Senior Sous Chef: Lead Kitchen & Menu Innovation

Craven Cottage CC; Cape Town; Presencial; ZAR 260.000 - 380.000; Jornada completa

Descripción de la vacante

Craven Cottage CC in South Africa seeks an experienced Sous Chef to lead kitchen operations, ensure quality, and coordinate service. The role includes training the team, managing dietary requirements, and maintaining hygiene standards.

The successful candidate will contribute to menu development, cost controls, and guest satisfaction while working evenings and weekends. Strong leadership and communication are essential.

Formación

• A recognised culinary qualification or equivalent practical professional kitchen training.
• Experience as a Sous Chef or strong Junior Sous Chef in a quality, high-volume restaurant or comparable hospitality environment.
• Proven ability to coordinate busy kitchen services and lead a diverse team.
• Strong knowledge of food safety and kitchen hygiene.
• Good knowledge of recipe costing, yields, portion control, ordering and stock management.
• Strong communication, coaching, problem-solving and decision-making skills.
• Excellent organisation, attention to detail and the ability to remain composed under pressure.
• Willingness to work evenings, weekends and public holidays.

Responsabilidades

• Lead preparation and service, ensuring dishes meet approved recipe, presentation and quality standards.
• Check taste, seasoning, temperature, portions and presentation before dishes leave the kitchen.
• Coordinate kitchen sections and allocate resources to maintain efficient service.
• Ensure mise en place, preparation lists, handovers and closing duties are completed accurately.
• Work closely with front-of-house staff to ensure clear communication and smooth service.
• Handle dietary requirements, allergies and special requests according to approved procedures.
• Manage kitchen operations in the Head Chef's absence.
• Assist with recipe testing, seasonal menu changes and new dishes.
• Maintain recipe, yield, portion and plating standards.
• Monitor ingredient quality, availability and storage.
• Contribute practical menu ideas and respond professionally to guest feedback.
• Brief, supervise, coach and support the kitchen team.
• Allocate duties according to skills, workload and service requirements.
• Identify training needs and assist with practical training and staff development.
• Address performance, conduct and attendance concerns through the correct procedures.
• Assist with rosters, leave planning and overtime control.
• Maintain high standards of food safety, personal hygiene and kitchen cleanliness.
• Ensure correct receiving, labelling, storage, stock rotation and temperature recording.
• Monitor cleaning schedules and the safe use of equipment, tools and chemicals.
• Report hazards, equipment defects and maintenance requirements, following through until resolved.
• Support food-cost and gross-profit targets through portion control, yield management and waste reduction.
• Assist with ordering, receiving, stocktakes and investigating discrepancies.
• Monitor ingredient usage, shortages, breakages and wastage, taking corrective action where required.
• Maintain accurate kitchen records, checklists, recipes and training material.
• Provide information for budgets, forecasts, payroll controls and operational reports.
• Promote responsible use of food, water, energy and materials.

Conocimientos

Food prep

Menu execution

Allergens

Staff leadership

Hygiene & safety

Communication

Educación

Culinary qualification

Herramientas

Computer literacy

Descripción del empleo

Craven Cottage CC in South Africa seeks an experienced Sous Chef to lead kitchen operations, ensure quality, and coordinate service. The role includes training the team, managing dietary requirements, and maintaining hygiene standards.

The successful candidate will contribute to menu development, cost controls, and guest satisfaction while working evenings and weekends. Strong leadership and communication are essential.