Head Chef - Japanese Handroll Bar

About the role

YUBI, launched in Dubai in 2025 in partnership with acclaimed Chef Reif Othman, is the UAE's first homegrown handroll bar, inspired by omakase and Tokyo's dining scene. It is looking for a technically strong, commercially minded Head Chef who runs the kitchen day to day, sets the standard for quality, consistency and food safety, leads and develops the team, and acts as the face of the brand.

Key responsibilities

• Prepare and oversee handrolls, sushi and sashimi to YUBI's standards, with precise technique in rice preparation, fish handling and knife skills; execute menus and give feedback on dishes and guest preferences.
• Lead, train and develop chefs and kitchen staff, maintaining discipline, technique and accountability.
• Manage daily inventory, ordering and stock levels, control food cost, waste and labour productivity, and support menu profitability.
• Ensure consistent standards for rice quality, seafood freshness, temperature, portioning and presentation, including during high-volume service.
• Enforce HACCP standards, with particular focus on raw seafood handling, temperature control, storage and cross-contamination prevention.
• Engage guests from the open kitchen, stay polished and presentable, and represent YUBI in photo and video content, on social media and at promotional events.
• Lead from the front on the line in a fast-paced, guest-facing environment.
• Support restaurant openings where applicable, through recruitment, training, SOP implementation and kitchen systems setup.

Required profile

• Technical mastery of Japanese cuisine: sushi, sashimi, handrolls, rice, fish handling and knife skills.
• Proven experience leading and developing a kitchen team, ideally as Head Chef or Senior Sous Chef.
• Commercial awareness of food cost, inventory, waste and labour productivity.
• Charismatic and comfortable engaging guests in an open kitchen, on camera and at brand events.
• HACCP knowledge, especially raw seafood handling and cross-contamination prevention.
• Preferred: experience in the UAE with an established, well-regarded Japanese restaurant or sushi brand.