Executive Chef

Recruiter:

Bright Search Recruitment (Pty) Ltd

Job Ref:

JHB002364/Jade

Date posted:

Tuesday, January 13, 2026

Location:

Polokwane, South Africa

SUMMARY:
Job Description
The Executive Chef is responsible for leading all culinary operations, ensuring exceptional food quality, creativity, and consistency across all outlets. This role oversees menu design, kitchen management, food cost control, staff training, and compliance with health and safety standards.
The Executive Chef provides strong leadership to the entire kitchen brigade, drives culinary innovation, manages procurement and stock levels, and ensures that every dish delivered meets the organisation’s standards of excellence. The role requires strategic planning, hands-on cooking expertise, and effective operational management.

Key Responsibilities

Culinary Leadership & Menu Development

Create, plan, and update seasonal menus for all meal periods and outlets.
Ensure consistent quality, presentation, and portion control of all dishes.
Develop new recipes, concepts, and signature dishes.

Kitchen Operations Management

Oversee daily kitchen operations, workflow, and station performance.
Manage food preparation, cooking, plating, and service standards.
Ensure equipment is maintained and report any issues for repair.

Staff Management & Training

Recruit, train, supervise, and motivate the kitchen team.
Set performance standards and conduct evaluations.
Maintain a positive, productive, and disciplined working environment.

Food Safety, Hygiene & Compliance

Ensure full compliance with HACCP, hygiene, sanitation, and food safety regulations.
Conduct regular kitchen inspections and maintain safety documentation.
Train staff on safe food handling and kitchen safety protocols.

Stock, Cost & Budget Control

Oversee purchasing of food, ingredients, and kitchen supplies.
Manage food cost, portion control, and minimise wastage.
Conduct stock counts and ensure proper storage and inventory management.

Supplier & Vendor Management

Build relationships with suppliers and negotiate pricing.
Ensure timely and consistent quality of stock from vendors.

Event & Menu Coordination

Plan menus for events, functions, and special dietary requirements.
Coordinate with Food & Beverage, Banqueting, and Front-of-House teams for seamless service.

POSITION INFO:
Qualifications

Culinary Arts Diploma or Degree (City & Guilds or equivalent preferred).
Professional chef certification (advantageous).
HACCP or Health and Safety certification recommended.

Experience

5–10+ years professional kitchen experience.
At least 3–5 years in a senior role (Sous Chef or Executive Chef).
Experience in fine dining, luxury lodges, hotels, or high-volume establishments is highly beneficial.

Skills & Competencies

Exceptional culinary skills and creativity.
Strong leadership and team management ability.
Excellent understanding of kitchen operations and workflow.
Knowledge of costing, budgeting, and stock control.
Strong communication and organisational skills.
Ability to work under pressure and maintain high standards.
Knowledge of dietary needs, allergies, and modern culinary trends.

Personal Attributes

Passionate and innovative with a high attention to detail.
Calm, disciplined, and composed under pressure.
Results-driven and committed to excellence.
Strong work ethic and reliability.
Ability to mentor and uplift the culinary team.

Similar jobs you might be interested in:

Executive Chef
Location: Polokwane
Salary:
Job DescriptionThe executive chef is responsible for leading all culinary operations, ensuring exceptional food quality, creativity, and consistency across all outlets. This role oversees menu design, kitchen management, food cost control, staff training, and compliance with health and safety standards.The executive chef provides strong leadership to the entire kitchen brigade, drives culinary inn...
10 days ago

Chef de Partie
Location: Polokwane
Salary:
Job DescriptionThe Hot/Cold chef de Partie is responsible for managing both the hot kitchen section (grills, sauté, pans, mains) and the cold kitchen section (salads, starters, cold platters, desserts depending on structure). This role ensures high-quality food preparation, proper portioning, and consistent presentation standards. The Hot/Cold CDP works closely with the Sous chef and Execut...
10 days ago

Pastry Chef
Location: Polokwane
Salary:
Job DescriptionThe Pastry chef is responsible for planning, preparing, and executing all pastry, bakery, and dessert items to the highest standard. This role requires creativity, precision, and strong technical skills to produce consistent, high-quality pastries for breakfast, lunch, dinner, high tea, functions, and special events. The Pastry chef works closely with the executive chef and kitchen ...
10 days ago

Pastry Chef
Location: Polokwane
Salary:
Job DescriptionThe Pastry chef is responsible for planning, preparing, and executing all pastry, bakery, and dessert items to the highest standard. This role requires creativity, precision, and strong technical skills to produce consistent, high-quality pastries for breakfast, lunch, dinner, high tea, functions, and special events. The Pastry chef works closely with the executive chef and kitchen ...
17 days ago

Chef de Partie
Location: Polokwane
Salary:
Job Description:We are seeking a skilled chef de Partie to join our dynamic kitchen team. The chef de Partie will be responsible for managing a specific section of the kitchen, whether hot or cold, ensuring that all dishes are prepared and presented to the highest culinary standards. The ideal candidate will demonstrate strong leadership, efficiency, and consistency, while maintaining a clean and ...
18 days ago

Pastry Chef
Location: Polokwane
Salary:
Job Description:We are seeking a talented and creative Pastry chef to join our culinary team. The Pastry chef will be responsible for crafting exquisite pastry dishes for both a la carte and banqueting services in a hotel setting. This role requires a passion for culinary excellence, innovation, and attention to detail. The successful candidate will lead the pastry team, maintain high standards of...
18 days ago

Sales & Servicing Executive (Polokwane)
Location: Polokwane
Salary: Market Related
URGENT ROLE
3 days ago

Hotel Sales Executive
Location: Polokwane
Salary:
Job DescriptionRole SummaryThe Hotel Sales executive is responsible for driving revenue growth by identifying, developing, and managing sales opportunities across corporate, leisure, MICE, and group segments. The role involves building strong client relationships, promoting the hotel’s services, and ensuring customer satisfaction.Key ResponsibilitiesSales & Business DevelopmentIdentify n...
10 days ago

Hotel Sales Executive
Location: Polokwane
Salary:
Role SummaryThe Hotel Sales executive is responsible for driving revenue growth by identifying, developing, and managing sales opportunities across corporate, leisure, MICE, and group segments. The role involves building strong client relationships, promoting the hotel’s services, and ensuring customer satisfaction.Key ResponsibilitiesSales & Business DevelopmentIdentify new sales opport...
17 days ago

Hotel Sales Executive
Location: Polokwane
Salary:
Job Description:We are seeking a motivated and results-driven Hotel Sales executive to drive sales, maximize hotel occupancy, and increase revenue. The successful candidate will implement effective sales strategies, create promotional campaigns, and develop relationships with key clients. This role involves market research, representing the hotel at exhibitions and networking events, preparing sal...
18 days ago

Executive Chef

Similar jobs you might be interested in:

Jobseekers

Recruiter

General