Executive Chef

Executive Chef — Private Family Office

Type: Full-time | Confidential

Location: Dubai, UAE — Live-out position; accommodation is not provided.

Compensation & Benefits

• Monthly salary: AED 30,000
• 10% annual salary increase
• Annual performance bonus of up to 40%
• Separate AI adoption bonus of up to an additional 10%
• Bonuses assessed separately against defined criteria and calculated on base salary earned during the relevant assessment period
• UAE employment visa and official UAE employment contract
• Category A health insurance with worldwide coverage, with the option to include a spouse and children
• 30 calendar days of paid annual leave
• Two round-trip economy flights per year to your home country
• Company mobile phone, laptop and paid mobile phone plan
• Uniform provided
• Company-funded personal and professional development, including approved training and courses
• Occasional international travel with the household may be required. Work-related travel, accommodation and meal expenses will be covered, with additional compensation for international work travel

About the Role

A single family office in Dubai is seeking an experienced Executive Chef to manage the culinary and kitchen operations of its principals’ residence.

This is a senior, hands-on position for a chef with substantial experience in leading fine dining kitchens. The successful candidate will deliver restaurant-quality food while working accurately within the family’s nutritional targets, dietary restrictions and preferences.

The chef will work closely with the principals on menus and food preferences and coordinate daily operations with the household management team and personal assistant. Professionalism, discretion, reliability and adaptability are essential.

Culinary Responsibilities

• Design and prepare daily menus and tasting menus tailored to the family’s dietary needs and preferences.
• Plan meals against household-approved nutritional targets, calculating and verifying calories, protein, fibre and relevant micronutrients, including calcium, per serving.
• As an illustration of the precision required, a brief may call for a three- or four-dish menu totalling approximately 1,000 kcal and at least 80 g of protein per person. Actual targets will be provided; this is not a fixed daily template.
• Work confidently with strict ingredient exclusions, developing substitutions that preserve flavour, texture and presentation.
• Apply rigorous allergen controls and prevent cross-contamination.
• Recreate and adapt dishes inspired by leading restaurants to fit the household’s dietary framework.
• Demonstrate excellent knowledge of premium ingredients, sourcing, preparation and modern culinary techniques.
• Plan and deliver food for dinner parties and larger household events, coordinating additional staffing and service requirements in advance.
• Prepare daily meals for household staff.

Kitchen & Operational Responsibilities

• Own kitchen procurement, stock control and supplier relationships, including sourcing premium ingredients and specialty products internationally.
• Manage delivery and courier issues, including shipment tracking, customs queries, missing items and backup sourcing.
• Maintain clear inventory records, monitor expiry dates, minimise waste and track food costs.
• Research and recommend kitchen equipment, with specifications, pricing and a clear reason for each purchase.
• Maintain impeccable food hygiene, safe storage and kitchen organisation.
• Coordinate cleaning and dining-area readiness with the household team, while remaining responsible for kitchen hygiene standards.
• Manage agreed snack, supplement and service schedules accurately.
• Plan procurement, preparation and service independently. Identify additional support needed for staff meals, cleaning or events early, with clear requirements for household management.
• Support reasonable household operational tasks when required, alongside the role’s core culinary responsibilities.

Cuisine Experience

Strong practical capability across:

French · Japanese · Italian · Chinese · Indian · Wider Asian · Plant-based

Candidates should distinguish their strongest cuisines from those in which they have supporting experience.

Digital & Analytical Skills

• The chef must be comfortable using technology as part of daily kitchen work, including:
• Spreadsheets for menu planning, nutritional calculations, inventory and reporting.
• A structured recipe database with ingredient quantities, portions, nutritional values and dietary compliance flags.
• AI tools such as Claude and ChatGPT for research, recipe development, calculations and operational tools.
• Independent checking and correction of AI-generated information. The chef remains responsible for the accuracy and suitability of the final output.

Mandatory Experience

Substantial hands-on experience in a leading fine dining or Michelin-starred kitchen is mandatory, either within or outside the UAE.

Comparable Dubai examples include:

Trèsind Studio

FZN by Björn Frantzén

Row on 45

Moonrise

STAY by Yannick Alléno

Ossiano

TakaHisa

Hakkasan

Zuma

Nobu

Nobu by the Beach

Smoked Room at St. Regis Gardens

KIGO

At.mosphere Restaurant & Lounge

Akira Back

La Dame de Pic at The Link

Baoli

Sushisamba other restaurants of similar standing.

Applications should clearly state the restaurant, position held, length of service and personal responsibilities.

Candidate Profile

• At least 8 years of professional kitchen experience, including substantial experience meeting the fine dining requirement above.
• Proven ability to cook to quantified nutritional targets, beyond general healthy cooking.
• Strong organisation across purchasing, preparation, service, documentation and follow-up.
• Comfortable working independently without a permanent kitchen brigade.
• Able to communicate clearly, respond professionally to feedback and adapt to changing requirements.
• Fluent English.
• Willing and able to travel internationally with the household. Existing travel permissions are an advantage.

Working Hours & Arrangements

This is a live-out position; accommodation is not provided.

• Monday to Thursday: 11:00 AM–9:00 PM.
• Working hours on Fridays and weekends are generally shorter, often around half a day, as the principals usually dine out. Full-day availability may be required for events or other household needs.
• One day off per week.
• Working times may shift for events, travel or changes to service requirements.

Systems & Workflow

The household uses Todoist and AI assistants to organise tasks, document work and coordinate the team. Their use is mandatory.

Training will be provided. The successful candidate must be willing to learn the systems, maintain clear records and take ownership of tasks through to completion.

To Apply:

Send your CV and a brief note on your relevant restaurant and private service experience through the following link (https://ae.indeed.com/viewjob?jk=7cd4cda14ce8ec97&from=shareddesktop\_copy).

Please state whether you have worked at one of the listed restaurants or at a Michelin-starred restaurant outside the UAE.

Shortlisted candidates will be contacted directly.