Chef

Position Title: Chef

Direct Line Reporting: Restaurant General Manager

Industry Sector: Hospitality / Food & Beverage

Gross Salary Structure: Kshs. 50,000 – 60,000

Location: Nairobi

Role Overview

We are seeking a highly talented, presentation-focused Chef to anchor the culinary operations and menu development of our premier high-end bar, restaurant, and lounge. Your primary focus will be to orchestrate day-to-day kitchen execution, driving everything from advanced ingredient sourcing and meticulous station preparation to final artistic plating and fast service delivery. This position bridges creative recipe configuration with strict kitchen operational control; you will manage daily food prep schedules, oversee junior line cooks, and implement tight cost-containment rules to keep product waste minimal. The role calls for a disciplined, target-conscious culinary professional who possesses a deep understanding of multi-cuisine trends and thrives inside a high-volume, premium kitchen environment.

Core Competencies

Culinary Execution & Plate Artistry

• Prepare, cook, and present diverse high-end dishes in absolute alignment with established recipes, seasoning standards, and presentation blueprints.

• Execute beautiful, consistent plate styling across all orders to protect the venue's premium aesthetic standards.

• Monitor hot line cooking speeds fluidly during high-volume service windows to keep table wait times short.

• Customize standard dishes efficiently to accommodate specific guest dietary constraints, macro targets, or allergen restrictions.

Menu Design & Resource Management

• Collaborate with management teams to curate elevated, seasonally appropriate menu selections and profitable weekly specials.

• Run routine checks on raw storage units, tracking item expiration patterns and applying strict First-In-First-Out (FIFO) rules.

• Enforce rigorous portion control steps across all stations to optimize ingredient yield and drop kitchen waste percentages.

• Generate precise daily grocery checklists and component requirements to streamline vendor procurement timelines.

Kitchen Leadership & Service Supervision

• Supervise kitchen staff duties, delegating explicit prep work quotas and cleaning schedules to achieve total kitchen readiness.

• Coach, mentor, and evaluate junior commis chefs and kitchen stewards to maintain a highly collaborative, positive team dynamic.

• Coordinate cross-station handovers between hot, cold, and pastry sections to ensure synchronized table service loops.

• Troubleshoot unexpected recipe shortages or appliance malfunctions quickly on the line to avoid drop-offs in customer care.

Sanitation, Safety & Regulatory Auditing

• Secure an immaculate preparation domain, enforcing continuous sanitization protocols across all boards, knives, and counters.

• Maintain strict adherence to all municipal public health codes, occupational safety guidelines, and internal food hygiene benchmarks.

• Run standard heat checks across walk-in chillers and freezer bays, logging performance records to preserve stock freshness.

• Document and report all workplace accidents or machinery damage instantly, maintaining transparent safety logs for audit tracking.

Skills & Experience Required

Minimum Entry Criteria

• Academic Foundation: Certificate, Diploma, or matching qualification in Culinary Arts, Professional Food Production, or a related hospitality field from an accredited academy.

• Industry Longevity: Minimum of 5 years of progressive, hands-on experience in commercial food preparation, with at least 3 years explicitly operating as a lead cook or Chef within a reputable restaurant, upscale lounge, or star-rated hotel.

• High-End Acuity: Proven track record executing fine dining menus, premium catering lines, or upscale gastro-lounge workflows.

• Hygienic Blueprint: Deep operational knowledge of food safety principles, hazardous control points, and professional kitchen organization.

Performance Traits

• Culinary Drive: Passionate about flavor innovation, recipe design, and keeping abreast of global food and beverage trends.

• Pressure Tolerance: Exceptional emotional control and physical resilience to lead heavy kitchen flows during busy weekend rushes calmly.

• Team Synergy: Articulate communication capabilities paired with natural leadership traits to keep kitchen personnel driven under tight deadlines.

What We Offer

• Premium Placement: Advance your culinary name by anchoring a highly popular, well-resourced hospitality lounge servicing an upscale corporate clientele.

• Creative Freedom: Gain major input into designing new specialty courses, seasonal pairings, and signature multi-cuisine recipes.

• Fast Career Velocity: Broaden your professional portfolio by running complex kitchen inventory pipelines, cost-control matrices, and high-performance teams.

Way to Apply

Please send your CV only to [email protected] with the subject line “Application for Chef Position” by the end of day on 7th July, 2026.