Head Chef Full-Time

The Head Chef role is to provide specialised food preparation and presentation oversight and management to the catering operation. To design and refresh menus in accordance with contract specifications, quality standards and nutritional value. To ensure professional food preparation, flavouring and presentation. To ensure hygienic standards are maintained in the food production process. To provide training and on-the-job capacitation of the chefs and cooks.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and review the recipes used on site, ensuring nutritional balance and health.
• Design menus to prevent menu fatigue, promote the IFS brand and recognise the meal requirements of the client considering the ethnic and cultural mix of residents; and work with the catering manager(s) to determine food supply requirements.
• Manage the food presentation and create decorative food displays.
• Design function menus based on specific site requirements and supervise the preparation and presentation of the meals.
• Check the quality of raw materials to ensure that standards and specifications are met.
• Discuss food preparation issues with the catering manager(s), dieticians/nutritionists and food preparation staff.
• Focus on the consumption of menu dishes during and after meal intervals to adjust menu requirements, as needed.
• Instruct, coordinate and supervise the chefs and cooks in the cooking, garnishing and presentation of food.
• Monitor the quality of dishes at all stages of preparation and presentation.
• Prepare, season and cook specialty foods and complex dishes.
• Ensure that all special diet meals are prepared in accordance with the nutritional requirements.
• Work closely with catering managers to ensure a smooth and efficient meal service.
• Review finished meals for quality and presentation before serving.
• Ensure that proteins are defrosted in the correct prescribed manner as per the relevant SOP.
• Ensure that sufficient ingredients are requested in terms of the number of persons to be fed and according to menu specifications.
• Monitor portion sizes in accordance with Company standards and client specifications.
• Record stock deliveries from stores into production and verify correct quantities received, including investigating and reporting discrepancies or shortfalls.
• Maintain food and equipment inventory.
• Ensure compliance with food handling and sanitation standards.
• Train and develop culinary staff on IFS recipes and equip them to meet food preparation standards on a consistent basis.
• Train culinary staff on the fundamentals of good cooking and presentation.
• Ensure that culinary staff understand the food preparation and presentation procedures.
• Conduct daily production meetings with key staff as per the SOP, as well as pre start meetings with production staff on the production, menu, recipes and completion times.
• Train staff on the Standard Operating Procedures that serve to guide their approach to work.
• Manage staff performance in order to establish opportunities for development and harness strengths.

Key Requirements

• Recognised culinary tertiary qualification.
• At least 10 years food preparation or production planning experience in hotels with at least 3 years classified as a culinary subject matter expert.