Kitchen Manager or Head Chef - Protea Hotel Nelspruit

Protea Hotels by Marriott®; Mbombela (Nelspruit); On-site; ZAR 480,000 - 720,000; Full time

Job summary

Protea Hotels by Marriott® in Nelspruit is seeking an experienced Kitchen Manager to oversee daily kitchen operations, lead the culinary team, and ensure high quality food while managing the budget. The role demands strong leadership, menu development, sanitation compliance, and staff training to deliver exceptional guest experiences.

Applicants should have a high school diploma or culinary degree and several years of kitchen/culinary experience, with a track record of managing costs and quality

Qualifications

• Requires a high school diploma or GED with 4 years of culinary/F&B experience, or a 2-year culinary degree with 2 years of related experience.

Responsibilities

• Oversee daily kitchen operations and ensure consistent, high-quality food production.
• Lead and develop kitchen staff, balancing guest satisfaction with budget considerations.
• Ensure sanitation, safety, and compliance with all relevant regulations and brand standards.
• Develop menus and recipes, monitor portion control and waste to optimize costs.
• Coordinate with Food & Beverage teams to deliver exceptional guest experiences.
• Plan and manage staffing, scheduling, and training to maintain service levels.
• Drive continuous improvement in food quality, presentation, and operational efficiency.

Skills

Leadership

Team motivation

Quality control

Education

High School Diploma

Culinary Arts degree

Job description

Job Number 26131207

Job Category Food and Beverage & Culinary

Location 30 Jerepico Street, Orchards, Nelspruit Mpuma 1200, South Africa

Schedule Full Time

Located Remotely? N

Position Type Management

Job Summary

Accountable for overall success of the daily kitchen operations. Exhibits culinary talents by personally performing tasks while leading the staff and managing all food related functions. Works to continually improve guest and employee satisfaction while maintaining the operating budget. Supervises all kitchen areas to ensure a consistent, high quality product is produced. Responsible for guiding and developing staff including direct reports. Must ensure sanitation and food standards are achieved.

CANDIDATE PROFILE

Education And Experience

• High school diploma or GED; 4 years experience in the culinary, food and beverage, or related professional area.

OR

• 2-year degree from an accredited university in Culinary Arts, Hotel and Restaurant Management, or related major; 2 years experience in the culinary, food and beverage, or related professional area.

CORE WORK ACTIVITIES

Ensuring Culinary Standards And Responsibilities Are Met

• Reviews and adjust systems and procedures in the kitchen to ensure their effectiveness.
• Develops, designs, or creates new menus and recipes based on standards or artistic contributions.
• Demonstrates knowledge of high quality food products, presentations and flavor.
• Ensures compliance with food handling and sanitation standards.
• Ensures compliance with all applicable laws and regulations.
• Follows proper handling and right temperature of all food products.
• Knows and implements brand’s Safety Standards.
• Supervises kitchen shift operations and ensures compliance with all Food & Beverage policies, standards and procedures.
• Maintains purchasing, receiving and food storage standards.
• Operates and maintains all department equipment and reports malfunctions.
• Supports procedures for food & beverage portion and waste controls.
• Develop and implement environmentally friendly processes and procedures for food preparation, energy use and waste management in the restaurant.
• Checks the quality of raw and cooked food products to ensure that standards are met.
• Assists in determining how food should be presented and creates decorative food displays.

Leading Culinary Team

• Supervises and coordinates activities of cooks and workers engaged in food preparation.
• Utilizes interpersonal and communication skills to lead, influence, and encourage others; advocates sound financial/business decision making; demonstrates honesty/integrity; leads by example.
• Supervises and manages employees. Manages all day-to-day operations. Understands employee positions well enough to perform duties in employees' absence.
• Encourages and builds mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
• Serves as a role model to demonstrate appropriate behaviors.
• Ensures and maintains the productivity level of employees.
• Ensures that menu items are prepared and presented according to use record standards.
• Establishes and maintains open, collaborative relationships with employees and ensures employees do the same within the team.
• Estimates daily production needs on a weekly basis and communicates production needs to kitchen personnel daily.
• Leads shifts and executes requests based on required specifications.

Maintaining Culinary Goals

• Achieves and exceeds goals including performance goals, budget goals, team goals, etc.
• Develops specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
• Comprehends budgets, operating statements and payroll progress reports as needed to assist in the financial management of department.
• Schedules employees to business demands and tracks employee time and attendance.
• Understands the impact of departments operation on the overall property financial goals and objectives and manages to achieve or exceed budgeted goals.
• Orders employee uniforms according to budget and ensures uniforms are properly inventoried and maintained.
• Reviews staffing levels to ensure that guest service, operational and financial objectives are met.

Ensuring Exceptional Customer Service

• Provides services that are above and beyond for customer satisfaction and retention.
• Manages day-to-day operations, ensuring the quality, standards and meeting the expectations of the customers on a daily basis.
• Improves service by communicating and assisting individuals to understand guest needs, providing guidance, feedback, and individual coaching when needed.
• Sets a positive example for guest relations.
• Handles guest problems and complaints.
• Strives to improve service performance.
• Helps employees receive on-going training to understand guest expectations.

Managing and Conducting Human Resource Activities

• Identifies the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.
• Identifies the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
• Assists as needed in the interviewing and hiring of employee team members with appropriate skills.
• Participates in the employee performance appraisal process, providing feedback as needed.
• Solicits employee feedback, utilizes an "open door" policy and reviews employee satisfaction results to identify and address employee problems or concerns.
• Participates in training the Restaurant and Catering staff on menu items including ingredients, preparation methods and unique tastes.

Additional Responsibilities

• Provides information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
• Analyzes information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
• Attends and participates in all pertinent meetings.

At Marriott International, we are dedicated to being an equal opportunity employer, welcoming all and providing access to opportunity. We actively foster an environment where the unique backgrounds of our associates are valued and celebrated.Our greatest strength lies in the rich blend of culture, talent, and experiences of our associates. We are committed to non-discrimination on any protected basis, including disability, veteran status, or other basis protected by applicable law.

Protea Hotels by Marriott® is the leading hospitality brand in Africa and one of the most widely recognized hospitality brands on the continent, with over 60 hotels across South Africa, Zambia, Nigeria, Namibia, Tanzania and Uganda. If you have a passion for delivering every guest a personalized service experience and desire to be part of the ‘Coolest Hotel Brand in South Africa’, join the Protea Hotels by Marriott® team today! In joining Protea Hotels, you join a portfolio of brands with Marriott International. Be where you can do your best work, begin your purpose, belong to an amazing global team, and become the best version of you.