Piplhr
Hospitality & RetailJD · JS · KPIs

Chef Roles and Responsibilities

The Chef leads the kitchen to produce consistent, safe and high-quality food. They plan menus and recipes, supervise kitchen staff, control food cost and wastage, and enforce hygiene and food safety standards.

Also known as: Head Chef, Sous Chef, Kitchen Manager, Cook

Build this role in Piplhr
Reports to
Restaurant Manager or Owner
Department
Hospitality & Retail
Experience
3-10 years in professional kitchens, depending on level
Work location
Restaurant or commercial kitchen

Job Description (JD)

The responsibilities a Chef owns and the duties they perform.

Responsibilities

  1. 1Deliver consistent food quality to standard recipes
  2. 2Lead, train and schedule kitchen staff
  3. 3Maintain food safety, hygiene and storage standards
  4. 4Control food cost, portioning and wastage
  5. 5Plan menus and develop new dishes
  6. 6Manage ingredient ordering and supplier quality
  7. 7Maintain kitchen equipment

Duties

Daily
  • Check mise en place and prep lists before service
  • Cook and supervise dishes during service
  • Taste and check plating against standard recipes
  • Enforce kitchen hygiene and closing checklists
  • Record wastage
Weekly
  • Plan kitchen rosters
  • Place ingredient orders and check deliveries
  • Review food cost and wastage with the manager
  • Deep clean and equipment checks
Monthly
  • Conduct stock counts
  • Update recipes, costing and menu items
  • Train kitchen staff on recipes and safety

Job Specification (JS)

The job information and the skills this role needs.

Job information

Qualification
Culinary or hotel management diploma preferred
Experience
3-10 years in professional kitchens, depending on level
Work location
Restaurant or commercial kitchen
Working hours
Full-time, including evenings, weekends and holidays
Shift
Split or rotational shifts
Employment type
Full-time

Technical skills

  • Cooking techniques and cuisine expertise
  • Food safety and hygiene
  • Recipe costing
  • Inventory and ordering
  • Kitchen equipment handling

Soft skills

  • Leadership in a fast-paced kitchen
  • Consistency
  • Creativity
  • Time management
  • Stamina

Tools used

  • Kitchen display or KOT system
  • Recipe cards and SOPs
  • Inventory sheets
  • Temperature logs

Career path

  1. Commis
  2. Chef de Partie
  3. Sous Chef
  4. Head Chef
  5. Executive Chef

KPI

How to measure whether a Chef is succeeding.

KPIWhat it measuresReview
Food cost %Ingredient cost as a share of food salesWeekly
WastageValue of food wastedWeekly
Ticket timeAverage time from order to dish readyDaily
Food quality complaintsGuest complaints about foodWeekly
Hygiene audit scoreKitchen audit resultsMonthly

In Piplhr, KPIs become recurring daily and weekly reports that each person submits - see Reporting & KPI tracking.

Chef FAQs

What does a Chef do?

The Chef leads the kitchen to produce consistent, safe and high-quality food. They plan menus and recipes, supervise kitchen staff, control food cost and wastage, and enforce hygiene and food safety standards.

What are the main responsibilities of a Chef?

Key responsibilities include: deliver consistent food quality to standard recipes; lead, train and schedule kitchen staff; maintain food safety, hygiene and storage standards; control food cost, portioning and wastage; plan menus and develop new dishes.

What skills does a Chef need?

Technical skills: Cooking techniques and cuisine expertise, Food safety and hygiene, Recipe costing, Inventory and ordering, Kitchen equipment handling. Soft skills: Leadership in a fast-paced kitchen, Consistency, Creativity, Time management, Stamina.

Who does a Chef report to?

A Chef typically reports to the Restaurant Manager or Owner.

What qualifications are required to become a Chef?

Culinary or hotel management diploma preferred, with 3-10 years in professional kitchens, depending on level.

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