Head Chef

Wild Dreams Hospitality; Oos-Kaap; On-site; ZAR 335,000 - 385,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Live-in position

Job summary

Wild Dreams Hospitality is seeking a senior kitchen leader to run multiple lodge kitchens on a luxury game reserve, ensuring consistency, high standards, and strong training across the brigade.

You will report to the Senior Head Chef and rotate through kitchens to implement new menus, monitor hygiene, and manage staff performance. A Diploma in a recognised culinary field and a valid driver’s license are essential for this live-in role.

Qualifications

• Diploma from a recognised culinary institution.
• 3–5 years in a similar position within a luxury game reserve, boutique hotel, or luxury restaurant.
• Proven leadership experience overseeing multiple kitchens and large brigades.
• Valid driver’s license, essential.
• Strong computer literacy, comfortable working across the Office suite.
• Excellent understanding of special dietary requirements.
• Strong communication skills with a supportive but disciplined leadership style.
• Physically fit, with a highly developed sense of taste and smell.

Responsibilities

• Rotate through the various lodge kitchens on a regular basis, implementing standards, new menus, and dishes.
• Conduct ongoing training and checks on hygiene standards, staff discipline, and brigade wellbeing.
• Attend management meetings, providing feedback and recommendations to develop the department.
• Plan annual leave, monthly leave cycles, and working rosters across all chefs on the reserve, balancing cost-effectiveness with guest experience.
• Maintain exceptionally high hygiene standards across all kitchens.
• Interview and appoint suitable candidates for vacant kitchen positions.
• Continuously drive improvement in meal standards and presentation across all kitchens.
• Resolve staff and food-related issues quickly and decisively.
• Step in to support kitchens directly during busy periods or to cover senior staff absences.
• Liaise with central procurement on food orders, quality, and supplier issues.
• Maintain regular communication with brigade seniors for day-to-day support.

Skills

Brigade leadership

Multi-kitchen management

Staff training

Budgeting

Communication

Education

Diploma from recognised culinary institution

Tools

Office Suite

Job description

This is a senior leadership role for someone used to running large brigades and multiple kitchens at once, not just one. You'll report to the Senior Head Chef and be the driving force behind consistency, standards, and training across every kitchen on the reserve.

Core Criteria

• Diploma from a recognised culinary institution
• Minimum 3 to 5 years in a similar position within a luxury game reserve, boutique hotel, or luxury restaurant
• Proven leadership experience overseeing multiple kitchens and large brigades
• Valid driver's license, essential
• Strong computer literacy, comfortable working across the Office suite
• Excellent understanding of special dietary requirements
• Strong communication skills paired with a supportive but disciplined leadership style
• Physically fit, with a highly developed sense of taste and smell

Core Responsibilities

• Rotate through the various lodge kitchens on a regular basis, implementing standards, new menus, and dishes
• Conduct ongoing training and checks on hygiene standards, staff discipline, and brigade wellbeing
• Attend management meetings, providing feedback and recommendations to develop the department
• Plan annual leave, monthly leave cycles, and working rosters across all chefs on the reserve, balancing cost-effectiveness with guest experience
• Maintain exceptionally high hygiene standards across all kitchens
• Interview and appoint suitable candidates for vacant kitchen positions
• Continuously drive improvement in meal standards and presentation across all kitchens
• Resolve staff and food-related issues quickly and decisively
• Step in to support kitchens directly during busy periods or to cover senior staff absences
• Liaise with central procurement on food orders, quality, and supplier issues
• Maintain regular communication with brigade seniors for day-to-day support

On Offer

• Salary: R30,000 per month
• Live-in position, meals not included
• Work cycle: 21 days on, 7 days off
• Valid driver's license required