Job Summary
Duties:
Staff Management & Leadership:
Assist the Executive Chef in recruiting, training & mentoring sous chefs, line cooks, and kitchen assistants.
Schedule employee shifts to optimize productivity and control labour costs.
Foster a positive, collaborative work environment and manage performance evaluations
Operations & Quality Control:
Ensure consistent food quality, taste, and presentation standards.
Optimize kitchen layouts and workflows to minimize ticket times during rushes.
Support conferencing, banqueting, and special event catering.
Inventory & Financial Management:
Manage food costs, monitor wastage, and ensure accurate portion control.
Oversee inventory levels, place orders with suppliers, and negotiate for optimal pricing.
Track kitchen budgets and generate performance reports for upper management.
Sanitation & Safety:
Implement HACCP principles and food safety management systems.
Enforce hygiene protocols, including proper food storage, labelling, and temperature controls.
Schedule routine maintenance and cleaning for commercial kitchen equipment.
Administrative Support:
Coordinate information flow between the Executive Chef, Front of House, and Human Resources.
Handle emails, schedule meetings, and maintain digital or paper filing systems.
Financial Reporting:
Track daily/monthly food and beverage consumption and generate reports on variance, operational costs, and inventory valuation.
Requirements:
Matric/National Senior Certificate
Diploma in Professional Cookery or Hospitality Management preferred.
At least 3 to 5+ years of proven culinary and management experience, ideally in a hotel or luxury environment.
Strong financial acumen (budgeting, stock control)
Leadership capabilities
In-depth knowledge of health and safety regulations
Strong administrative skills
Excellent stock control & stock tracking experience
Sound procurement skills