Retail Head Chef

FirstRand Bank Limited; Sandton; On-site; ZAR 720,000 - 930,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Networking opportunities

Opportunities to innovate

Job summary

FirstRand Bank Limited is seeking a Head Chef to oversee all kitchen operations within a corporate catering setting in Sandton, South Africa. You will drive menu development, ensure top quality food and presentation, and lead a 20–30-strong kitchen and frontline team.

The role demands strong leadership, budgeting, and strategic planning to meet cost and quality targets while fostering a positive work environment. A relevant culinary degree and 4–5 years in corporate catering are required.

Qualifications

• Degree in culinary studies or relevant equivalent certification.
• 4-5 years’ experience in Catering and Hospitality, ideally at middle management level in corporate catering/events.
• Extensive experience in a senior kitchen role in a corporate catering environment, exceptional culinary skills and creativity, strong leadership.
• In-depth knowledge of kitchen operations, including budgeting, inventory management, and staff management.
• Experience with menu development and corporate retail catering and events catering.
• Experience in staff management of a multi-disciplinary catering team of between 20 and 30 staff.

Responsibilities

• Oversee kitchen operations from menu development to food prep.
• Lead staff and maintain high standards of service and food quality.
• Manage end-to-end kitchen and front-of-house operations.
• Develop strategic operational plans and cost controls.
• Review weekly schedules to meet forecast and budget.
• Monitor hygiene and safety per HACCP guidelines.
• Provide monthly cost and performance reports.
• Train and develop kitchen and retail staff.

Skills

Senior kitchen leadership

Culinary creativity

Budgeting and cost control

Inventory management

Menu development

Staff management (20-30)

Corporate catering experience

Quality presentation

Education

Degree in culinary studies

Relevant equivalent certification

Job description

Job Description To oversee all kitchen operations, from menu development to food preparation and staff management, leveraging creativity, leadership, and technical expertise. To ensure that the kitchen operates efficiently, maintaining the highest standards of food quality and presentation while managing costs and fostering a positive work environment.

Hello, Future Retail Head Chef Welcome to FNB, the home of the #changeables. We design shapeshifters and deliver products and services that make us incredibly proud of people that make it happen. As part of our talent team, you will be surrounded by unique talents, diverse minds, and an adaptable environment that lives up to the promise of staying curious. Now’s the time to imagine your potential in a team where experts come together and ignite effective change.

Are you someone who can:

• Assess own performance through seeking timely and clear feedback and request training where appropriate.
• Ensure that staff provide high standards of service and food offerings to enhance work delivery collaboration and innovation.
• Manage end-to-end running of the kitchen and front-of-house retail operations to ensure consistency.
• Develop, encourage and nurture collaborative relationships across the FRG.
• Provide input into the development of the tactical strategy and develop and implement a supporting operational strategy.
• Provide accurate monthly reports as required by business on cost of sales, gross profit, food cost, hygiene standards, customer participation, staff engagement and challenges experienced in the business units.
• Manage menu development and maintain updated and accurate costing of all dishes prepared and sold in the Food and Beverage operation.
• Ensure all food products are prepared in a consistent manner and meet the set quality standards.
• Review finished products for quality and presentation before the orders are sent to customers.
• Maintain quality levels for receiving storage, production and presentation of food.
• Interact with customers to obtain feedback on food quality, presentation and service levels.
• Determine how food should be presented and create decorative food displays.
• Train kitchen and retail staff brigade on the fundamentals of good cooking and excellent plate presentations.
• Train chefs to prepare food according to well defined recipes and follow up and discusses ways of constantly improving the dining experience.
• Conduct research to remain well informed on profession cookery best practices, latest food trends to incorporate into cuisine offering, contributing towards employee wellbeing in the organisation.
• Provide directions for all day‑to‑day operations in the kitchen.
• Review weekly and monthly schedules to meet forecast and budget.
• Discuss daily food cost reports with key kitchen, Food and Beverage team members.
• Ensure sufficient staffing levels are scheduled to accommodate business demands.
• Coordinate with the purchase or procurement department for acquisition of needed goods and services.
• Review staffing levels to ensure that client service, operational needs and financial objectives are met.
• Understand employee roles well enough to perform duties in employee’s absence or determine appropriate replacement to fill gaps.
• Motivate supervisors and staff to meet and exceed food preparation standards on a consistent basis.
• Support and facilitate staff participation in local, national and international competitions.
• Display leadership by providing a positive work environment, counselling employees as appropriate and demonstrating a dedicated and professional approach to management.
• Support and facilitate staff participation in local, national and international competitions with the aim of introducing new food ideas.
• Ensure implementation of hygiene policies in the kitchens and front of house retail area in line with Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points requirements to mitigate food and people risks.
• Ensure employees follow proper handling and right temperature of all food products.
• Monitor that hygiene policies are adhered to daily by staff for safety of clients.
• Ensure compliance with food handling and sanitation standards.
• Action findings identified from 3rd party audits to mitigate risks.
• Provide consistent job training for all staff on hygiene practices.
• Enforce all applicable safety procedures specified for kitchen and food servers.
• Ensure proper grooming and hygiene standards for all kitchen and retail staff.
• Ensure all kitchen and retail staff maintain the required food handling annual certifications.
• Ensure both Front and Back of House staff wear the required Personal Protective Equipment and uniforms in the various areas of the kitchens.
• Ensure kitchen and retail employees maintain required food handling and sanitation certifications.
• Ensure all equipment in the kitchen and Front of house are properly maintained and in working order in accordance with the Occupational Health and Safety Act.

