Restaurant Kitchen Manager - Culinary Operations

for the quality, consistency, organization, and daily production of the restaurant kitchen. This is an active culinary management position where leadership extends beyond supervision, requiring direct involvement in food preparation while coordinating menus, staffing, purchasing requirements, production volumes, sanitation, and service execution.

Effective management of the kitchen has a direct impact on guest experience and restaurant profitability. The role therefore requires a practical understanding of food quality, employee productivity, waste control, operating budgets, safety requirements, and the relationship between culinary performance and wider hotel financial objectives.

Key Responsibilities

* Lead restaurant kitchen shifts and coordinate cooks and food preparation employees throughout daily operations.
* Personally prepare and cook food when required while ensuring recipes, specifications, portions, flavors, and presentation standards are maintained.
* Inspect raw ingredients and cooked products for freshness, quality, taste, appearance, and suitability for service.
* Calculate daily production requirements according to expected restaurant demand and operational needs.
* Plan food quantities and plating requirements to maintain efficient production while controlling unnecessary waste.
* Support the development of daily specials, seasonal menus, new dishes, culinary concepts, and creative food presentations.
* Maintain correct procedures for food preparation, handling, storage, temperature control, sanitation, and kitchen hygiene.
* Communicate production requirements clearly to cooks and other key culinary personnel before and during service.
* Organize kitchen priorities so preparation and service activities remain efficient during changing business volumes.
* Supervise restaurant kitchen employees and understand individual stations sufficiently to maintain continuity during staff absences.
* Cross-train employees across relevant kitchen functions to improve operational flexibility and coverage.
* Set clear expectations for productivity, food quality, teamwork, safety, and daily performance.
* Establish practical kitchen objectives aligned with restaurant performance targets and operating budgets.
* Evaluate how production decisions, staffing, food usage, and kitchen efficiency affect the property\'s financial results.
* Encourage trust, accountability, cooperation, and professional communication among culinary employees.
* Coach team members on menu ingredients, preparation techniques, product characteristics, presentation, and service requirements.
* Identify individual development needs and provide hands-on training, mentoring, and constructive performance feedback.
* Participate in employee interviews, selection, appraisals, counseling, progressive discipline, and other people-management activities.
* Maintain established workplace safety practices and ensure employee accidents are investigated, documented, and followed up appropriately.
* Promote guest satisfaction by ensuring consistent culinary quality and addressing food-related concerns promptly.
* Interact with guests when appropriate to gather feedback on food quality and restaurant service.
* Use guest comments and operational observations to identify opportunities for continuous improvement.
* Analyze kitchen issues, evaluate available information, and implement practical solutions that protect quality and operational performance.
* Participate in relevant restaurant, culinary, and hotel operational meetings.

Ideal Profile

Candidates with a high school diploma or GED should have approximately 4 years of professional experience in culinary operations, food and beverage, restaurant kitchens, or a closely related field.

Alternatively, applicants holding a two-year qualification from an accredited institution in Culinary Arts, Hotel and Restaurant Management, or a related discipline should have approximately 2 years of relevant professional experience.

A strong candidate will combine practical cooking ability with proven experience organizing kitchen operations and guiding culinary employees. Knowledge of menu execution, food production planning, sanitation, storage, temperature control, plating, food quality assessment, and cost awareness is essential.

The position requires a leader who can remain actively involved in service while making sound operational decisions, developing employees, resolving guest concerns, and maintaining productive relationships across the restaurant team.

Skills Set

* Restaurant kitchen management
* Culinary operations
* Food production planning
* Menu development
* Seasonal menu planning
* Professional cooking
* Food presentation
* Plating standards
* Portion control
* Food quality inspection
* Production forecasting
* Food safety
* Kitchen sanitation
* Temperature control
* Food storage
* Kitchen shift management
* Culinary team leadership
* Employee cross-training
* Staff coaching and mentoring
* Performance management
* Kitchen productivity
* Food cost awareness
* Operating budget control
* Purchasing coordination
* Waste reduction
* Guest satisfaction
* Complaint resolution
* Restaurant operations

Why Join Us

Dubai\'s established Hospitality market creates strong career opportunities for culinary professionals who can combine technical kitchen expertise with effective people and cost management. This position provides meaningful exposure to restaurant leadership within Marriott International, including menu development, kitchen budgeting, employee development, guest experience, and high-standard culinary production.

The scope of responsibility also creates a valuable progression path for an experienced chef seeking broader culinary management experience within an international hotel organization, while strengthening the commercial and leadership capabilities required for more senior kitchen positions.

About the Company

Marriott International operates an extensive global portfolio of hotel and resort brands, including Marriott Hotels and JW Marriott. Its Dubai properties bring together international Hospitality standards, diverse culinary operations, structured professional development, and high-volume guest service, creating an established environment for culinary professionals to build long-term hotel and restaurant careers.