Chef De Partie

Job Summary:

The Chef of the House is a leadership role that goes beyond the duties of a CDP. This individual is accountable for maintaining the highest standards in food preparation, kitchen hygiene, team discipline, vendor handling, and kitchen administration in the absence of senior chefs. The Chef of the House leads by example, mentors junior chefs, maintains order and flow in the kitchen, ensures cost efficiency, and upholds the kitchens brand standards at all times.

Key Responsibilities:

A. KITCHEN LEADERSHIP & OPERATIONS

• Take full charge of kitchen operations in the absence of the DCDP/Sous Chef.
• Conduct pre-shift and post-shift team briefings to ensure alignment and discipline.
• Supervise and mentor the kitchen team, ensuring performance, punctuality, hygiene, and teamwork.
• Review mise-en-place status daily and assign responsibilities efficiently.
• Ensure all prep is done in the correct quantity and quality for current and next days service.
• Monitor prep par levels, avoiding over-prep or shortages.
• Personally taste and inspect critical preparations to maintain standard recipes and quality.
• Cross-check and validate prep and upselling lists created by junior chefs.
• Take a physical walkthrough of all stations before and after service to maintain readiness and cleanliness

B. ADMINISTRATION & STOCK MANAGEMENT

• Take charge of receiving goods ensure quality, quantity, uniformity of brands, packaging integrity, rate accuracy, and timely billing.
• Maintain a daily log for inventory received, stock utilized, and spoilage/wastage tracking.
• Monitor ingredient rates and update pricing fluctuations weekly with management approval.
• Reject and report any non-compliant deliveries and coordinate directly with vendors for replacements or billing corrections.
• Ensure correct FIFO and storage labeling across all fridges, shelves, and dry storage.

C. COST CONTROL & EFFICIENCY

• Monitor kitchen costs through portion control, prep level management, and timely consumption.
• Identify trends in spoilage or wastage and conduct training to prevent recurrence.
• Implement cost-cutting strategies without compromising on quality.
• Ensure upselling readiness by coordinating with service team and aligning with kitchen inventory.

D. HYGIENE & CLEANLINESS

• Conduct daily hygiene checks of the team, uniforms, personal grooming, and workstation upkeep.
• Supervise deep-cleaning activities as per schedule (daily/weekly).
• Guide team on proper use of cleaning materials and tools.
• Maintain documentation through photos and checklist submission to seniors.
• Ensure the kitchen complies with all health and safety guidelines and is inspection-ready at all times.

E. TEAM DEVELOPMENT & TRAINING

• Train junior chefs in time management, prioritization, recipe adherence, and hygiene.
• Identify team members skill gaps and provide on-ground coaching.
• Ensure team motivation and mental well-being through positive reinforcement and accountability.
• Facilitate internal appreciation rituals or recognition when targets or hygiene goals are achieved.

F. COMMUNICATION & REPORTING

• Maintain daily kitchen log: prep completed, issues faced, cleaning completed, waste recorded, orders delayed, or feedback received.
• Keep senior management informed about any incidents, vendor issues, or critical feedback from service team.
• Ensure coordination with FOH team to align service expectations and availability of key items.

Behavioural and Technical Skills

• Culinary expertise in continental/Italian cuisine
• Calm under pressure
• Effective verbal and written communication
• Crisis management
• Tech-savvy with basic knowledge of kitchen logs/inventory systems (if digital tools are used)