Executive Chef – Catering

We are looking for an experienced Executive Chef – Catering to lead our Central Kitchen and large-scale food production operations.

The successful candidate will be responsible for overseeing the preparation and delivery of high-quality meals for healthcare facilities, hospitals, schools and institutional catering sites across the UAE.

This role requires strong experience in central kitchen operations, high-volume food production, healthcare and school catering, food safety, menu execution, cost control and kitchen team management.

Key Responsibilities

Kitchen & Food Production

• Lead and oversee daily Central Kitchen and food production operations.
• Manage high-volume meal production for healthcare, hospital, school and institutional catering contracts.
• Ensure food is prepared according to approved menus, standardized recipes, production schedules and portion specifications.
• Maintain consistent food quality, taste, presentation and portion control.
• Plan daily production requirements based on meal volumes and client requirements.
• Coordinate with dispatch and logistics teams to ensure meals are prepared and dispatched on time.
• Provide hands-on operational support during peak production periods.

Healthcare & School Catering

• Oversee the preparation of patient meals, children's meals, special diets and allergen-controlled meals.
• Work closely with the Nutritionist/Dietitian and QHSE team to ensure dietary, nutritional and food safety requirements are met.
• Ensure correct preparation, portioning, labelling and distribution of special and therapeutic meals.
• Maintain strict controls to prevent cross-contamination and allergen-related incidents.
• Ensure client-specific meal specifications and service standards are consistently followed.

Menu Planning & Development

• Develop and review menus suitable for healthcare, school and institutional catering.
• Develop standardized recipes and production specifications.
• Support menu costing and recipe standardization.
• Introduce menu improvements while maintaining quality and cost-effectiveness.
• Work with Nutrition/Dietary teams to meet nutritional and special dietary requirements.

Food Safety & Hygiene

• Ensure compliance with UAE food safety regulations and Municipality requirements.
• Maintain high standards of personal hygiene, food handling and kitchen sanitation.
• Monitor temperature control during receiving, preparation, cooking, holding, chilling and dispatch.
• Ensure effective implementation of HACCP, GMP and food safety procedures.
• Coordinate with the QHSE team during inspections, audits and client visits.
• Take immediate corrective action on food safety and quality issues.
• Ensure appropriate cleaning, sanitation and pest-control standards are maintained.

Cost & Waste Control

• Monitor food costs, wastage and portion control.
• Ensure effective utilization of raw materials.
• Minimize food waste through accurate production planning and stock utilization.
• Work closely with Procurement and Stores on ingredient requirements and inventory.
• Monitor recipe and production costs.
• Support the Operations team in achieving agreed food cost targets.

Team Leadership

• Lead, supervise and motivate the Central Kitchen culinary team.
• Plan manpower and allocate duties according to production requirements.
• Monitor attendance, performance, discipline and productivity.
• Train and develop chefs and kitchen staff.
• Ensure adequate manpower is available for daily production.
• Maintain a professional, disciplined and positive kitchen environment.

Stores, Warehouse & Dispatch

• Coordinate with Storekeepers regarding availability and quality of raw materials.
• Ensure proper FIFO/FEFO practices are followed.
• Monitor stock levels and communicate replenishment requirements.
• Coordinate with warehouse, dispatch and logistics teams to meet production and delivery schedules.
• Ensure meal quantities and dispatch requirements are accurately checked before delivery.

Operations & Client Coordination

• Work closely with Operations to meet client requirements and service standards.
• Participate in client meetings, food tastings and menu reviews when required.
• Address food quality and production-related concerns promptly.
• Support new contract mobilization, menu implementation and kitchen setup.
• Coordinate with hospital, school and site teams regarding food production requirements.
• Ensure agreed meal specifications and service levels are consistently achieved.

Requirements

• Degree/Diploma in Culinary Arts, Hospitality Management or a related field.
• 8–12+ years of professional culinary experience, including senior/executive chef experience.
• Strong experience in large-scale catering and Central Kitchen operations.
• Proven experience in healthcare/hospital and school catering is highly preferred.
• Experience managing high-volume food production.
• Strong knowledge of HACCP, GMP, food safety and hygiene standards.
• Knowledge of menu planning, recipe standardization and food costing.
• Experience managing multicultural kitchen teams.
• UAE catering experience is highly preferred.
• Strong leadership, communication, planning and organizational skills.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, high-volume catering environment.
• Willingness to travel to catering sites across the UAE when required.

Key Skills

• Central Kitchen Operations
• Large-Scale Food Production
• Healthcare & Hospital Catering
• School Catering
• Menu Planning & Development
• Recipe Standardization
• HACCP & GMP
• Food Safety & Hygiene
• Food Cost Control
• Waste Management
• Portion Control
• Production Planning
• Team Leadership
• Inventory Coordination
• Quality Control
• Client Coordination

What We Offer

• Competitive salary depending on experience and qualifications.
• Opportunity to lead a professional Central Kitchen and large-scale catering operation.
• Exposure to healthcare, school and institutional catering operations across the UAE.

If you have strong experience in Central Kitchen operations, healthcare/hospital catering, school catering and high-volume food production, we would like to hear from you and can share your CV to [email protected]

Pay: From AED1.00 per month

Work Location: In person