Job title: Executive Chef, Private Household, Middle East

Job Description

  • Location: Middle East. Specific country and city shared with shortlisted candidates under NDA.

  • Contract: Full-time, permanent.

  • Compensation: Commensurate with senior executive-chef benchmarks for private households at this tier. Full package shared with shortlisted candidates under NDA.

  • Relocation: Single-status relocation support provided.

  • Start Date: As soon as possible.

  • Confidentiality: Highly confidential search. NDA required before further details are disclosed.

The Opportunity

Oplu is leading the search for an experienced Executive Chef to lead the culinary operation of a highly confidential private household in the Middle East.

The Executive Chef holds full accountability for the kitchen: menu development, food quality, kitchen operations, cost control, team leadership, food safety, and the household’s dining experience. The position reports to the Operations Manager and leads an established team of approximately 20 Chefs and Stewards. The culinary remit is equally divided between private dining and formal occasions, events and
visiting guests.

This is a senior appointment in a demanding private environment. The successful candidate will set standards for a brigade, run a kitchen with no prescribed supplier list, deliver international cuisine of consistent quality, and hold the discretion that a confidential household at this level requires.

Who This Role Suits

This role is best suited to an established Executive Chef or Senior Head Chef with a track record of leading large brigades to consistent high standards, ideally with private household, royal household, embassy residence, or super-prime estate exposure.

The right candidate is technically excellent, calm, commercial, and comfortable operating inside a confidential private environment. Not a commercial-hotel chef at heart. Not a chef who needs the structure of a prescribed supplier list. Comfortable with a single-status relocation and a demanding service pattern.

Key Responsibilities

Culinary Operations

  • Oversee all kitchen and culinary operations, ensuring efficient and smooth daily service.

  • Develop, implement, and maintain menus that reflect the standards and expectations of the owners and guests.

  • Ensure consistency in food quality, taste, presentation, portioning, and freshness.

  • Create and maintain standardised recipes, preparation methods, and presentation standards.

  • Monitor food production and ensure appropriate mise en place for all service periods.

  • Introduce new dishes, seasonal menus, and culinary concepts where appropriate.

  • Ensure effective coordination between the kitchen, service team, and other departments.

  • Deliver a broad range of international cuisine across both private dining and formal occasions.

  • Support dietary and nutritional requirements, including familiarity with calorie-controlled dining.

Leadership and Team Management

  • Recruit, train, develop, and supervise the culinary team.

  • Establish clear performance expectations and maintain professional kitchen standards.

  • Prepare staffing schedules and manage labour requirements in line with service needs.

  • Conduct training and coaching to improve culinary skills, productivity, and service standards.

  • Promote teamwork, discipline, professionalism, and a positive working environment.

  • Evaluate team performance and address performance or conduct issues appropriately.

  • Lead and coordinate the established team of approximately 20 Chefs and Stewards.

Food Cost and Financial Management

  • Develop and manage food budgets in coordination with the Operations Manager.

  • Monitor food costs, portion control, waste, spoilage, and inventory levels.

  • Work closely with purchasing and suppliers to maintain quality while achieving cost objectives.

  • Conduct regular inventory checks and investigate significant variances.

  • Implement procedures to minimise food waste and maximise quality-adjusted spend.

  • Ensure proper use and maintenance of kitchen equipment and resources.

Food Safety and Hygiene

  • Ensure full compliance with applicable food safety, sanitation, and hygiene regulations.

  • Maintain high standards of personal hygiene, kitchen cleanliness, and food handling.

  • Implement and monitor HACCP and other relevant food-safety procedures.

  • Conduct regular kitchen inspections and ensure corrective actions are implemented.

  • Ensure proper storage, labelling, temperature control, and rotation of food products.

Purchasing and Supplier Management

  • Work with the purchasing team to establish product specifications and quality standards.

  • Evaluate suppliers and maintain strong professional relationships with approved vendors.

  • Ensure all products received meet required quality, quantity, freshness, and specification standards.

  • Approve or recommend products and ingredients according to culinary requirements.

  • Apply professional judgement when sourcing ingredients and products; there is no prescribed supplier list.

Guest Experience and Quality

  • Maintain high standards of household and guest satisfaction through consistent culinary quality.

  • Respond professionally to feedback and culinary matters raised.

  • Work with the Operations Manager and wider household teams to improve the dining experience.

  • Ensure food presentation reflects the household’s standards.

  • Adapt confidently between private dining and formal occasions, events, and visiting guests.

Candidate Profile

Must-haves

  • Culinary degree, diploma, or equivalent professional culinary qualification.

  • Minimum of 5 to 10 years of progressive culinary experience, including time in a senior chef or executive chef position.

  • Strong experience in high-volume food production and kitchen operations.

  • Proven leadership and team-management skills.

  • Strong knowledge of food safety, sanitation, HACCP, and kitchen hygiene standards.

  • Demonstrated experience with menu development, food costing, budgeting, and inventory management.

  • Excellent knowledge of international culinary techniques and current food trends.

  • Strong communication, organisational, and problem-solving skills.

  • Excellent written and spoken English.

  • Comfortable relocating on a single-status basis.

  • Available to start within approximately two months.

Strong Advantage

  • Prior experience in a private household, royal household, embassy residence, or super-prime estate.

  • Prior exposure to confidential private environments and NDA-governed service.

  • Experience leading a brigade of comparable scale, ideally 15+.

  • Experience in a region of similar cultural and dietary context, such as the Middle East, Gulf, or comparable.

Personal Attributes

  • Creative and passionate about food and hospitality.

  • Strong leadership presence with the ability to motivate and develop teams.

  • Highly organised and detail-oriented.

  • Calm and effective under pressure.

  • Commercially aware and cost-conscious.

  • Professional, disciplined, and committed to quality.

  • Strong communication and interpersonal skills.

Key Performance Indicators

  • Food cost percentage and budget performance.

  • Household and guest satisfaction, including culinary feedback.

  • Food quality and consistency.

  • Kitchen productivity and labour efficiency.

  • Food waste and inventory variance.

  • Compliance with food safety and hygiene standards.

  • Staff retention, training, and team performance.

  • Successful development and implementation of menus and culinary concepts.

Application Process

Apply confidentially via the form on this page. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Candidates who progress will be asked to sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement before further details of the role, household, and package are disclosed. If you do not hear from us within 14 days, please consider your application unsuccessful on this occasion.