Senior Sous Chef

Role Overview

Senior Sous Chef at Emirates Flight Catering. This role supports Bakery Production operations by ensuring effective kitchen operations, consistent application of processes and standards, participation in the rotational Chef on Duty role, and coordination with key internal and external stakeholders and suppliers.

Role Purpose

To manage the operations of an assigned kitchen (Bakery), ensuring compliance with established processes, specifications, controls, and quality standards to deliver safe, high-quality products and operational excellence.

Key Responsibilities

Production Operations

• Manage kitchen production operations and workflow execution to ensure operational continuity, timely delivery, and achievement of production targets in line with airline catering requirements.
• Optimize production planning and resource utilization by aligning manpower, equipment, materials, and capacity requirements to achieve operational efficiency, cost effectiveness, and service delivery objectives.

Quality & Compliance

• Ensure implementation of kitchen SOPs, recipes, food safety, and regulatory standards across all production areas to maintain compliance and operational consistency.
• Establish production quality control measures to ensure adherence to portion control, yield, presentation, labelling, product specifications, and airline/customer requirements.
• Conduct quality assurance reviews and process verification activities to evaluate operational effectiveness, sustain compliance, and support continuous improvement and customer satisfaction.

Performance Management

• Monitor operational performance, risks, and challenges by implementing corrective actions and improvement plans to resolve issues, enhance efficiency, and support business objectives.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives through lean practices, waste reduction, productivity enhancement, and cost optimization without compromising quality standards.

Team Leadership

• Lead and develop Sous Chefs and production teams through coaching, performance management, and capability development to strengthen leadership effectiveness and maintain operational standards.

Stakeholder Coordination

• Maintain effective communication, reporting, and stakeholder coordination with the Executive Sous Chef and other key stakeholders to support operational decision-making, issue resolution, and service excellence.

Qualifications & Experience

• High Diploma or Degree in Hotel Management, Culinary Arts, or a related field.
• Minimum 6 years of culinary experience.
• Relevant culinary certification.

Skills & Competencies

• Strong knowledge of food products, production processes, and large-scale in-house kitchen operations.
• Extensive knowledge of cooking techniques across various cuisines, with experience in 5-star hotel catering environments.
• Experience in recipe creation, menu development, and food costing.
• Proven leadership, coaching, training, and delegation skills to effectively manage a diverse, multi-national workforce.
• Experience in managing high-volume a la carte and/or banqueting operations within a large kitchen team.
• Strong organizational, communication, problem-solving, and decision-making skills to effectively manage operational challenges.