Head Chef & Kitchen Manager - High-Volume Catering

Labourlinq Recruitment; South Africa; On-site; ZAR 360,000 - 600,000; Full time

Job summary

Labourlinq Recruitment is seeking a Kitchen Manager for a high-volume catering operation in Johannesburg. Lead back-of-house teams, ensure top food quality, cost control, and compliance while delivering exceptional guest experiences.

Role requires strong leadership, HACCP knowledge, and the ability to manage multicultural staff, with flexibility to work weekends and holidays as needed.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years' experience in Kitchen Manager or similar leadership role.
• Experience managing high-volume commercial kitchen operations.
• Strong knowledge of food costing, stock control and labour management.
• Proven ability to lead and develop multicultural teams.
• Thorough understanding of HACCP, hygiene and workplace safety standards.
• Strong English communication, reporting, and operational planning skills.
• Able to work flexible hours, including weekends and public holidays.

Responsibilities

• Oversee daily kitchen operations in a high-volume environment.
• Maintain food quality, portion control, and service standards.
• Recruit, train, and develop kitchen staff.
• Drive a positive, accountable, high-performance culture.
• Ensure food safety and HACCP compliance.
• Control food costs, inventory, and wastage.
• Implement operational systems and continuous improvement.
• Support menu execution and customer satisfaction.

Skills

Kitchen leadership

High-volume operations

Food costing

Stock control

Labour management

HACCP/food safety

English communication

Flexible hours

Education

Culinary/hospitality management qualification

Job description

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Kitchen Manager
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**Kitchen Manager**
**Job details**
Posted
15 October 2026
Salary
ZAR Negotiable
Start date
15 October 2026
LocationJohannesburg
Job type Permanent
Discipline Food and Beverage
Reference
Job Function Executive Chef
**Job description**
Our client is a fast-growing food service business dedicated to delivering high-quality food, operational excellence, and exceptional customer experience. With ambitious growth plans and a commitment to continuous improvement, the client is building a high-performing team capable of supporting an expanding customer base across Fiji. This is an exciting opportunity to join a dynamic and entrepreneurial organization where innovation, leadership, and results are recognized and rewarded.
We are seeking an experienced **Kitchen Manager** to lead all back-of-house operations, ensuring exceptional food quality, compliance, cost control, and team performance. This hands‑on leadership role is ideal for a hospitality professional who combines strong culinary operations expertise with commercial acumen and a passion for developing people. This position is located in **Fiji.**

Job Responsibilities:

• Oversee all daily kitchen operations within a high-volume environment.
• Ensure food quality, consistency, portion control, and service standards are maintained.
• Recruit, train, mentor, and develop kitchen staff.
• Drive a positive, accountable, and high-performance culture.
• Manage food safety, hygiene, HACCP, and workplace compliance requirements.
• Control food costs, inventory, purchasing, and wastage.
• Implement operational systems and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Support menu execution, product quality, and customer satisfaction.

Qualifications & Skill Requirements:

• Minimum 5 years' experience as a Kitchen Manager, Head Chef, Executive Sous Chef, or similar leadership role.
• Proven experience managing high-volume commercial kitchen operations.
• Strong knowledge of food costing, stock control, labour management, and kitchen systems.
• Demonstrated success leading and developing multicultural teams.
• Thorough understanding of food safety, HACCP, hygiene, and workplace safety standards.
• Strong English communication, reporting, and operational planning skills.
• Ability to work flexible hours, including weekends and public holidays.

Preferred Experience:

• International hospitality, QSR, franchise, or food manufacturing experience.
• Experience opening new restaurants or commissioning food operations.
• Formal culinary or hospitality management qualification.
• Experience working in developing or emerging markets.
• Proven ability to train and develop local teams.

We are an equal opportunity employer. All qualified individuals will receive consideration for employment without regard to race; color; age; sex; sexual orientation; gender identity; religion; national origin; disability; veteran status; genetic information; or any other criteria protected by governing law.

This is a practical role for someone who keeps tight control of stock and costs while running a busy kitchen that serves everyday diners as well as private functions and bookings.
Core Criteria:

• Previous experience as a Kitchen Manager, Sous Chef or Head Chef in a busy restaurant or bar environment
• Strong stock control skills, including daily counts and ordering
• Proven experience with menu planning and food costing
• Experience coordinating function and event catering
• Sound knowledge of hygiene and food safety standards
• Strong organisational and leadership skills
• Able to work under pressure, including evenings and weekends
• Available to start at short notice