Purpose of the Role

1. To provide specialised food preparation and presentation oversight and management to the catering operation. In particular:

        1.1. to design and refresh menus in accordance with contract specifications, quality standards and                         nutritional value
        1.2. to ensure professional food preparation, flavouring and presentation.
        1.3. to ensure hygienic standards are maintained in the food production process.
        1.4. to provide training and on-the-job capacitation of the chefs and cooks.

Key Responsibilities

1. Menu and Meal Management

• Develop and review the recipes used on site, ensuring nutritional balance and health.
• Design menus to prevent menu fatigue, promote the IFS brand and recognise the meal requirements of the client considering the ethnic and cultural mix of residents; and work with the catering manager(s) to determine food supply requirements.
• Manage the food presentation and create decorative food displays.
• Design function menus based on specific site requirements and supervise the preparation and presentation
• of the meals.
• Check the quality of raw materials to ensure that standards and specifications are met.
• Discuss food preparation issues with the catering manager(s), dieticians/nutritionists and food preparation staff.
• Focus on the consumption of menu dishes during and after meal intervals to adjust menu requirements, as needed.
• Instruct, coordinate and supervise the chefs and cooks in the cooking, garnishing and presentation of food.
• Monitor the quality of dishes at all stages of preparation and presentation.
• Prepare, season and cook speciality foods and complex dishes.
• Ensure that all special diet meals are prepared in accordance with the nutritional requirements.
• Work closely with catering managers to ensure a smooth and efficient meal service.
• Review finished meals for quality and presentation before serving.

2. Stock Control

• Ensure that proteins are defrosted in the correct prescribed manner as per the relevant SOP.
• Ensure that sufficient ingredients are requested in terms of the number of persons to be fed and according to menu specifications.
• Monitor portion sizes in accordance with Company standards and client specifications.
• Record stock deliveries from stores into production and verify correct quantities received, including investigating and reporting discrepancies or shortfalls.
• Maintain food and equipment inventory.

3. Hygiene and Food Safety Compliance

• Ensure compliance with food handling and sanitation standards.
• Ensure proper handling and right temperature of all food products.
• Monitor the quality of all raw and cooked food products to ensure food safety compliance.
• Examine the quality of products received.
• Use compliant food preparation methods.
• Within the area of responsibility, ensure the kitchen and its operations comply with all relevant health, safety and environmental requirements.
• Ensure that hygiene standards are maintained in accordance with SOP’s.
• Ensure that protective clothing is always clean and worn as required.
• Ensure that housekeeping is done properly (i.e. within area of responsibility that the working surfaces and utensils are properly washed and sanitised, drains on site are kept clean and all waste and debris is removed).
• Ensure that proteins are defrosted in the correct prescribed manner as per the relevant SOP

4. Culinary Team Development

• Train and develop culinary staff on IFS recipes and equip them to meet food preparation standards on a consistent basis.
• Train culinary staff on the fundamentals of good cooking and presentation.
• Ensure that culinary staff understand the food preparation and presentation procedures.

5. Team Supervision

• Conduct daily production meetings with key staff as per the SOP, as well as pre start meetings with production staff on the production, menu, recipes and completion times.
• Train staff on the Standard Operating Procedures that serve to guide their approach to work.
• Implement the Standard Operating Procedures through consistent application and communication.
• Ensure that staff understand the procedures and sign off the relevant documents.
• Conduct monthly meetings with staff in order to ascertain problems encountered and resolve associated issues.
• Manage staff performance in order to establish opportunities for development and harness strengths.
• Measure staff performance on a soft point system that includes punctuality and wearing the required uniforms, among others.
• Monitor staff using the hard point system that is focused on technical execution.
• Deal with staff problems through one-on-one discussion striving to get to the root cause of problems.

6. Effective Teamwork and Self-Management

• Take ownership and accountability for tasks and activities and demonstrate effective self-management in terms of planning and prioritising, and self-development.
• Follow through to ensure that quality and productivity standards of work are consistently and accurately maintained.
• Inform relevant parties in the event of tasks or deadlines not met, the potential risks thereof and provide appropriate resolution.
• Manage colleagues’ expectations and communicate appropriately.
• Demonstrate willingness to help others and “go the extra mile” to meet team targets and objectives.

QUALIFICATION AND EXPERIENCE

• Recognised culinary tertiary qualification
• At least 7 years food preparation or production planning experience in hotels with at least 3 years classified as a culinary subject matter expert