Chef de Cuisine – Mediterranean Restaurant

About the role

Nairobi Serena Hotel is looking for an experienced, creative and quality-focused Chef de Cuisine to lead the culinary operations of its Mediterranean restaurant. The successful candidate will design and run an authentic, innovative and commercially viable menu while keeping quality, cost control, food safety and guest satisfaction high. The role demands strong expertise in Mediterranean cuisines, especially Southern European (Italian, Greek, Spanish, southern French) and Eastern and Southern Mediterranean (Lebanese, Syrian, Turkish, Moroccan, Tunisian, Egyptian).

Key responsibilities

• Lead daily kitchen operations, keeping workflow efficient, productivity high and service excellent.
• Design, develop and implement authentic Mediterranean menus that are seasonal, creative and commercially viable.
• Prepare, standardise and maintain recipes, including portions, plating standards, allergens and yields.
• Carry out food costing and work with the Executive Chef and Cost Controller to meet cost targets.
• Ensure consistent quality, taste, presentation, portioning and temperature of all dishes.
• Check raw ingredients, mise en place, cooked products and plated dishes regularly.
• Train, coach and supervise the kitchen team in cooking techniques, food safety, hygiene and presentation.
• Maintain food safety, sanitation, cleanliness and storage in line with hotel policy and public health regulations.
• Monitor stock levels and control ingredients, especially specialty Mediterranean products.
• Work with service teams on menu knowledge and guest feedback, and introduce chef's specials, tasting menus and promotions.
• Keep kitchen equipment in good working order and report faults promptly.

Required profile

• Professional training in Culinary Arts, Hotel Management or Food Production.
• At least 3-5 years as a Chef de Cuisine, Sous Chef or Specialty Chef in a Mediterranean restaurant or comparable luxury hotel.
• Proven hands-on experience with several Mediterranean culinary traditions.
• Demonstrated experience in menu design, menu engineering, recipe writing, costing, portion control and quality assurance.
• Strong leadership, planning, training and team-management skills.
• Good understanding of food hygiene, HACCP, kitchen safety, stock control and waste management.
• Clear professional English, spoken and written; proven commercial awareness in food costing.