Head Chef

Based on the sales figures of menu items, review the profitability and popularity of dishes on the menu and make changes where applicable. This function should be carried out in conjunction with the general manager.

Participate in drafting concept ideas and menus for all special events and functions, encouraging all staff to contribute their ideas and utilizing them wherever practical.

Supervise the kitchen in the preparation and presentation of all food items according to the hotel’s food and beverage standards and standardized menu guidelines. Monitor production standards to ensure quality.

Supervise all aspects of kitchen cleanliness and coordinate the effective utilization of kitchen attendants within the established staffing levels. Ensure that all kitchen areas are maintained in a hygienic condition at all times and that hotel standards are upheld.

Control food purchasing levels in liaison with the stores personnel and manage the drafting of rosters, ensuring that each area is effectively covered within the bounds of the hotel’s annual manpower and payroll budgets, as provided by the general manager.

Maintain a sound knowledge of the hotel’s procedures for purchasing food stocks and controlling purchasing levels. Ensure that necessary measures are in place to preserve the budgeted food cost in all areas while maintaining adequate food stocks and adhering to standards.

Under the direction of the food and beverage manager and with assistance from the stores department, continuously monitor all aspects of controlling the hotel’s food costs. Purchase all food items from the hotel’s approved supplier list, which is generated by the stores personnel.

Be actively involved in the hotel’s Total Quality Management (TQM) program, ensuring adherence to Continental Hotels’ TQM philosophies and encouraging all staff to play an active role. Promote the highest standards of personal presentation, hygiene, and conduct in accordance with hotel standards.

Organize and supervise the training of kitchen staff, motivating them to enhance their skills in food preparation and kitchen management. Ensure that all training provided is accurately recorded and that staff appraisals are conducted within the necessary time frames as required by the human resources department.

Ensure the kitchen is maintained to high hygiene standards at all times and that safe food handling practices are consistently followed. Achieve and maintain compliance with MAF and HACCP guidelines by checking monitoring procedures daily.

Ensure all equipment is properly maintained and stored, with all breakages and breakdowns reported and recorded appropriately.

**Customer Service:**
Demonstrate service attributes in line with industry expectations and company standards, including:
- Being attentive to guests
- Accurately and promptly fulfilling guests' requests
- Anticipating guests' needs
- Maintaining a high level of knowledge that enhances the guest experience
- Demonstrating a service-oriented attitude
- Taking appropriate action to resolve guest complaints
- Recognizing the dynamic nature of the hotel industry and extending these service attributes to all new customers

**Health, Safety, and Security:**
Demonstrate understanding and awareness of all company policies and procedures related to health, hygiene, and fire safety, ensuring your direct reports do the same. Familiarize yourself with emergency and evacuation procedures, and ensure all security incidents, accidents, and near misses are logged, investigated, and rectified to prevent future occurrences.

**Financial Management:**
With assistance from the senior finance manager, coordinate the preparation of the departmental annual budget and work to achieve it by monitoring and controlling departmental operations, considering revenue and expenditure on an ongoing basis. Control and analyze departmental costs to ensure performance against the budget, implementing corrective measures where necessary to achieve positive business results. Effectively manage staffing costs by preparing efficient work schedules in compliance with legal requirements.

**People Management:**
Work within the company’s human resource management system to ensure departmental staff performance is productive. Duties include:
- Planning for future staffing needs
- Recruiting in line with company guidelines
- Preparing detailed induction programs for new staff
- Maintaining a comprehensive, current, and guest-focused set of departmental standards and procedures, overseeing their implementation
- Conducting training needs analysis for departmental staff and designing and implementing training programs to meet those needs
- Actively working on staff development and identifying growth opportunities.