Head Chef

Who we are

Umami World Kitchen marks a new era in casual dining, born from a rich heritage and a bold vision.

Here, diners can feast on 100 cross-cultural cuisines via our all you can eat buffet, reflecting the best of Chinese, Italian, Indian, and Malaysian culinary traditions.

Umami World Kitchen is not just a dining place; its a celebration of global flavours and a testament to our passion for culinary excellence. Our experienced team ensures that each visit is more than a meal; its an unforgettable journey through the world of flavours, served in a setting of unmatched elegance.

Job Summary

The role's main purpose is to be responsible for the overall administration and operation of the Kitchen to maximise profits and ensure food/beverage/service quality meets the standards set by UMAMI. The Head Chef is responsible of controlling food cost and operating expenses according to the departmental budget. And. will lead, direct and support the brigade to maintain high staff performance and engagement to ensure a great customer experience through elaborating high standards dishes.

You will also communicate with the Restaurant General manager.

Guests Focus

• To ensure superior customer service in all live cooking stations is provided at the restaurant.
• Monitor food displayed levels in the buffet to ensure the offering is met while minimising potential wastage.
• Ensure customer feedback regarding food is responded and customer complaints are handled and solved professionally and timely.
• Reviews and monitors all guest food feedback, addressing any issues.

Team Champion

• Conduct and monitor all local chef recruitment activity to ensure the correct process is followed, staff files are up to date, and eligibility documents are obtained.
• Create a harmonious and caring working environment for all staff and build up a rapport team with commitment and motivation.
• Control staffing levels, including approval for all additional or replacement staff, oversee staff schedules per time and attendant system, forecast revenue, and control casual staff and overtime to minimise spending costs to predict weekly sales based on the restaurant's performance.
• Coach: aid or solutions to staff when they encounter difficulties
• Check the training scores through all staffs daily performances. Delegate to a qualified trainer if retraining is necessary.
• Ensure all UMAMIs Learning & Development programmes are effectively used.
• Ensure all investigations and disciplinary processes concerning staff conduct issues are followed promptly and aligned with the company policy and procedures.

Brand Excellence

• Ensure the quality of food/beverage/service provided is consistently maintained to ensure that the food prepared meets UMAMIs quality, taste, and temperature standards. And it adherence to the Food and Safety legislations and all other related hygiene standards
• Monitors food quality control on a day-to-day basis, maintain all daily, weekly and monthly check sheets are signed
• Regularly inspect the back of house areas to inspect set-up, service, food quality, general maintenance, and cleanliness.
• Drive the Kitchen management team to resolve promptly any shortcomings, either from food service or the back of house facilities so that the team can improve the quality of the operation.
• Ensure all Health & Safety and Food Hygiene policies are adhered to, protecting employee and customer safety.
• Monitor kitchens production schedules and food safety.
• Monitor and check that the back of house operation follows company standards and comply with the relevant laws and regulations.
• Ensures that the UMAMIs Health and Safety standards are strictly followed, including the cleanliness of the Back of House, personal hygiene standards for all food handlers and quarterly Hygiene Audits.
• Conduct UMAMIs kitchen brand standards audits to ensure that required standards are followed and implemented consistently.

Communication

• Ensure the companysgoals, targets and strategies are communicated effectively to all levels.
• Share information from the Restaurant Support Centre and with the Kitchen team to create day-to-day operation awareness.
• Attend restaurant meetings and review maintenance status, purchases and expenses, highlight achievements, problems and challenges, and specific training courses.
• Immediately communicate to the brigade any changes in policy & procedure or any other directives from the Restaurant Support Centre.
• Ensure smooth and effective communication between the back of house department and other departments.
• Greets and interacts with dining guests when appropriate.

Restaurant Operations

• Overall responsibility for daily operation in the kitchenand the implementation of the company kitchen standard operating procedures.Managing, training and recruiting a brigade of chefs across the different sections
• Provide standard recipes (with photographs), and ingredients list for daily operational needs to Chefs. Ensuring the necessary training takes place to elicit consistency.
• Maintaining or raising the profit margins budget on food.
• Responsible for controlling food cost and operating expenses according to the departmental budget
• Plan order of equipment or ingredients according to identified shortages.
• Work and liaise with UMAMIs maintenance and project teams on all expenditures. And, convey with the Restaurant General Manager to approve estimates for repairs & maintenance.
• Follow up on projects to ensure they are completed in a timely, quality fashion and on budget.
• Manage minor capex to ensure they are completed on time and within budget.

Drives Business/Succession/Change

• Drive for achieving Kitchens targets (budget and financial results) for the fiscal year.
• Ensure budgeted sales and profit margins of respective branches are met or exceeded (monitor daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, annually)
• Monitor and ensure the labour cost is well controlled and the labour Hospitality system is consistently utilised in the respective branches.
• Ensure the productivity of respective branches meets UMAMIs benchmark.
• Investigate and resolve any discrepancies around stock inventory issues and cash shortages.
• Ensure all members are adequately trained and that regular refresher training is managed and undertaken to ensure all staff are able to undertake their duties and able to perform their duties without risk to the Company whilst maintaining the highest standards of service delivery and that all Company procedures are followed
• Conduct Performance Reviews for management staff and address performance issues in their early stages to avoid corrective action, using Personal Development Plans and Performance Improvement Plans where appropriate.
• Conduct annual pay reviews on all direct reports. Ensure annual pay reviews of all employees are completed in a timely, thorough fashion.
• Ensure top talents in the Kitchen are well-engaged, motivated and developed.
• Continually develops team, aiming that all roles are, when possible, filled internally and a succession line is in place.
• Follow up on any food initiatives, promotions, and new products.
• Monitor stock and delivery performance from managers and supervisors.
• Constantly look for ways to improve the Kitchen operations.