Your Day to Day Collaborate with Executive Chef and corporate teams on culinary concept refinement. Develop signature coastal menus reflecting local Malaysian seafood and global influences. Conduct supplier sourcing, tasting panels, and product benchmarking. Establish recipe manuals, plating guides, and culinary SOPs. Support kitchen layout planning, equipment selection, and small wares specification. Lead pre-opening menu tastings for ownership and corporate approval. Culinary Operations Oversee daily kitchen operations ensuring consistency, quality, and timing. Ensure compliance with IHG brand standards and LQA expectations. Maintain strong focus on seafood handling, freshness control, and traceability. Implement mise en place systems and service flow optimization. Drive seasonality and sustainability initiatives. Financial Performance Develop and control food cost budgets. Conduct menu engineering and contribution margin analysis. Monitor food cost percentage and waste management. Optimize purchasing strategies in coordination with Finance and Procurement. Maintain accurate recipe costing and inventory control procedures. Team Leadership & Development Recruit, train, and mentor culinary brigade during pre-opening phase. Establish kitchen culture aligned with IHG values. Conduct skills assessments and structured onboarding programs. Lead daily briefings and performance evaluations. Foster teamwork, accountability, and high-performance standards. Compliance & Food Safety Ensure full compliance with HACCP standards and local regulations. Lead kitchen hygiene audits and corrective action plans. Support Halal certification requirements if applicable. Maintain proper documentation for inspections and brand audits. Guest Experience & Brand Representation Engage with guests during service when appropriate. Handle special dietary requirements and VIP requests. Support marketing initiatives, media tastings, and promotional events. Act as culinary ambassador for the restaurant and hotel. Required Qualifications & Experience Diploma/Degree in Culinary Arts or equivalent. Minimum 5-8 years' experience in upscale/luxury dining. Previous pre-opening experience preferred. Strong knowledge of seafood and coastal cuisine. Experience within international hotel brands preferred. Proven ability to manage food cost and kitchen P&L. Strong leadership and communication skills. Fluency in English. Don't quite meet every single requirement, but still believe you'd be a great fit for the job We'll never know unless you hit the 'Apply' button. Start your journey with us today.
