Head Chef – Luxury Mediterranean Restaurant

About the role

The Head Chef will lead the culinary team at Lola, a distinguished Mediterranean brasserie in Jeddah that blends French Riviera, Italian, and Mediterranean flavors. This hands‑on leadership position requires daily presence in the kitchen, overseeing a brigade of about 30 chefs and maintaining the restaurant’s award‑winning standards.

Key responsibilities

• Lead the kitchen daily, actively participating in preparation and service.
• Maintain and develop Lola’s French Riviera, Italian, and Mediterranean culinary identity.
• Ensure consistent quality, presentation, seasoning, and temperature of every dish.
• Create seasonal menus and innovative dishes in collaboration with the Restaurant Culinary Director.
• Train, mentor, and develop chefs at all levels, fostering a disciplined and professional kitchen culture.
• Control food costs, inventory, purchasing, and waste while preserving ingredient quality.
• Oversee food safety, hygiene, and kitchen organization to meet Three Gault&Millau Toques standards.
• Collaborate with front‑of‑house management to deliver seamless guest experiences.

Required profile

• Proven experience as Head Chef, Chef de Cuisine, or senior Executive Sous Chef in a refined, high‑volume restaurant.
• Strong expertise in French, Italian, and Mediterranean cuisine, especially French Riviera and Italian coastal cooking.
• Demonstrated ability to lead and develop a large, multicultural kitchen brigade.
• Hands‑on, energetic presence throughout preparation and service.
• Excellent attention to flavor, consistency, presentation, and detail.
• Calm, organized, and decisive under pressure with strong commercial awareness.