Head Chef – Job Description
Position: Head Chef
Department: Kitchen / Culinary Operations
Reports To: Restaurant General Manager / Operations Head
Location: Restaurant / Outlet
Job Purpose
The Head Chef is responsible for the overall kitchen operations, ensuring consistent food quality, hygiene, food cost control, team productivity, and compliance with company SOPs/BOPs. The role requires strong leadership, planning, training, manpower management, and operational expertise across all kitchen sections.
Key Responsibilities
1. Kitchen Operations
· Take complete responsibility for day-to-day kitchen operations.
· Have strong working knowledge of all kitchen sections and ensure smooth coordination between them.
· Ensure food is prepared and served as per company standards, approved recipes, and presentation guidelines.
· Plan and supervise mise en place and daily production.
· Conduct regular food tasting to maintain consistency in taste and quality.
· Ensure all kitchen SOPs/BOPs are followed consistently.
· Maintain smooth coordination between all kitchen sections during service.
2. Menu & Food Planning
· Plan menus for buffets, ODCs, events, and other special requirements.
· Prepare production plans based on business volumes and expected covers.
· Ensure proper food ordering and availability of required ingredients.
· Monitor production quantities and adjust them according to business requirements.
· Minimize food wastage through effective planning and portion control.
3. Manpower Planning & Management
· Prepare daily/weekly manpower rosters and section-wise deployment plans.
· Ensure optimum utilization of manpower across all kitchen sections.
· Monitor attendance, productivity, discipline, grooming, and performance of kitchen staff.
· Ensure adequate manpower availability during peak hours, weekends, events, and special functions.
· Identify manpower gaps and communicate requirements to management.
4. Food Cost & Inventory Control
· Monitor and control food cost as per company targets.
· Ensure proper portion control and minimize food wastage.
· Monitor inventory levels and coordinate timely food ordering.
· Verify and approve Store Requisition Sheets.
· Ensure proper storage, FIFO/FEFO practices, and stock rotation.
· Identify and control pilferage, overproduction, and unnecessary consumption.
· Monitor daily wastage and take corrective action wherever required.
5. Quality, Hygiene & HACCP
· Ensure compliance with HACCP, food safety, hygiene, and sanitation standards.
· Conduct regular checks of food quality, storage temperatures, cleanliness, and personal hygiene.
· Ensure proper handling, storage, preparation, and serving of food.
· Supervise pest-control activities and ensure corrective actions are implemented.
· Ensure all required food safety and hygiene documentation is maintained properly.
· Immediately address any hygiene or food-safety deviations.
6. Training & Team Development
· Train kitchen team members on recipes, cooking techniques, hygiene, SOPs, BOPs, and safety standards.
· Conduct regular on-the-job training and skill assessments.
· Develop CDPs and other kitchen team members for higher responsibilities.
· Identify training needs and conduct refresher training wherever required.
· Ensure all team members understand and follow company standards and procedures.
7. Equipment & Maintenance
· Ensure proper operation, cleaning, and maintenance of all kitchen equipment.
· Conduct regular checks of kitchen equipment and infrastructure.
· Report equipment breakdowns and coordinate with the Maintenance team for timely repairs.
· Ensure kitchen equipment is used safely and efficiently.
· Minimize equipment damage through proper handling and staff training.
8. SOP & Process Compliance
· Ensure complete knowledge and implementation of all kitchen SOPs/BOPs.
· Ensure the Cancelled KOT SOP is strictly followed.
· Monitor compliance with portioning, recipe, production, wastage, and hygiene procedures.
· Conduct regular kitchen audits/checks and take corrective action wherever required.
· Ensure proper documentation and reporting of kitchen operations.
9. Guest & Operational Support
· Handle guest food-related concerns professionally and promptly.
· Coordinate closely with the Service team to ensure smooth and timely food service.
· Support management during VIP visits, events, ODCs, buffets, and high-volume operations.
· Maintain strong communication with the Restaurant Manager and Operations team.
· Ensure special food requirements and guest requests are managed appropriately.
· Take immediate corrective action in case of food quality or service-related issues.
Key Performance Areas (KPIs)
· Food quality and consistency
· Food cost and wastage control
· Inventory accuracy and stock management
· Kitchen hygiene and HACCP compliance
· Guest satisfaction
· Manpower productivity and roster efficiency
· SOP/BOP compliance
· Training and development of the kitchen team
· Timely food preparation and service
· Equipment upkeep and kitchen maintenance
· Reduction in food wastage and operational losses
Essential Skills & Competencies
· Strong knowledge of all kitchen sections and operations
· Strong leadership and team-management skills
· Food cost and inventory management
· Menu and production planning
· Knowledge of HACCP and food safety standards
· Strong understanding of SOPs/BOPs
· Training and team-development ability
· Excellent problem-solving and decision-making skills
· Guest-handling and communication skills
· Strong coordination with Operations, Service, Purchase, and Store teams
· Ability to work effectively under pressure and during high-volume operations
· Strong discipline, ownership, and attention to detail
Pay: ₹50,000.00 - ₹80,000.00 per month
Benefits:
Work Location: In person
