EXECUTIVE HEAD CHEF JOB DESCRIPTION

EXECUTIVE HEAD CHEF JOB DESCRIPTION

TITLE: Executive Head Chef Job

REPORTS TO: Food and Beverage Manager 

PURPOSE:  

Responsible directly for overseeing and coordinating the Kitchen Operations.

Responsible for all food production in restaurants and bars.

Is required to contribute, co-ordinate and develop all Food related issues and projects as required and assigned by the Food and Beverage Manager.

PROFILE:

This individual will understand, interpret and convey the mission statement to the Kitchen to subordinates and ensure decisions are made in the best interest of the operation, as they relate to the success of the hotel.

As a highly skilled manager, this person will directly supervise, train, develop and motivate the rank and file staff, whilst maintaining the ability to recognize individuals and their contribution to the team effort.

RELATIONSHIPS: 

Reports to the Food and Beverage Manager.

Builds a good working relationship with the Sous Chefs and restaurant managers. 

Works with all Food & Beverage departments and Beverage outlets.

Is required to assume responsibility and be actively involved in the development and success of the entire department and its employees.

TASKS, DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

MANAGE FOOD PRODUCTION AND PROVIDE THE HIGHEST FOOD QUALITY

• Manages all activities in the kitchen, including production, stewarding and management of food production staff
• Maximizes guest satisfaction by providing the highest food quality consistent with cost control and profitability margins of the hotel kitchen
• Assures adherence to The company’s standards of food quality, preparation, recipes, and presentation
• Assures proper staffing and adequate supplies for all stations
• Oversees all food production related areas
• Co-ordinates activities, times and communicates priorities to ensure correct preparation, and delivery time to provide food for functions, a la carte, groups, breakfast and rooms service
• Maintains product consistency by conducting inspections of seasonings, portions, and food appearance, and follows-up appropriately
• Oversees inventory disbursement of all food supplies
• Controls and orders all fresh products and dry storage items required by kitchen and related departments to ensure correct quality and par stock
• Monitors and facilitates communication between kitchen production and service staff
• Assures proper safety, hygiene, and sanitation practices are followed
• Co-ordinates operation of kitchen with other food and beverage departments
• Together with Food and Beverage Manager, and Director of Sales, makes suggestions for sales promotions with food and beverage and to increase sales
• Ensures readiness and compliance in case of last minute changes to reservations
• Ensures that prices and portions are offered in accordance with food and beverage profit objectives

MANAGE FOOD PRODUCTION STAFF, AND STEWARD FUNCTION

• Manages all food production staff, and the steward function
• Utilizes leadership skills and motivation to maximize employee productivity and satisfaction
• Challenges employees to achieve optimum quality while minimizing cost
• Monitors department’s overall service, interaction with other departments, and team work daily, and takes action to improve

LAWS, REGULATIONS AND POLICIES

• Monitors and makes sure staff follows all applicable laws, especially in regards to food safety and sanitation

HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT

• Screens, interviews and selects potential employees
• Checks that staff meets and exceeds internal customer service expectations by training and encouraging staff to use Exceptional Guest Care standards
• Identifies training needs, and makes sure staff receives training, including skills training to produce consistent results
• Identifies employees with potential for promotion and/or transfer and makes recommendation to Food and Beverage Manager
• Works closely with the Human Resources Manager on the following Human Resources related tasks:
  – Recruitment and Selection liaison with Hospitality Recruitment Agencies 

   

  • Performance appraisals
    – Coaching
    – Counselling
    – Discipline and grievance

EMPLOYEE RELATIONS

• Fosters and develops effective employee relations between kitchen production and restaurant service, as well as with other departments within the hotel
• Keeps effective internal communications, including daily meetings with all staff to ensure optimum team work and productivity
• Looks for ways to motivate and challenge employees

HEALTH AND SAFETY

• Adheres to all health, sanitation and food safety rules and regulations, and makes sure that all staff adheres to these
• Ensures that all potential and real hazards are reported and reduced immediately
• Fully understands the hotel’s fire, emergency, and bomb procedures
• Ensures that emergency procedures are practised and enforced to provide for the security and safety of guests and employees
• Ensures that employees work in a safe manner that does not harm or injure self or others
• Stimulates and encourages a general awareness of health and safety
• Anticipates possible and probable hazards and conditions and either corrects them or takes action to prevent them from happening
• Ensures that the highest standards of personal hygiene, dress, appropriate uniform, appearance, and conduct is maintained by all employees in the department

MISCELLANEOUS

• Develops guest/market oriented menus, and changes menus regularly to reflect local, seasonal and national trends
• Attends restaurant and/or catering fairs and conferences regularly to develop food knowledge
• Monitors industry trends and recommends appropriate action to maintain the competitive status and profitability
• Monitors competitions’ pricing and menus
• Reviews and follows-up on food sales statistics per menu item
• Recommends better operational practices, procedures and concepts to the Food and Beverage Manager
• Conducts formal tasting as part of new recipe development and product testing regularly
• Prepares reports to develop a more informative data base for improved management decision making, and critical evaluation of work activities and preparation techniques
• Minimises spoilage, waste and over production
• Controls payroll cost
• Assists in the review, selection, determination of specifications and pricing of proposed hotel menus
• Works pro-actively to minimize complaints from guests
• Informs food and beverage staff of applicable food laws and limitations within policies and guidelines
• Follows-up with Restaurant Manager to determine guest satisfaction; measures these results and establishes strategies to improve the food quality
• Checks the restaurant reservations and VIP list
• Prepares the food production department’s business plan
• Attends meetings and training required by the Food and Beverage Manager
• Assists colleagues to perform similar or related jobs when necessary
• Accepts flexible work schedule necessary for uninterrupted service to hotel guests and stakeholders
• Maintains own working area, materials and company property clean, tidy and in good shape; reports defective materials and equipment to the appropriate individual
• Continuously seeks to endeavour and improve the department’s efficient operation, and knowledge of own job function
• Is well updated on, and possesses solid knowledge of the following:
  – Hotel fire, bomb and emergency procedures
  – Hotel health and safety policies and procedures
  – Current licensing relating to own department
  – Hotel and restaurant corporate marketing and promotional programmes
  – Corporate clients and clients generating high business volume
  – Union agreements

EDUCATION:

Trained Chef Qualification

Education by experience.

WORK EXPERIENCE:            

Minimum 5 to 6 years experience in the hospitality industry and a minimum of two year experience in a management role in the Kitchen.

SKILLS:       

Hands on management / leadership by example

Intermediate to high computer literacy.

Good knowledge of a profit & loss and general knowledge of accountancy.

Adaptability.

Highly developed time management skills.

High written and oral communication skills.

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