Job Description
Overview of the Company
dnata is one of the world’s largest air and travel services providers, offering ground handling, cargo, travel and catering & retail services at over 130 airports in more than 30 countries across six continents. At dnata, we are by your side for the entire travel experience. dnata Catering and Retail is one of the world’s leading in-flight hospitality providers, delivering world-class culinary services and innovative products that enhance our passengers’ experience.
Do not wait to apply after reading this description a high application volume is expected for this opportunity.
What’s the purpose of role:
The role of Senior Sous Chef is based at Heston, with a strong emphasis on the preparation and understanding of Regional Chinese & Asian cuisine as well as working knowledge of Western cuisines. Senior Sous chef will be allocated account(s) and responsible for understanding the culinary needs of their customers and subsequently delivering them, both from a menu development perspective but equally as importantly ensuring our operational kitchens have the know how to deliver the menus consistently and to the standards set. In addition the role will work with Procurement on dedicated category’s to drive range improvement and consolidation to deliver good, better best in each category.
Who you’ll deal with:
Internal: National Accounts Executive Chef, Food Technologist, chefs, unit personnel, central support functions, QA, Compliance
External: Airline customers, apprentices, EHO, Auditors
What you’ll be doing:
- Work with customer and sales/commercial team to understand customer requirements fully
- Develop dishes and products that match customer brief, commercial constraints and development strategy
- Constantly look to innovate and be creative in your development ideas across a wide range of cuisines
- Prepare customer menu presentations with assistance of development team to meet presentation deadlines in the UK and culinary support in other Dnata stations ex UK
- Lead Menu Presentations to Customers and assist National Accounts Executive Chef with high profile Menu Presentations incorporating Regional Chinese & Asian cuisine
- Explain kitchen/production concepts in ‘layman’ terms to customers and chefs
- Lead in-house presentations to unit Chefs on new products and new methods of production
- Work with commercial team on menu specifications post-presentation to ensure accuracy and consistency of data
- Develop plating guides for presentation
- Assist with transitioning presentation dishes into mainstream production
- Review and constantly improve recipes and production methodology
- Input innovative and create ideas to the development strategy
- Support with in-house hospitality for client entertaining – write menus, produce shopping list, produce menu items, liaise with hospitality team
- Champion global food trends in the business
- Work on various projects as directed e.g. new concepts
- Ensure all costs are contained within agreed financial guidelines and maintain and monitor working practices, systems and processes to meet schedules.
- Ensuring that all recipes are communicated effectively and as appropriate provide information to the Commercial department
- Responding positively to cost and production implications of new customer specifications.
- In liaison with Procurement develop core range as allocated to deliver good, better and best in each category.
- Ensure the quality of the raw product is in line with expectations of category and that suppliers are fully aware of requirements
This list is not exhaustive, accountabilities may vary dependant on locality or role complexity and may include any other duties considered reasonable by the line manager.
What you’ll have:
- Professional culinary qualifications e.g. 706/1, 706/2 & 706/3 or diploma/degree level
- Previous product development experience in a manufacturing environment or similar is essential
- Must have experience of working in various types of culinary outlets including fine dining and international
- This is a customer facing role, so you will need to be good at building rapport and creating long-term business relationships
- You will need to be confident in presenting to a group and taking the lead role
- You must have excellent product presentation skills
- You will need to be enthusiastic with a ‘can do’ attitude to producing a quality product within tight deadlines
- Outstanding understanding of food values and food quality with an understanding of chemical/molecular balances in foods
- It is important that you are able to adapt to meet the customers’ needs whilst still operating within the company constraints
- Must be able to deliver to deadlines
- You will need to be flexible about your working hours to meet customer requirements
- Able to work at other UK locations as necessary for presentations
- Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build relationships with internal departments and external customers
- You will be expected to keep up to date with food trends via social media, attending food festivals etc.
- Bring your knowledge of modern restaurant/ food concepts and new kitchen technology into the traditional airline catering operations