Turkish Head Chef

Job Responsibilities

• Lead and oversee the daily operations of the kitchen, ensuring smooth and efficient food preparation and service.
• Prepare and supervise the preparation of authentic Turkish cuisine, including kebabs, grilled meats, meze, pide, breads, soups, salads and traditional Turkish dishes.
• Develop and maintain menus that reflect authentic Turkish flavours, ingredients and traditional cooking techniques.
• Establish and standardise recipes, preparation methods, portion sizes and presentation standards.
• Ensure consistency in food quality, taste, presentation and portion control.
• Supervise and train chefs and other kitchen staff in Turkish cooking techniques and kitchen procedures.
• Plan kitchen manpower deployment and allocate duties according to operational requirements.
• Oversee preparation of meats, marinades, sauces, spice blends and other ingredients used in Turkish cuisine.
• Supervise charcoal grilling, oven cooking and other specialised Turkish cooking methods.
• Monitor food costs, ingredient usage, portion control and wastage to achieve cost targets.
• Manage inventory levels and oversee ordering, receiving, storage and rotation of ingredients.
• Work with suppliers to maintain the quality and availability of required ingredients.
• Conduct regular quality checks on ingredients and finished dishes.
• Develop new dishes and seasonal menu offerings while maintaining the restaurant's Turkish culinary concept.
• Ensure kitchen equipment is properly maintained and report repair or maintenance requirements.
• Maintain high standards of kitchen cleanliness, food hygiene and workplace safety.
• Ensure compliance with applicable food safety, hygiene and sanitation requirements.
• Work closely with restaurant management and the service team to ensure efficient operations and customer satisfaction.
• Handle kitchen operational issues and implement corrective measures when required.
• Perform other kitchen management duties as assigned by management.

Requirements

• Minimum 5 years of relevant professional culinary experience, with strong experience specialising in Turkish cuisine.
• Previous experience in a Head Chef, Senior Chef or kitchen leadership position is preferred.
• Strong knowledge of authentic Turkish cuisine, ingredients, spices and traditional cooking techniques.
• Extensive experience preparing Turkish kebabs, grilled meats, meze, pide, breads and other traditional dishes.
• Strong knowledge of charcoal grilling, meat preparation and marination techniques.
• Experience in menu development, recipe standardisation, food costing and inventory management.
• Strong leadership skills with the ability to supervise, train and develop kitchen staff.
• Good understanding of food hygiene, sanitation and workplace safety requirements.
• Able to maintain consistent food quality in a fast-paced and high-volume kitchen environment.
• Good organisational, communication and problem-solving skills.
• Able to work independently and take responsibility for overall kitchen operations.
• Willing to work shifts, weekends and public holidays when required.