Head Chef - Premium French Restaurant

Job description

We are delighted to be working with a Riyadh-based hospitality investment group on the appointment of a Head Chef for a premium, chef-led French restaurant in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This is the senior culinary role on site, with full ownership of culinary standards, kitchen operations, the brigade and food cost. Reporting to the General Manager, with culinary direction from the Group Executive Chef and ownership, the Head Chef leads the Sous Chefs, Chefs de Partie, Pastry Chef and kitchen stewarding team. We are looking for a hands-on leader who runs the pass, is uncompromising on quality, consistency and cleanliness, and delivers food cost targets without compromising a premium plate. Responsibilities • Execute the menu to brand specification, ensuring consistency of taste, presentation and portioning on every plate. • Lead menu development and seasonal changes with the Group Executive Chef and General Manager, including costing and recipe documentation. • Run tastings, maintain recipe cards and photo standards, and train the team on every dish. • Oversee pastry, bakery and in-house production to the same standard. • Own full compliance with HACCP and Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) requirements, municipal inspections and hygiene certification. • Maintain temperature logs, cleaning schedules, allergen records and traceability documentation. • Ensure all ingredients and suppliers meet halal and local regulatory requirements. • Deliver food cost targets agreed with the General Manager, monitoring daily and reporting weekly. • Manage purchasing specifications, supplier selection and goods receiving with the purchasing team. • Control stock levels, rotation and wastage, and lead regular stock takes and variance reviews. • Manage kitchen labour cost through effective rostering and productivity. • Recruit, train and develop the kitchen brigade, and build succession for Sous Chef and section lead roles. • Conduct performance reviews, coaching and disciplinary processes in line with company policy and Saudi labour law. • Foster a respectful, disciplined and inclusive kitchen culture across a multinational team. • Engage with guests, VIPs and regulars in the dining room when required, and represent the brand at events, media and social content. • Act on guest feedback relating to food and drive continuous improvement.

Requirements

• Minimum 10 years in professional kitchens, with at least 3 years as Head Chef or Executive Sous Chef in a premium or fine-dining restaurant.
• Strong grounding in French and Mediterranean cuisine
• experience with Levantine or broader Middle Eastern flavours an advantage.
• Proven ownership of food cost, purchasing and kitchen labour in a high-volume, high-expectation venue.
• GCC experience strongly preferred
• Saudi Arabia experience an advantage.
• Pre-opening or relaunch experience an advantage.
• HACCP certification (Level 3 or equivalent) required, with working knowledge of SFDA and municipal food safety requirements.
• Strong menu costing, recipe engineering and stock management skills.
• Confident with kitchen management systems for inventory, recipe costing and rostering.
• Fluent English and French
• Arabic an advantage.
• Able to train and document standards clearly for a multinational brigade.
• A hands-on, calm and organised leader who runs the pass and works collaboratively with front of house.
• Must hold the right to work in Saudi Arabia, or be eligible to obtain it with the client's support.

Skills