Chef jobs in East London, Eastern Cape 5247

An experienced Executive Chef is required to spearhead the culinary operations for an upscale, high-capacity corporate hotel.

This role focuses entirely on managing the property's internal food and beverage ecosystem, including its primary restaurant, guest room dining, and on-site corporate event facilities.

The successful candidate will provide hands-on leadership to deliver premium business hospitality, optimize food costs, and manage the day-to-day kitchen operations of a busy, corporate-focused property.

Key Responsibilities

• Culinary Management: Oversee day-to-day food production lines across the central restaurant, room service, and dedicated meeting spaces.
• Menu Development: Create contemporary dining concepts tailored to corporate travelers, blending international culinary trends with popular regional styles.
• Financial Control: Take complete ownership of the kitchen budget, maintaining food costs strictly within targets, implementing precise inventory ordering matrices, and achieving gross profit goals.
• Team Leadership: Structure kitchen rotas efficiently to match seasonal occupancy levels, delegating kitchen preparation duties across shifts.
• Safety & Compliance: Enforce rigorous sanitation protocols and food handling standards to ensure all kitchen sections are continuously audit-ready.
• Event Coordination: Partner closely with the on-site events team to deliver high-quality, seamless catering services for private corporate workshops and functions.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Cost Management: Hold food cost variances tightly against the designated budget (+/- 1%) through proactive waste reduction and strict supplier vetting.
• Quality Metrics: Achieve target satisfaction scores on internal guest feedback forms regarding meal presentation and food quality.
• Audit Compliance: Exceed standard baselines on all internal and external health, safety, and food handling inspections.
• Labour Tracking: Manage back-of-house payroll allocations effectively by aligning staff shift scheduling with property occupancy data.

Minimum Requirements

• Education: A professional qualification in Culinary Arts or an equivalent senior-level chef certification.
• Experience: A minimum of 5 years in senior kitchen management, with a proven track record operating as an Executive Chef or Head Chef within a commercial business hotel environment.
• Operational Scope: Demonstrated experience overseeing multi-stream kitchen workflows, including a full-service restaurant, room service operations, and corporate meeting catering.
• Technical Skills: Proficiency using modern back-of-house inventory software and spreadsheets for stock control and cost calculations.
• Regulations: Complete familiarity with industry health and safety regulations alongside standard food safety management protocols.

Job Types: Permanent, Full-time

Pay: R40 000,00 per month

Ability to commute/relocate:

• East London, Eastern Cape: Reliably commute or planning to relocate before starting work (Required)

Education:

• Diploma (Required)

Experience:

• Large Business Hotel Executive Chef or Head Chef: 5 years (Required)

License/Certification:

• Culinary Diploma or Certificate (Required)
• SA ID (Required)

Location:

• East London, Eastern Cape (Preferred)

Work Location: In person