Head Chef - Paterson

HotelJobs; South Africa; On-site; ZAR 650,000 - 900,000; Full time

Job summary

HotelJobs is seeking a Head Chef for a Luxury 5* Game Reserve near Paterson. You will rotate across lodge kitchens, implement standards, train staff, and maintain top hygiene and food quality.

Responsibilities include planning rosters, attending management meetings, and sourcing quality ingredients. Candidates should have leadership experience across multiple kitchens and strong dietary knowledge, with a valid driver’s license and Office proficiency.

Qualifications

• Diploma from a culinary institution.
• 3–5 years in a similar position within a Luxury Game Reserve, Boutique hotel or Luxury Restaurant.
• Experience leading multiple kitchens and large brigades.
• Driver’s license.
• Computer literate and able to work on Office suite.
• Excellent understanding of special dietary needs.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Supportive leadership style while maintaining discipline through performance-management tools.
• Physically fit and with highly developed sense of taste and smell.

Responsibilities

• Rotate through the lodge kitchens regularly, implementing standards, new menus & dishes and conducting training as well as performing checks on hygiene standards, staff discipline and brigade health
• Attend management meetings, give feedback and provide recommendations to develop the department
• Plan annual leave, monthly leave cycle and working rosters for the all the chefs on the reserve in the most cost-effective manner to have minimal impact on the guest experience
• Maintain extreme high levels of hygiene standards in the kitchens
• Interviewing and employing the correct candidates for vacant positions
• Strive to improve on the standards of meals and presentation in all kitchens
• Act quickly and accordingly to resolve staff or food related issues that arises
• Work alongside chef brigade regularly to support kitchens during busy periods or to cover absences of senior staff
• Communicate with the Central Procurement on food orders, food quality and supplier issues
• Communicate constantly with Brigade Seniors for day-to-day support

Skills

Leadership

Staff management

Menu development

Communication

Hygiene management

Dietary needs

Training

Education

Diploma from a culinary institution

Tools

Office suite

Job description

Luxury 5* Game Reserve based close to Paterson is looking for a Head Chef.

Duties

• Rotate through the lodge kitchens regularly, implementing standards, new menus & dishes and conducting training as well as performing checks on hygiene standards, staff discipline and brigade health
• Attend management meetings, give feedback and provide recommendations to develop the department
• Plan annual leave, monthly leave cycle and working rosters for the all the chefs on the reserve in the most cost-effective manner to have minimal impact on the guest experience
• Maintain extreme high levels of hygiene standards in the kitchens
• Interviewing and employing the correct candidates for vacant positions
• Strive to improve on the standards of meals and presentation in all kitchens
• Act quickly and accordingly to resolve staff or food related issues that arises
• Work alongside chef brigade regularly to support kitchens during busy periods or to cover absences of senior staff
• Communicate with the Central Procurement on food orders, food quality and supplier issues
• Communicate constantly with Brigade Seniors for day-to-day support

Requirements

• Diploma from a culinary institution
• Minimum of 3 - 5 years in a similar position within a Luxury Game Reserve, Boutique hotel or Luxury Restaurant
• Work History with Leadership Role overseeing Multiple Kitchens and large Brigades
• Driver’s License
• Computer literate and be able to work on Office suite
• Excellent understanding of Special Dietary Needs
• Possess excellent communication skills
• Supportive leadership style while maintaining discipline through performance-management tools
• Physically fit and a highly developed sense of taste and smell