Sous Chef

City Lodge Hotels; South Africa; On-site; ZAR 240,000 - 360,000; Full time

Job summary

City Lodge Hotels is seeking an experienced Chef to lead the kitchen brigade, ensure food safety, and deliver high-quality meals in line with brand standards. The role focuses on cost control, stock takes and budgets, while maintaining exceptional guest experiences across our hotels.

The successful candidate will have at least 2 years of culinary experience and a Culinary Diploma or ARPL/Trade Test, with strong leadership and teamwork skills to drive performance and guest satisfaction.

Qualifications

• Minimum Grade 12/Equivalent.
• Culinary Diploma/equivalent or ARPL/Trade Test from a reputable institution.
• Computer literacy essential, proficient in Microsoft Office Suite.

Responsibilities

• Achieves cost-effective procurement by ordering accurate items at the right time and price, maintaining proper recording of all food and beverage dockets, adhering to audit requirements, and minimising wastage.
• Conducts all operational tasks to the required standard to always ensure compliance with Audit requirements and service excellence standards.
• Plans and controls the adequate and compliant levels of staffing per shift.
• Complies with Audit, Disaster Management and Health and Safety requirements always.
• Utilises all operating equipment in the correct manner according to user manuals and instructions received.
• Maintains and enhances brand and group standards to ensure consistency and continuity in service levels throughout all group hotels.
• Be on the lookout for enhancements to improve product offering, service delivery, productivity and efficiencies and communicate such to the group.
• Interacts with internal and external customers in an efficient, courteous and friendly manner.
• Collaborates with other management to achieve shared operational objectives for the hotel.
• Participates in and manages the hotel’s human resource function in accordance with HR policies.
• Conducts and takes part in all legislative and operational training, tracking attendance of direct reports.
• Achieves and maintains good working relationships and cooperation with hotel employees and company colleagues.
• Upskills and develops personal growth plans by participating in personal development activities.

Skills

Communication

Organising

Planning

Collaboration

Leadership

Time management

Creativity

Listening

Problem solving

Learning agility

Education

Grade 12/Equivalent

Culinary Diploma/equivalent

ARPL/Trade Test

Computer literacy (MS Office)

Job description

Position Detail

Overall Purpose of the Job

This role, like all others in the group, must prioritise “making every guest a returning and referring guest”. Performs various kitchen duties as required, including but not limited to meal preparations, following recipes, and delivering exceptional food quality to the required food cost percentage. All such must be delivered in line with brand standards, ensuring consistency and continuity in delivering excellent service to our clients and guests, with a focus on food safety and occupational health and safety. Leads and manages the kitchen brigade by working together to achieve shared business objectives and developing the skills and knowledge of the brigade.

Education (Formal Qualification Required)

Minimum

Grade 12/Equivalent.

Culinary Diploma/equivalent or ARPL/Trade Test from a reputable institution.

Computer literacy is essential particularly with proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite.

Advantageous

N/A

Legal Requirements (e.g. Driver’s License, etc.)

N/A

Experience (Minimum Experience Required - Number of years)

Minimum

Incumbent must have culinary experience for at least 2 years. Strong knowledge of stock takes, food costing and budgets and be able to run a busy hot pass and kitchen.

Advantageous

N/A

People

In liaison with the Executive Chef | Deputy General Manager | General Manager, may hire new employees up to the level of Junior Sous Chef.

Is required to issue verbal/written warnings when necessary and in the event of company policy having been violated.

Finance

The job requires the handling of money and the authorisation to dispense and deposit company funds and is therefore subject to a fraud and credit check.

Occasional Duties

Carry out any duties as may be requested by a more senior member of management and in line with expertise and role.

Special Conditions

The job involves the working of long hours and shifts as per the requirements of the hospitality industry and in accordance with the applicable legislation.

This job requires prolonged standing, repetitive movements, working in awkward and sustained postures, manual handling, the pulling and pushing of loads, managing visual strain, coping with fatigue due to extended and irregular hours, and exposure to psychosocial and cognitive stressors.

Competencies (Knowledge, Skills and Behavioural Attributes)

Knowledge

• Food and beverage
• Kitchen operations
• Using kitchen equipment
• Food Safety
• Occupational Health and Safety
• Understanding of cost containment process

Skills

• Communication
• Organising
• Planning
• Collaboration and teamwork
• Leadership
• Time management
• Creativity
• Listening
• Problem solving
• Learning agility

Behavioural Attributes

• Adaptability
• Initiative
• Customer orientated
• Service orientated
• Resilient
• Attention to detail
• Strong work ethic
• Accountable

Position Requirements

Detailed Description / Output

• Achieves cost-effective procurement by ordering accurate items at the right time and price, maintaining proper recording of all food and beverage dockets, adhering to audit requirements, and minimising wastage.
• Conducts all operational tasks to the required standard to always ensure compliance with Audit requirements and service excellence standards.
• Plans and controls the adequate and compliant levels of staffing per shift.
• Complies with FCS Audit, Disaster Management and Health and Safety requirements always.
• Utilises all operating equipment in the correct manner according to user manuals and instructions received.
• Maintains and enhances the brand and group standards, as applicable, to ensure consistency and continuity in service levels throughout all group hotels.
• Be on the lookout for and be aware of any enhancements that could improve the group’s product offering, service delivery, productivity and efficiencies and to communicate such to the group.
• Interacts with all internal and external customers in an efficient, courteous and friendly manner.
• Collaborates with other management by working together to achieve shared operational objectives for the hotel.
• Participates in and manages the hotel’s human resource function in accordance with the company’s human resource policies.
• Conducts and takes part in all legislative and operational training, while tracking attendance of direct reports.
• Achieves and maintains good working relationships and cooperation with hotel employees and company colleagues.
• Upskills and develops personal growth plans by participating in personal development activities.