Head Chef (NGO)

Role Overview

This is a senior leadership position for an experienced culinary professional who will take full ownership of all kitchen operations within a newly opening branded hotel. Day to day, you will be responsible for orchestrating food production across multiple service points, from fine dining à la carte to large-scale conference and banquet events, while building and leading a cohesive kitchen team from the ground up. Your work will directly shape the hotel's reputation for culinary excellence and operational efficiency during its critical pre-opening phase and beyond.

Key Responsibilities

• Direct daily kitchen activity across all outlets, ensuring every dish meets exact standards for taste, visual appeal, portion size, and timely service, even during peak demand.
• Create, refine, and regularly update menus and recipes, balancing culinary creativity with cost control and consistency across buffet, à la carte, banqueting, conference, and special-event catering.
• Recruit, train, schedule, and mentor kitchen personnel, fostering a disciplined, collaborative, and productive environment while managing performance and staffing levels effectively.
• Enforce strict food safety and hygiene protocols, including proper storage, handling, and preparation, in full compliance with HACCP principles, Kenyan food safety regulations, and workplace occupational health standards.
• Own the kitchen budget, including monitoring food costs, minimizing waste, conducting regular stock takes, and partnering with procurement and suppliers to secure the best value without compromising quality.
• Drive guest satisfaction by addressing dietary needs, responding to feedback, and continuously improving food quality and presentation based on service observations and guest insights.
• Work hand in hand with the General Manager and other departments to ensure seamless execution of conferences, weddings, banquets, outdoor catering, and other high-volume events, coordinating timing, staffing, and logistics.

Requirements & Qualifications

• Diploma or Bachelor’s degree in Culinary Arts, Hospitality Management, Food Production, or a closely related discipline.
• A minimum of 5–8 years of progressive culinary experience, with substantial time spent in a branded hotel or similarly well-established hospitality operation.
• At least 3 years in a Head Chef, Executive Chef, or comparable senior kitchen leadership role, showing proven ability to manage teams and large-scale operations.
• Mandatory prior experience in hotel pre-opening, including involvement in kitchen setup, equipment commissioning, menu establishment, and team building.
• Extensive hands-on experience with banqueting, buffet, à la carte, conference catering, and high-volume food production; strong command of Kenyan and continental/international cuisine, menu development, recipe standardization, and plating techniques.
• A valid Food Handler’s Certificate is required; HACCP, Food Safety, or other professional culinary certifications are a strong plus.
• Willingness to work shifts, weekends, public holidays, and special events as operational demands require.