Head Chef

Christine Loopstra; Franschhoek; On-site; ZAR 550,000 - 900,000; Full time

Job summary

Franschhoek Wine Farm in Franschhoek is seeking an experienced Head Chef to lead the entire kitchen across its food and hospitality offerings. You will be a hands-on leader ensuring quality, presentation, service and hygiene while developing menus that showcase the estate's unique style and maintaining effective control of food costs and stock.

The role requires strong culinary expertise with a passion for Italian cuisine, solid leadership, and the ability to mentor a small kitchen team in a

Qualifications

• Proven experience as a Head Chef or Sous Chef within a busy, upmarket establishment (≈80 covers)
• Excellent culinary skills with flair for Italian cuisine
• Open-kitchen experience advantageous
• Strong menu development and food costing knowledge
• Experience managing food costs, stock control and supplier relationships
• Excellent leadership to motivate and develop a small kitchen team
• Strong organisational skills and attention to detail
• High focus on customer satisfaction and consistent quality standards
• Impeccable health, food safety and hygiene standards
• Honest, hardworking and reliable
• Ownership of kitchen operations and ability to stay calm under pressure

Responsibilities

• Create and develop menus for various food offerings reflecting each entity's style
• Cost dishes accurately and submit costings on time
• Develop customised menus for estate functions and events
• Ensure all kitchen staff are trained in menu preparation and execution
• Lead and manage the kitchen team to maintain high standards
• Manage food costs and expenses within budgets
• Oversee stock orders and maintain stock levels
• Maintain strong supplier relationships and stock control
• Ensure health, safety and hygiene standards at all times
• Monitor quality and presentation of dishes leaving the kitchen
• Ensure efficient kitchen operations in a busy hospitality setting
• Focus on customer satisfaction and culinary excellence
• Lead by example with hands-on leadership and reliability

Skills

Culinary leadership

Menu development

Food cost control

Stock management

Team management

Italian cuisine flair

Open kitchen experience

Job description

HEAD CHEF

Franschhoek: My client, a prestigious wine farm in the Franschhoek area, seeks to employ an experienced and accomplished Head Chef to take responsibility for the culinary operations across its food and hospitality offerings. The successful candidate will be a hands-on, passionate and natural leader who combines strong culinary expertise with sound operational, financial and people-management skills.

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 controlMaintaining 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