Chef de Cuisine – Moroccan Cuisine

Company Description

Mövenpick Hotel & Residences Riyadh

Job Description

Position Summary

Mövenpick Hotel & Residences Riyadh is seeking an experienced, passionate, and dynamic Chef de Cuisine – Moroccan Cuisine to lead our authentic North African culinary offerings. The Chef de Cuisine will oversee daily kitchen operations for Moroccan culinary concepts, ensuring high standards of food quality, authenticity, presentation, and hygiene. This role demands a master of authentic Moroccan techniques, flavors, and spice profiles, combined with strong leadership, financial acumen, and operational discipline expected within a 5-star Accor property.

Culinary Excellence & Authentic Execution

• Design, develop, and execute authentic Moroccan menus, including traditional slow-cooked Tagines, handcrafted Couscous, Pastilla, cold and hot Mezza, traditional pastries, and custom banquet offerings.

• Preserve authentic Maghrebi flavor profiles while applying modern 5-star plating techniques and high culinary presentation standards.

• Conduct regular menu engineering and seasonal refreshes to align with guest preferences, market trends, and Accor brand guidelines.

• Lead live-cooking stations, private dining experiences, and special Moroccan cultural culinary pop-ups/promotions.

Operational Leadership & Kitchen Management

• Direct daily kitchen operations, prep work, and service execution to maintain seamless timing and consistent dish quality.

• Establish precise standardized recipe sheets, yield charts, and picture specifications for all dishes to ensure consistency across shifts.

• Manage kitchen staffing schedules, station assignments, and operational workflows to optimize labor efficiency.

• Oversee raw ingredient receiving, storage, and inventory levels in coordination with the procurement team, ensuring authentic Moroccan spices and specialist ingredients are sourced to standard.

Quality Control, Hygiene & Food Safety

• Enforce strict compliance with Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) regulations, HACCP protocols, and Accor Food Safety standards.

• Conduct daily hygiene inspections of workstations, cold storage, equipment, and personal grooming across the culinary team.

• Supervise temperature controls, food labeling, rotation (FIFO), and allergen management protocols.

Financial Management & Cost Control

• Manage kitchen food costs to meet targeted budgets without compromising culinary quality or portions.

• Monitor daily food waste, portion controls, and yield management to minimize operational loss.

• Assist the Executive Chef in annual operating budgets, menu pricing strategies, and equipment capex planning.

Team Leadership & Development

• Recruit, train, mentor, and evaluate kitchen staff, fostering a collaborative and high-performance kitchen environment.

• Conduct regular culinary workshops on traditional Moroccan cooking techniques, spice blending, and slow-cooking methods for junior chefs.

• Support national talent development and Saudization initiatives through targeted operational mentoring and career planning.

Qualifications

Experience & Education

• Education: Diploma or Degree in Culinary Arts, Hospitality Management, or equivalent vocational culinary certification.

• Experience: Minimum of 5–7 years of culinary experience in high-end Moroccan cuisine, including at least 2–3 years in a leadership role (Chef de Cuisine or Senior Sous Chef) within 5-star international hotels or renowned fine-dining Moroccan restaurants.

• Certifications: Certified in HACCP / Food Safety Management (Level 3 or 4 preferred).

Technical Competencies

• Deep mastery of authentic Moroccan culinary techniques (slow cooking, preserved lemon curing, ras el hanout master blending, handmade pastry leaves/Warka).

• Strong working knowledge of kitchen P&L management, menu costing, and inventory control software (e.g., Materials Control, FMC, or similar ERP systems).

• Thorough understanding of international food safety standards and GCC municipal regulations.

Additional Information

Key Skills & Attributes

• Excellent leadership, team motivation, and communication skills.

• Ability to thrive in a high-volume, multi-cultural, 5-star kitchen environment.

• Strong fluency in English is required; fluency in Arabic and/or French is highly advantageous.