Head Chef

About SLS Dubai

Role overview

Kitchen operations and food quality

• Maintain food quality, taste, presentation, consistency, and portion control, following approved recipes and restaurant standards.
• Plan daily mise en place, production, service, and kitchen workflow.
• Work with the Executive Chef on menus, seasonal offerings, and culinary initiatives.
• Oversee meat preparation, butchery, cooking techniques, and product utilization.
• Monitor food costs, portions, yields, and waste; promote sustainable ingredient use.
• Coordinate ingredient purchasing and suppliers, and oversee receiving, storage, labeling, and handling.
• Maintain kitchen cleanliness, hygiene, sanitation, HACCP compliance, and quality checks; take corrective action when needed.

Team and service coordination

• Supervise, train, motivate, and develop the culinary team.
• Manage staffing, schedules, task allocation, and daily briefings.
• Coordinate with the Restaurant Manager and Front of House team to support service and guest satisfaction.
• Support banquet, VIP, promotional, and special dining requirements when needed.

Other duties

• Ensure equipment is properly used and maintained, and report repairs when necessary.
• Maintain culinary records, production sheets, temperature logs, and departmental documentation.
• Handle guest feedback and culinary complaints professionally and take corrective action.
• Comply with hotel policies, procedures, health and safety requirements, and brand standards.
• Identify opportunities to improve kitchen efficiency, quality, presentation, and guest experience; perform other duties assigned by the Executive Chef or management.

Qualifications and experience

• Culinary degree, diploma, or professional qualification from a recognized culinary institution; equivalent industry experience may be considered.
• 5–7 years of progressive culinary experience, preferably in luxury hotels, upscale restaurants, or premium steakhouses, including 2–3 years in a senior supervisory or Head Chef role.
• Strong knowledge of steakhouse cuisine, meat preparation, butchery, grilling, roasting, and cooking techniques.
• Knowledge of premium meat, aging techniques, product quality, yield management, menu development, recipe costing, food cost control, and kitchen profitability.

Additional qualifications

• Knowledge of food safety, HACCP, hygiene, sanitation, health and safety standards, and sustainable kitchen practices.
• Strong people-management, organizational, communication, interpersonal, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities; proactive and hands-on approach.
• Ability to manage high-volume operations while maintaining culinary standards and attention to detail.
• Proficiency in English; additional languages are an advantage.
• Ability to work flexible hours, including evenings, weekends, and public holidays.