Head Chef

Anonymous; East London; On-site; ZAR 25 000 - 45 000; Full time

Job summary

Join a vibrant and ambitious venue as a Head Chef, where your creativity and leadership will shape the culinary experience. This role offers the chance to develop innovative menus, drive growth in food sales, and lead a passionate team. If you're ready to take ownership of a dynamic kitchen and contribute to a thriving business, this is the perfect opportunity. Embrace personal development and work in a space that touches the lives of thousands each week. If you thrive in a fast-paced environment and are eager to make an impact, we want to hear from you!

Qualifications

• Proven experience as a Head Chef in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong understanding of food trends and customer preferences.

Responsibilities

• Lead kitchen operations and menu innovation.
• Manage food costs and supplier relationships.
• Build and maintain a positive kitchen culture.

Skills

Team Leadership

Menu Development

Stock Control

Culinary Innovation

Customer Service

Education

Culinary Arts Diploma

Job description

Head Chef – Creative Leader for a Fast-Growing Venue

We’re on the hunt for a bold, creative, and driven Head Chef who’s hungry for more than just a job. This is a rare opportunity to lead the kitchen of a vibrant, grassroots venue where food, music, and culture collide — and to directly shape the future of a fast-growing business.

This role is ideal for someone with entrepreneurial energy — someone who wants to build something, lead from the front, and play a pivotal part in driving a kitchen to new levels of quality, efficiency, and creativity.

What We’re Looking For

You're switched on, resilient, and highly organised. You know how to nurture a team, lead by example, and deliver excellence even under pressure. You get trends, you get flavour, and you just get what makes food great. You're not afraid to hustle — but you're also a people-first leader who brings joy, humour and calm to the chaos of a busy kitchen.

You're the kind of Head Chef who:

• Thrives in fast-paced, large-scale venues

• Can build and run a kitchen like it’s your own business

• Brings fresh ideas, energy, and efficiency to everything you do

• Is ready to contribute beyond the pass – to the venue, the brand, and the bigger picture

The Role

As Head Chef, you’ll take full ownership of the kitchen — from daily service to long-term strategy. You’ll work closely with our leadership team to grow our food offering and revenue, particularly through weddings and corporate events, which are fast becoming a key driver of the business.

This is more than just a chef role – it’s an opportunity to build your profile, develop your leadership skills, and lay the groundwork for a potential future as a partner, entrepreneur, or business owner.

Your First Mission

• Drive year-on-year growth in food sales

• Elevate quality of produce, consistency, and service

• Design creative, scalable menus for events and private hires

• Build and empower a strong kitchen team culture

Key Responsibilities

• Menu development & innovation

• Food GP, stock control & supplier management

• Labour planning, rota creation & team leadership

Why Join Us?

We’re a team of doers, thinkers, and makers. We’ve built our space from the ground up, and it now touches the lives of thousands of people every week — from partygoers and music lovers to couples celebrating their big day.

We’re also fanatical about personal development. Whether it’s books, podcasts, mentorship or hands-on learning, we believe in levelling up — both individually and as a team. If you’re the kind of person who loves learning, growing, and pushing the limits of what’s possible, you’ll feel right at home here.

If you’re ready to lead a kitchen that’s bold, ambitious, and full of heart — we’d love to hear from you.