Sous Chef - Luxury Hotel Kitchen

About the role

The First Group Hospitality, a Dubai-headquartered hospitality management company, is hiring a Sous Chef in Abu Dhabi. The Sous Chef supports the Executive Chef in running daily kitchen operations in an exclusive luxury destination, leads the kitchen team, helps develop menus and takes over kitchen operations when the Executive Chef is absent.

Key responsibilities

• Assist the Executive Chef with daily kitchen operations and supervise chefs de partie, demi chefs de partie, commis, kitchen stewards and other team members.
• Organize daily assignments, preparation schedules and service requirements, and ensure food meets approved recipes and luxury quality standards.
• Support menu development, testing, costing and implementation, and plan food production for regular service, private functions and events.
• Hold daily briefings, line-ups, tastings and operational meetings, and keep kitchen sections in contact with F&B, stores, maintenance and housekeeping.
• Monitor ingredients, stock levels, requisitions, receiving, storage and stock rotation; help control food costs and minimize waste.
• Ensure compliance with food safety, hygiene, sanitation, health, fire and workplace safety, and inspect kitchens, equipment and storage regularly.
• Train, coach and evaluate team members, monitor attendance and conduct, and assist with recruitment, onboarding and performance management.
• Handle guest complaints and service issues, keep accurate records and maintain confidentiality.

Required profile

• Culinary qualification, diploma, degree or equivalent professional training.
• Previous experience as a Sous Chef, Junior Sous Chef or senior Chef de Partie in a professional kitchen; luxury or high-end experience preferred.
• Proven experience leading, training and developing a kitchen team.
• Ability to work flexible hours, including evenings, weekends and public holidays.

Required skills

• Modern culinary techniques, food presentation, menu execution and kitchen operations.
• Food cost control, inventory management, purchasing, waste reduction and recipe costing.
• Food safety, hygiene and workplace safety standards.
• Leadership, organization, communication and problem-solving skills.
• Proficiency in kitchen-management systems and Microsoft Office is an advantage.