectations of discerning fine-dining clientele.
• Represent the restaurant at culinary events, media appearances, or competitions when required.
• Maintain the restaurant's reputation for culinary excellence through innovation, presentation, and service standards.
• Keep up-to-date with global culinary trends, techniques, and emerging ingredients.
• Introduce new methods, tools, or technologies to enhance kitchen efficiency and innovation.
• Promote a culture of continuous learning and professional growth within the kitchen team.

Qualifications

• Extensive experience in French and contemporary European cuisine within fine-dining or luxury hospitality.
• Proven ability to lead a high-performing kitchen brigade.
• Expertise in elegant plate presentation and luxury service standards.
• Skilled in curating menus that balance seasonality, creativity, and refinement.
• Strong leadership, mentoring, and team management abilities.
• Creative vision with meticulous attention to detail and consistency.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills with front-of-house and management teams.

Benefits and Perks

• Competitive salary
• Growth opportunities
• Iconic global brand
• Passionate, high-performance team

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