Head Chef at Cedar Grillz & Lounge

Role

• Full-time senior leadership position in Gwarinpa, Abuja (includes evenings, weekends and public holidays).
• Reports to the General Manager. Directly manages the Sous Chef, Grill Master, African Cuisine Chef and Kitchen Assistant/Steward.

Core Purpose

• Lead the entire kitchen and own everything that leaves the pass. Design and maintain a standout menu of signature grills, intercontinental and elevated African dishes. Ensure consistent excellence in quality, hygiene, cost control and team performance, while building systems that allow the kitchen to scale nationally and internationally.

Key Responsibilities

• Design, develop and continually refresh the full menu (grills, intercontinental and African)
• Set and enforce standards for taste, temperature, portion, plating and consistency
• Personally inspect dishes at the pass and manage ticket times
• Lead, train, coach and roster the kitchen team; run daily briefings
• Control food cost, yield, wastage and stock with the Store & Procurement Officer
• Ensure full compliance with food safety, HACCP, allergen and hygiene standards
• Oversee kitchen equipment, organisation and readiness for inspection
• Support marketing with food content and represent the kitchen externally
• Build recipes, training materials and systems for future locations.

Requirements

• Minimum: OND/HND or Diploma in Culinary Arts, Hospitality or Catering
• Preferred: Bachelor’s degree or professional diploma from a recognised international culinary school
• Required: Food Safety & Hygiene certificate; HACCP Level 3 preferred
• 6–8 years professional kitchen experience, with at least 2–3 years as Head Chef, Executive Sous Chef or equivalent
• Proven expertise across grills/barbecue, intercontinental cuisine and Nigerian/African dishes
• Strong leadership, menu engineering, costing and team-development skills
• Exceptional candidates with 10+ years’ experience and a strong portfolio may be considered without formal degrees.

Other Notes

• Uniform provided; strict kitchen hygiene and grooming standards apply
• Physically demanding (long hours, heat, standing, lifting).