Chef

Position Title: Chef

Direct Line Reporting: Head Chef / Kitchen Manager

Industry Sector: Hospitality / Food & Beverage

Gross Salary Structure: Kshs. 25,000

Location: Westlands, Nairobi

Job Summary

We are seeking a highly organized, efficiency-driven Chef to handle the daily culinary operations and station setups within our active Westlands kitchen in Nairobi. Your primary focus will be to execute ordered dishes with absolute precision, driving raw ingredients from preliminary prep work and inventory checks to final cooking, hot-holding, and uniform line assembly. This position bridges rigorous food safety standards with fast-paced service execution; you will manage prep timelines, enforce portion benchmarks, and implement First-In-First-Out (FIFO) material loops to drop ingredient shrinkage to zero. The role calls for a focused, hygienic professional who understands exact cooking techniques and thrives under pressure during high-volume dining rushes.

Scope of Responsibilities

Culinary Execution & Order Presentation

• Prepare, cook, and plate diverse menu items in strict compliance with standard house recipes, weight allowances, and flavor profiles.
• Manage station preparation lines smoothly, ensuring all appetizers, mains, and sides are ready for plating simultaneously to reduce table wait times.
• Tailor specific dishes fluidly to fulfill unique customer requests, macro modifications, or food allergy restrictions.
• Maintain a highly polished aesthetic across all outgoing orders, ensuring plates are consistently clean and visually striking.

Station Sanitation & Regulatory Safeguards

• Enforce absolute cleanliness across cutting blocks, knives, cooking equipment, and extraction systems throughout every service shift.
• Secure and store raw proteins, fresh greens, and dry goods under proper refrigeration temperatures, ensuring correct dates and labels are applied.
• Drive daily stock rotation patterns using strict FIFO structures to prevent inventory spoilage or product loss.
• Adhere to local public health regulations, occupational safety codes, and elite personal grooming frameworks at all times.

Kitchen Logistics & Resource Optimization

• Organize morning line setups and structure daily task workflows to maximize production efficiency during peak operational hours.
• Connect with front-of-house service staff clearly to coordinate ticket updates, menu shortages, and rush orders.
• Perform routine safety checks on professional kitchen tools and ovens, filing immediate alerts with maintenance when breakdowns happen.
• Deliver constructive guidance to junior kitchen stewards and assistants to preserve overall station efficiency and speed.

Inventory Audits & Waste Mitigation

• Conduct standard inventory evaluations, tracking live ingredient counts and communicating restock needs to purchasing early.
• Implement strict portion control guidelines across all recipes to maintain uniform cost structures and reduce kitchen scrap rates.
• Inspect incoming produce and dry store deliveries, checking quality criteria and physical counts before signing invoice logs.
• Track daily food waste metrics accurately, compiling simple shift summaries for supervisory review.

Skills & Experience Required

Minimum Entry Criteria

• Academic Foundation: Certificate or Diploma in Culinary Arts, Professional Food Production, Hospitality Management, or a matching practical course from an accredited institution.
• Kitchen Longevity: Minimum of 3 years of progressive, hands-on cooking experience operating within a busy commercial restaurant or hotel kitchen environment.
• Regulatory Compliance: Clear, functional understanding of standard food hygiene codes and professional sanitation practices. Possession of a valid Food Handler’s Certificate is a major advantage.
• Technical Proficiency: Strong command over basic knife skills, traditional cooking methods, recipe calculations, and high-speed station coordination.

Performance Attributes

• Speed & Agility: Capable of maintaining structural composure, focus, and rapid physical output inside a hot, fast-paced kitchen layout.
• Detail Orientation: High commitment to maintaining fixed recipe weights, aesthetic presentations, and accurate workspace logs.
• Collaborative Nature: Excellent communication and relationship skills to foster strong, supportive teamwork alongside front and back-of-house staff.

What We Offer

• Dynamic Culinary Environment: Work within a fast-moving, process-driven kitchen located in the vibrant commercial hub of Westlands, Nairobi.
• Skill Consolidation: Solidify your practical knowledge of inventory controls, station management, and multi-cuisine high-volume service.
• Professional Advancement: Build a strong operational record that opens clear pathways toward Senior Station Chef and Sous Chef leadership positions.

How to Apply

Please email your CV, noting the exact job title in the subject line. Review of candidate profiles will commence immediately.