Head Chef

Helderberg Personnel; Franschhoek; On-site; ZAR 420,000 - 620,000; Full time

Job summary

Helderberg Personnel in Franschhoek invites applications for a Head Chef role responsible for leading and managing a busy kitchen, ensuring exceptional food quality, presentation and hygiene across all menus. You will design menus reflecting the Italian-inspired offerings, train staff, control food costs and stock, and maintain excellent supplier relationships in a high‑end hospitality environment.

This hands-on leadership position requires calm under pressure, strong organisation and a

Qualifications

• Proven experience as a Head Chef or Sous Chef in a busy upmarket establishment (~80 covers).
• Excellent culinary skills with a flair for Italian cuisine.
• Open-kitchen experience is advantageous.
• Strong menu development and food-costing knowledge.
• Experience managing food costs, stock control and supplier relationships.
• Excellent leadership, with ability to motivate and develop a small kitchen team.
• Excellent organisational skills and attention to detail.
• Focus on customer satisfaction and culinary excellence.
• Adherence to health, food safety and hygiene standards.
• Honest, hardworking, reliable with strong responsibility.
• Ability to stay calm and effective in a high-pressure environment.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage kitchen operation to maintain high standards.
• Create and develop menus reflecting each entity's style.
• Train kitchen staff in menu preparation and presentation.
• Control food costs and manage stock within budgets.
• Oversee stock ordering and monthly stock counts.
• Maintain supplier relationships and ensure quality.
• Ensure health, safety and hygiene standards are met.
• Monitor dish quality, consistency and presentation.
• Lead by example with hands-on leadership in a busy environment.
• Deliver customer satisfaction and culinary excellence.

Skills

Head Chef

Sous Chef

Menu Development

Food Costing

Stock Control

Supplier Relationships

Leadership

Open Kitchen

Italian Cuisine

Hygiene Standards

Job description

Purpose of the Role

To lead and manage the kitchen operation, ensuring consistently high standards of food quality, presentation, service and hygiene, while developing menus that reflect the individual style of each food offering and maintaining effective control of food costs, stock and kitchen operations.

Responsibilities Include But Are Not Limited To:

• Creating and developing menus for the various food offerings, ensuring they reflect the specified style and cuisine of each entity
• Costing all dishes accurately and submitting costings within agreed deadlines
• Developing customised menus for Estate functions and events
• Ensuring all kitchen staff are thoroughly trained in the preparation and execution of the menu
• Training and guiding staff on the correct preparation and presentation of all food offerings
• Leading, motivating and managing the kitchen team to maintain consistently high standards
• Managing food costs and expenses in line with agreed budgets
• Overseeing the ordering of all food stock and ensuring appropriate stock levels are maintained
• Conducting accurate monthly stock counts and ensuring effective stock control
• Maintaining strong and professional relationships with suppliers
• Ensuring impeccable standards of food preparation, health, safety and hygiene at all times
• Monitoring the quality, consistency and presentation of all dishes leaving the kitchen
• Ensuring efficient kitchen operations within a busy hospitality environment
• Maintaining a high focus on customer satisfaction and culinary excellence
• Leading by example through a hands‑on approach, professionalism, reliability and a strong work ethic

Criteria

• Proven experience as a Head Chef or Sous Chef within a busy, upmarket establishment, ideally catering for approximately 80 covers
• Excellent culinary skills with a particular flair and passion for Italian cuisine
• Experience in an open‑kitchen environment will be advantageous
• Strong menu development and food‑costing knowledge
• Proven experience managing food costs, stock control and supplier relationships
• Excellent leadership skills with the ability to motivate, develop and discipline a small kitchen team
• Strong organisational skills with excellent attention to detail
• High focus on customer satisfaction and consistently maintaining quality standards
• Impeccable health, food safety and hygiene standards
• Honest, hardworking, enthusiastic and reliable
• Impeccable sense of responsibility with the ability to take ownership of the kitchen operation
• Ability to remain calm, organised and effective in a busy, high‑pressure environment