Plettenberg Bay: Head Chef (Busy Restaurant) – Plettenberg Bay posted by Phoenix Recruitment

Busy Restaurant & Venue in Plettenberg Bay is looking for a dynamic and experienced Head Chef who is passionate about providing exceptional service to join their well-established and committed management team. As Head Chef, you’ll lead the day-to-day operations of the kitchen and drive menu development while ensuring consistency, quality and cost control. This is a leadership role requiring strong operational control , commercial awareness and a hands-on approach to people management. The demands of a venue this size which regularly hosts large scale events and weddings , in addition to regular service , necessitate that the following skills & abilities . Duties: Kitchen Leadership & Operations: Lead, train and motivate the kitchen team to meet and exceed food preparation and presentation standards Direct daily kitchen operations to ensure smooth, efficient service Ensure clear communication within the kitchen, management and front of house Ensure stores are correctly managed, secured and maintained Menu Development & Quality Control: Develop creative, innovative menus aligned with the restaurants positioning and ethos Ensure all recipes can be consistently executed by the kitchen team Maintain high standards of presentation, flavour and portion control Handle culinary-related guest feedback and complaints professionally Hero craft brewery in menu development and food pairings Work with our gardeners in making full use of the organic kitchen garden and the production of excess garden produce for our onsite shop Hygiene, Safety & Compliance: Ensure strict adherence to hygiene, food safety and kitchen protocols Maintain a safe, clean and well-organised kitchen environment at all times Ensure food labelling, storage and waste management procedures are followed Stock, Cost & Financial Control: Place orders timeously to avoid stock shortages or unnecessary wastage Source quality suppliers while monitoring pricing and product consistency Control food costs within set parameters Manage staffing levels in line with operational needs and budgets People Management & HR Responsibilities: Ensure correct recruitment procedures are followed for kitchen staff Provide ongoing on-the-job training, coaching and development Conduct probation reviews and performance discussions timeously Apply fair, consistent and equitable discipline Ensure kitchen dress code and grooming standards are maintained Manage staff files and submit HR documentation within deadlines Special Events, Weddings & Outside Catering: Assist management in the timeous creation, costing and execution of special event and wedding menus Maintain high standards of presentation, flavour and service in the delivery thereof Limit unnecessary wastage and maintain strict cost controls on all special events Lead, train and motivate the kitchen team in the fulfilment of required preparation and execution of special event requirements Requirements: Relevant culinary qualification Minimum of 3 years’ experience as a Head Chef within an a la carte restaurant environment Strong understanding of high volume, a la carte kitchen operations and service delivery. Proven leadership and people management capability Sound commercial awareness with strong cost control skills High standards of hygiene, organisation and attention to detail Ability to work under pressure, as a team and lead by example