Head Chef

About the role

The hotel and restaurant operation in The Bahamas is seeking an accomplished, hands‑on Head Chef to lead its culinary team. You will combine creativity with disciplined kitchen management to deliver consistently high‑quality food while controlling safety, labour, purchasing and food cost.

Key responsibilities

• Lead daily kitchen operations across restaurant, hotel and event service, ensuring consistent quality, presentation, taste and timing.
• Develop and refresh menus that reflect the property’s concept, guest preferences, seasonal availability and commercial objectives.
• Set and enforce recipes, portion standards, plating guides, preparation methods and production schedules.
• Recruit, train, schedule, coach and evaluate culinary team members, fostering a respectful and high‑performance kitchen culture.
• Maintain rigorous food‑safety, sanitation, personal‑hygiene and workplace‑safety standards.
• Manage food cost, labour, waste, spoilage and inventory; investigate variances and implement corrective actions.
• Oversee ordering, receiving, storage and stock rotation with approved suppliers.
• Collaborate with the Food and Beverage Manager to ensure smooth meal periods, special events and guest recovery.
• Plan and execute banquets, private functions and special culinary promotions.
• Monitor equipment condition, coordinate repairs and reinforce proper care and use.
• Respond professionally to guest feedback, dietary requests and allergen requirements.

Required profile

• Culinary diploma, degree or recognized professional certification preferred; equivalent progressive experience considered.
• At least five years of progressive culinary leadership experience, including responsibility for a professional kitchen team.
• Demonstrated experience with menu development, recipe costing, purchasing, inventory and food‑cost control.
• Strong knowledge of food safety, sanitation, allergen awareness and safe kitchen practices; current food‑safety certification preferred.
• Proven ability to lead under pressure in a high‑volume hospitality environment while maintaining composure and attention to detail.
• Excellent communication, organization, problem‑solving and team‑development skills.
• Experience in hotel, resort, upscale casual or full‑service restaurant operations is highly desirable.

Required skills

• Menu development
• Recipe costing
• Inventory management
• Food safety practices