You will be an ideal candidate if you have:

• Qualification: Degree in culinary studies or relevant equivalent certification
• Experience: 4 - 5 years’ experience in Catering and Hospitality, ideally at middle management level in corporate catering/events.
• Skills: Extensive experience in a senior kitchen role in a corporate catering environment, Exceptional culinary skills and creativity, Strong leadership and excellent management abilities, In-depth knowledge of kitchen operations, including budgeting, inventory management, and staff management, Experience with menu development and corporate retail catering and events catering and Experience in staff management of a multi‑disciplinary catering team of between 20 and 30 staff.

You will have access to:

• Opportunities to network and collaborate.
• Challenging Working Opportunities to innovate.

We can be a match if you are:

• Curious & courageous - you are driven by always wanting to know more and learn more and you are brave enough to
• Obsessed with mastery - you know what it takes to become good at what you do and are constantly pushing yourself to do it.

Important Closing Date Note

Take note that applications will not be accepted on the below date and onwards, kindly submit applications ahead of the closing date indicated below. 05/11/26 All appointments will be made in line with FirstRand Group’s Employment Equity plan. The Bank supports the recruitment and advancement of individuals with disabilities. In order for us to fulfill this purpose, candidates can disclose their disability information on a voluntary basis. The Bank will keep this information confidential unless we are required by law to disclose this information to other parties.

Introduce yourself to our recruiters and we will get in touch if there's a role that seems like a good match. Should you have any queries, please log it via MyQ. FirstRand provides a comprehensive range of financial services in South Africa and certain markets in broader Africa. The group also offers certain niche products and services in the UK and India. Listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) and the Namibian Stock Exchange (NSX), FirstRand Limited is the largest financial institution by market capitalisation in Africa. The group follows a multi‑branding approach. Its portfolio of financial services businesses includes FNB, RMB, WesBank, Ashburton Investments, Aldermore, MotoNovo and DirectAxis. Many are leaders in their respective segments and markets, offering transactional, lending, investment and insurance products and services The FirstRand Corporate Centre houses many of the critical functions required by a large and complex financial services group. The group’s track record of delivering superior returns to shareholders has been achieved through a combination of organic growth, acquisitions, innovation and the creation of completely new businesses. The group’s purpose of delivering Shared Prosperity provides many opportunities for employees to innovate to address social and environmental challenges in our markets. All of our businesses have successful Volunteering programmes which also allow employees to adopt and support causes close to their hearts.