Head Chef

Wild Dreams Hospitality; Noord-Kaap; On-site; ZAR 520,000 - 900,000; Full time

Job summary

Wild Dreams Hospitality in Noord-Kaap is seeking a Head Chef to take ownership of a large kitchen in a remote lodge, leading operations and delivering exceptional dining experiences.

This hands-on leadership role requires strong cost control, menu development, and the ability to work with local and home-grown ingredients while maintaining the highest hygiene standards.

Qualifications

• Head Chef or Sous Chef with luxury lodge or fine dining background.
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision in a remote setting.
• Strong experience in menu development and managing food cost percentages.
• Proven stock control, ordering, and kitchen administration skills.
• Demonstrated leadership and mentoring of junior chefs.

Responsibilities

• Lead daily kitchen operations and oversee meal preparation and presentation.
• Own your section from prep to service.
• Design seasonal menus using home-grown and local ingredients.
• Maintain recipe consistency, portions, and plating to fine dining standards.
• Manage menu costing, budgets, and food cost percentages.
• Oversee ordering, stock rotation, and regular stock takes.
• Collaborate with lodge management to deliver personalised dining experiences.
• Train and develop the kitchen team.
• Enforce hygiene and food safety standards at all times.
• Report equipment issues and keep the kitchen well-organised.

Skills

Head Chef experience

Sous Chef experience

Menu development

Food costing

Stock control

Leadership

Seasonal cooking

Hygiene standards

Dietary requirements

Communication

Job description

The successful candidate will take ownership of a large part of the kitchen and run it independently. This is a hands-on leadership role in a remote setting, suited to a chef who is as strong on cost control and consistency as they are on creativity.

Core Criteria:

• Previous experience as a Head Chef or Sous Chef in a luxury lodge, fine dining, or high-end hospitality environment
• Proven ability to work independently and manage a large part of the kitchen with minimal supervision
• Proven experience in menu development, food costing, and managing food cost percentages
• Strong stock control, ordering, and kitchen administration skills
• Solid leadership and team management ability, with experience training and mentoring junior chefs
• Experience with seasonal, farm-to-table, or garden-driven cooking
• High standards of hygiene, health, and food safety
• Ability to cater for individual dietary requirements and personalised guest requests
• Comfortable working under pressure in a remote, intimate lodge environment
• Excellent communication skills and strong attention to detail

Core Responsibilities:

• Lead the daily kitchen operation and oversee the preparation and presentation of all meals
• Take full ownership of your section of the kitchen, from prep through to service
• Design and implement seasonal menus that make the most of home-grown and locally sourced ingredients
• Maintain consistency in recipes, portioning, and plating to a fine dining standard
• Manage menu costing, kitchen budgets, and food cost percentages
• Oversee ordering, requisitions, stock rotation, and regular stock takes
• Work closely with the lodge management and guest service teams to deliver personalised dining experiences
• Supervise, train, and develop the kitchen team
• Enforce hygiene and food safety standards at all times
• Report equipment and maintenance issues and keep the kitchen well organised