Chef de Cuisine - Pool Bar at Hyatt

Summary

• The Chef de Cuisine - Pool Bar Kitchen is responsible for the overall culinary leadership, concept execution, profitability, and guest experience of the Pool Bar restaurant.
• The role oversees all food production supporting poolside dining, bar food service, family dining, couples' experiences, weekend promotions, and special events while maintaining Hyatt's culinary and food safety standards.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead all culinary operations for the Pool Bar Kitchen.
• Develop innovative and profitable menus.
• Ensure food presentation and quality standards are consistently maintained.
• Drive guest satisfaction and operational excellence.
• Control food costs, waste, and labor productivity.
• Support special events, pool parties, weekend promotions, and seasonal activations.
• Train, coach, and develop the culinary team.
• Maintain hygiene and food safety standards in accordance with Hyatt requirements.

Qualifications
Education:

• Degree or Diploma in Culinary Arts, Hospitality Management, or related field.
• HACCP / Food Safety Certification.
• Additional certifications in international cuisine, grill, Mediterranean cuisine, or menu engineering are advantageous.

Experience:

• Minimum 7-10 years of progressive culinary experience.
• At least 3 years as Chef de Cuisine, Executive Sous Chef, or Senior Sous Chef in an international hotel, resort, beach club, lifestyle venue, or upscale casual restaurant.
• Strong experience in:
  • Pool bar  dining concepts.
  • Outdoor kitchen operations.
  • High-volume casual dining.
  • Family-friendly restaurants.
  • Bar food and beverage pairing menus.
  • Weekend brunches and themed events.
• Pre-opening experience highly preferred.

Strong knowledge and practical experience in:

• Seafood specialties.
• Grill and barbecue concepts.
• Wood-fired or specialty pizzas.
• Healthy lifestyle menu offerings.
• Sharing platters and small plates.
• Premium bar snacks and appetizers.
• Contemporary Nigerian and African cuisine.

Technical Competencies:

• Menu development and engineering.
• Food cost and labor cost management.
• Inventory and procurement control.
• Kitchen productivity management.
• HACCP and food safety compliance.
• Revenue-driving promotions and culinary activations.
• Forecasting and budgeting.
• Strong understanding of food and beverage pairing.

Leadership Competencies:

• Proven ability to lead and develop teams of 15-30 culinary colleagues.
• Strong coaching and succession planning skills.
• Ability to create a positive and engaging work culture.
• Excellent communication and collaboration with Food & Beverage Operations.
• Strong guest engagement and problem-solving skills.