Chef de Cuisine (Head Chef)📣 Job Ad

About Leylaty Group and Lola Restaurant

Leylaty Group is seeking a Chef de Cuisine (Head Chef) for Lola, a distinguished Mediterranean brasserie located in Jeddah. Lola is inspired by the French Riviera, Southern France, and the Italian coastline, offering a blend of French and Italian gastronomy with Mediterranean flavors. The restaurant provides an elegant yet approachable dining experience and has been awarded Three Toques by Gault&Millau, making it the only restaurant in Jeddah to receive this recognition.

The Role: Chef de Cuisine (Head Chef)

The Chef de Cuisine will lead Lola's culinary team, guiding the restaurant's continued pursuit of excellence. This is a full-time, hands-on leadership position requiring active presence in the kitchen and direct involvement with food preparation and service. The successful candidate will oversee a brigade of approximately 30 chefs, ensuring high standards of quality, consistency, creativity, and operational efficiency. A minimum of 5-10 years of relevant experience is required for this role in Jeddah.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the kitchen team through active daily involvement during preparation and service.
• Maintain a strong presence in the kitchen and work closely with every section of the brigade.
• Preserve and further develop Lola's French Riviera, Italian, and Mediterranean culinary identity.
• Deliver refined, elegant, and flavor-driven cuisine while maintaining simplicity and authenticity.
• Ensure exceptional consistency in food quality, presentation, and execution across every service.
• Continuously taste and monitor dishes to maintain the highest standards of seasoning, flavor, temperature, and presentation.
• Create seasonal menus and innovative dishes in collaboration with the Restaurant Culinary Director.
• Maintain the culinary standards expected of a restaurant recognized with Three Gault&Millau Toques.
• Train, mentor, and develop chefs at every level while fostering a disciplined, positive, and professional kitchen culture.
• Organize and manage the kitchen brigade efficiently, ensuring excellent communication between all sections.
• Take full responsibility for food quality, hygiene, food safety, kitchen organization, and operational standards.
• Control food costs, inventory, purchasing, and waste without compromising ingredient quality or guest experience.
• Collaborate closely with restaurant management and front-of-house teams to deliver seamless guest experiences.
• Support recruitment, onboarding, training, and career development of kitchen employees.
• Build a strong succession plan and identify future culinary leaders within the brigade.

Required Qualifications and Experience

• Proven experience as a Head Chef, Chef de Cuisine, or a highly accomplished Executive Sous Chef in a refined, high-volume restaurant.
• Strong expertise in French, Italian, and Mediterranean cuisine.
• Excellent understanding of French Riviera and Italian coastal cooking.
• Strong classical culinary foundations combined with a modern and elegant approach to food.
• Demonstrated success in leading and developing large multicultural kitchen brigades.
• International experience and previous exposure to luxury hospitality or recognized fine dining restaurants will be considered an advantage.

Candidate Profile

• Hands-on, energetic, and dedicated to being present throughout preparation and service.
• Exceptional attention to flavor, consistency, presentation, and detail.
• Ability to balance creativity with operational discipline and commercial awareness.
• Calm, organized, and decisive under pressure.
• A natural leader who earns respect through knowledge, professionalism, and example.
• Comfortable joining an established, award-winning restaurant while contributing fresh ideas and continuous improvement.
• Thrives in the kitchen, passionate about cooking, ingredients, craftsmanship, and service.
• Leads from the front, inspiring the team through action, and committed to delivering high-quality culinary experiences daily.

Work Environment

The Chef de Cuisine will operate within Lola, an established and award-winning restaurant environment. This role requires a professional who is dedicated to maintaining high standards while also contributing to continuous culinary evolution and team development.