Hot Deli – Indian Cuisine Chef

Mulbarton Pick N Pay; Gauteng; On-site; ZAR 50 000 - 200 000; Full time

Job summary

A leading retail group in Gauteng is seeking a Hot Deli – Indian Cuisine Chef to prepare and serve authentic Indian dishes. Candidates should have over 3 years of experience in a hot kitchen and strong customer service skills. The role involves maintaining food safety standards and ensuring an excellent customer experience. A culinary certificate is preferred, and flexible shifts are required.

Qualifications

• 3+ years in a hot kitchen / deli role with strong production skills.
• Proven knowledge of hot food prep and customer service.
• Organised and calm under pressure while multitasking.

Responsibilities

• Prepare and present authentic Indian dishes to set standards.
• Serve customers promptly and upsell effectively.
• Enforce hygiene and sanitation for food safety.

Skills

Strong Indian cuisine production skills

Customer-facing service expertise

Inventory control knowledge

Communication and teamwork

Education

Culinary / hospitality certificate or similar retail food qualification

Tools

POS / back-office systems

Basic Excel

Job description

Company PnP Mulbarton & PnP Lemon Tree - A leading retail group built on family values and exceptional customer service.

We foster a welcoming, high-performance environment and continuously innovate our food offerings to serve our community's diverse needs.

Position

Hot Deli – Indian Cuisine Chef (In-Store)

Location

Mulbarton / Lemon Tree

Reports to

Store Manager / Deli Manager

Type

Full-time (shifts, weekends & public holidays)

Role Purpose

Own the daily preparation, presentation, and service of Indian cuisine in the Hot Deli.

Lead product quality, food safety, customer experience, and stock / cost control to achieve sales and margin targets.

Key Responsibilities

Production & Quality

• Prepare, cook, and present authentic Indian dishes (curries, biryanis, rotis / naan, sides) to recipe, portion, and presentation standards.
• Maintain hot-hold / cold-chain temperatures, batch logs, and rotation (FIFO); label allergens.

Set up attractive counters and point-of-sale displays; keep service area spotless.

Customer Experience

• Serve customers promptly and courteously; manage queues, upsell combos / sides, handle substitutions.
• Resolve product concerns on the spot and escalate where needed.

Food Safety & Compliance

• Enforce hygiene and sanitation at all times (HACCP / ISO principles): cleaning schedules, temperature checks, probe calibration, pest-control reporting, ply with OHSA, company policies, and audit requirements.

Inventory & Cost Control

• Forecast prep volumes by trade and events; manage ordering, receiving checks, and secure storage of high-value spices / ingredients.
• Conduct daily / weekly stock counts; record usage, yield, and waste; drive GP% and wastage within target.
• Process returns / RTVs and short-delivery claims in line with SOPs.

Teamwork & Promotion

• Coordinate with Store / Deli Managers on promotions, seasonal menus, and sampling.
• Support training and tasking of deli assistants; ensure there is always one person at the counter during trading.

Minimum Requirements

• 3+ years in a hot kitchen / deli role, with strong Indian cuisine production skills.
• Proven knowledge of hot food prep, portioning, counter presentation, and customer-facing service competent in inventory control (counts, FIFO, waste logging) and basic margin awareness.
• Strong communication and teamwork; able to work flexible shifts (weekends / public holidays).
• Organised, calm under pressure; able to multitask in a busy retail environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with POS / back-office systems for stock & sales reporting.
• Culinary / hospitality certificate or similar retail food qualification.
• Basic Excel for prep lists, counts, and waste / usage tracking.