Culinary Consultant / Master Chef

Role Overview

This is a visiting Afro-Fusion Culinary Consultant / Master Chef engagement for a 100-bed hotel in Nairobi that is shaping its dining identity around African heritage, regional flavour and contemporary international technique. The role is creative and strategic rather than operational: the consultant steps in for scheduled thematic events, designs signature menus, hosts guest-facing culinary experiences and raises the execution standard of the resident brigade. It matters because it gives the hotel a distinctive gastronomic voice, a repeatable event model and a stronger position as a benchmark dining destination.

Key Responsibilities

• Conceive and headline recurring Afro-Fusion event formats, including guest-chef dinners, tasting menus, chef’s table experiences and signature showcase nights.
• Create original themed menus that combine African ingredients, techniques and flavour traditions with modern fine-dining refinement, while tracking Afro-Fusion and global dining trends and adapting to seasonality, target guests and the hotel’s concept.
• Set and personally execute the visual standard for every session through precise plating, food styling, portion control and high-impact presentation.
• Prepare a complete session brief for the resident kitchen covering recipes, ingredients, equipment gaps, preparation flow and service sequence.
• Coach the resident culinary team through focused masterclasses and demonstrations on Afro-Fusion technique, plating and presentation, then document signature recipes, plating diagrams and portion specifications so the standard remains reproducible.
• Advise on sourcing specialist and indigenous African ingredients, assess suppliers and artisanal producers, and recommend pricing for themed menus, tasting experiences and guest-chef events.
• Headline VIP functions, menu launches, festivals, restaurant openings and promotional showcases that require a signature guest-chef presence, including guest interaction and tableside presentation where appropriate.
• Plan the thematic session calendar with the General Manager and Food & Beverage team, support event promotion and guest-experience planning, and provide a post-session report on guest response, execution quality and recommendations for future sessions.

Requirements & Qualifications

• Professional qualification in Culinary Arts, Food Production or a related field, with formal training or demonstrable specialism in African or Afro-Fusion cuisine.
• At least 10 years of culinary experience, including senior or Executive Chef level responsibility.
• A strong Afro-Fusion or modern African portfolio showing signature menu development and concept-led cooking.
• Proven delivery of guest-chef residencies, tasting menus, pop-ups or themed culinary events in hotels, resorts or fine-dining restaurants.
• Advanced ability in menu creation, food styling, plating and fine-dining presentation.
• Experience with reputable or international hotels, resorts or restaurants is highly desirable; international culinary experience is an added advantage.
• Confidence briefing, directing and inspiring a resident brigade to execute a signature menu without taking on routine kitchen administration.
• Strong food safety and hygiene knowledge for dishes personally created and presented, while routine kitchen compliance remains with the resident team.
• Commercial awareness, practical problem-solving and excellent communication, guest interaction and front-of-house presence.
• Reliable, flexible and adaptable across venues and assignments, with availability to travel to Nairobi on a visiting, session-by-session basis.

What This Engagement Offers

• A visiting, project-based culinary role rather than a routine kitchen post, with no day-to-day kitchen administration duties.
• Creative ownership of themed Afro-Fusion events for a 100-bed hotel in Nairobi.
• Direct collaboration with the General Manager and Food & Beverage team on the session calendar, guest experience and event promotion.
• The opportunity to headline VIP functions, menu launches, festivals, restaurant openings and promotional showcases.
• A chance to shape the hotel’s dining identity as a benchmark gastronomic destination and leave the resident team with a reproducible standard for high-concept Afro-Fusion execution.