Executive Chef

The Executive Chef is responsible for leading the overall culinary vision, strategy, and execution for voco Monaco Dubai. This role will oversee all culinary operations across restaurants, bars, beach club, pool venues, banqueting, in-room dining, and future F&B concepts while ensuring exceptional guest experiences, operational excellence, and commercial performance. The ideal candidate is a passionate culinary leader with extensive experience in luxury lifestyle hotels and internationally acclaimed standalone restaurants. They possess a strong European culinary foundation complemented by an understanding of regional Middle Eastern tastes and dining preferences. The Executive Chef will be instrumental in developing innovative dining concepts that establish voco Monaco as one of Dubai's leading lifestyle destinations. This role requires an individual who thrives in fast-paced environments, embraces creativity, develops high-performing culinary teams, and consistently delivers exceptional quality while maintaining strong financial discipline. Key Responsibilities Culinary Leadership • Develop and execute the overall culinary strategy across all dining venues. • Drive culinary innovation while maintaining consistency and exceptional quality. • Design seasonal menus and dining experiences aligned with international food trends. • Ensure every outlet has a unique identity and guest proposition. • Lead menu engineering to maximise profitability while enhancing guest satisfaction. • Maintain the highest standards of food presentation and product quality. Restaurant & Concept Development • Lead the culinary development of new restaurant concepts and future F&B projects. • Collaborate with ownership and executive leadership on restaurant positioning. • Develop signature dishes and unique culinary experiences. • Introduce experiential dining concepts that complement Monaco's lifestyle positioning. • Work closely with marketing and operations on restaurant launches and promotions. Operations • Oversee all kitchen operations including: • Restaurants • Bars • Beach Club • Pool Operations • Banqueting & Events • In-Room Dining • Staff Dining • Ensure compliance with all food safety and hygiene standards. • Drive operational efficiencies and kitchen productivity. • Maintain equipment and kitchen infrastructure in collaboration with Engineering. Financial Performance • Achieve food cost targets. • Optimise labour productivity. • Reduce food waste through effective planning and inventory management. • Develop supplier relationships that ensure premium quality ingredients while maintaining cost efficiency. • Work with procurement to source fresh seafood and farm-direct produce wherever commercially viable. • Deliver departmental budget and profitability targets. Team Leadership • Recruit, mentor and develop a world-class culinary brigade. • Build a culture of creativity, accountability and continuous learning. • Coach future culinary leaders through structured development plans. • Conduct regular performance reviews. • Foster collaboration between kitchen and front-of-house teams. Guest Experience • Personally engage with guests and VIPs. • Respond proactively to guest feedback. • Create memorable dining experiences that encourage repeat visitation. • Support hotel events and activations through bespoke culinary offerings. Health & Safety • Ensure full HACCP compliance. • Maintain impeccable hygiene standards. • Lead food safety audits. • Ensure compliance with UAE regulations and IHG brand requirements. Candidate Profile The successful candidate will demonstrate: Experience • Minimum 10 years of progressive culinary leadership experience. • Previous Executive Chef or Executive Sous Chef experience in luxury lifestyle hotels. • Strong background in internationally recognized standalone restaurants. • Experience opening or repositioning restaurants is highly desirable. • Proven success leading multiple restaurant concepts simultaneously. Culinary Background Strong preference for chefs with experience in internationally recognised restaurant groups such as: • Zuma • Bagatelle • Coya • Hakkasan • Gaia • Cipriani Michelin-starred restaurant experience is highly regarded. Cuisine Expertise • Strong European culinary foundation. • Mediterranean cuisine expertise. • Italian and French cuisine experience. • Contemporary international cuisine. • Understanding of regional Middle Eastern and Gulf dining preferences. • Strong seafood knowledge. • Experience with premium steaks, grills and live cooking concepts. Leadership Competencies • Inspirational leadership style. • Commercially minded. • Strong business acumen. • Exceptional organisational skills. • High emotional intelligence. • Creative and innovative thinker. • Calm under pressure. • Hands-on operational leader. • Excellent communication and coaching skills. Preferred Qualifications • Culinary Degree or equivalent professional qualification. • HACCP certification. • Food Safety certification. • Experience within luxury international hotel brands. • UAE or GCC experience preferred. Show more Show less

Candidate Profile highlights minimum 10 years of progressive culinary leadership experience, with prior Executive Chef or Executive Sous Chef experience in luxury lifestyle hotels and a strong background in internationally recognized standalone restaurants. Experience opening or repositioning restaurants is highly desirable, with a track record of leading multiple restaurant concepts simultaneously. Culinary background includes strong European foundation, Mediterranean, Italian and French cuisine, and understanding of regional Middle Eastern and Gulf dining preferences. Preference for experience with internationally recognized luxury restaurant groups and potential UAE/GCC experience. Preferred qualifications include a culinary degree or equivalent, HACCP certification, and general food safety certification.

Develop and execute the overall culinary strategy across all dining venues (restaurants, bars, beach club, pool, banqueting, in-room dining, and future F&B concepts). Drive culinary innovation while maintaining consistency and quality; design seasonal menus and dining experiences; ensure each outlet has a unique identity and guest proposition; lead menu engineering to maximize profitability and guest satisfaction; maintain high standards of presentation and product quality. Lead the culinary development of new restaurant concepts and future F&B projects; collaborate with ownership and executive leadership on restaurant positioning; develop signature dishes and experiential dining concepts; work with marketing and operations on launches and promotions. Oversee all kitchen operations, ensure food safety and hygiene standards, drive operational efficiencies and productivity, maintain equipment with Engineering. Achieve food cost targets, optimise labour productivity, reduce waste, maintain supplier relationships for premium ingredients, and deliver departmental budget and profitability targets. Recruit, mentor and develop a world-class culinary team; foster creativity, accountability and continuous learning; conduct performance reviews; collaborate with front-of-house. Personal guest engagement, proactive responses to feedback, create memorable dining experiences, and support hotel events with bespoke offerings. Ensure HACCP compliance and UAE regulatory adherence; lead food safety audits.