Our Client and the Role:

Our Client is a multi- national food logistics and facilities provider. Founded in 1957 its headquarters are in Europe and are renowned as a market leader and an innovative distributor of wholesale food products and food logistics concepts. They are experts in the handling of customs procedures, cross border transactions and dealing with local cultures, languages and bureaucracy.

They distribute food products across all temperature spans including fresh produce and also deliver soft drinks and bottled water. They have sites in Europe, Africa, Middle East and Near Asia, a fleet of 40 foot multi : temperature trucks and vans delivering to sites on a daily basis, many of which are difficult to reach or in dangerous areas!

Over the years the business has developed from food logistics to include the provision of other complex service solutions. They now provide extensive catering operations- both military feeding and commercial catering and have an expanding Retail Division which includes bakeries, coffee shops, hairdressing and beautician salons and PX / Duty Free retail stores which sell groceries, electrical and other duty free items etc. They also have a Site Services Division which provides construction of buildings and offices, general facilities management, fuel management, vehicle and plant maintenance services.

The Role:

Within their Catering Services Division they are seeking a Head Chef to work in Kandahar, Afghanistan to manage a kitchen feeding a contingent of US military personnel and therefore the successful candidate should be accomplished in cooking American and South American cuisine.

Reporting into a Catering Unit Manager, the key tasks are:

§ To set higher standards of catering in the day to day running of the operation

§ Ensure areas of responsibility meet the approved organisation quality audits.

§ Implement and monitor our client?s hygiene & sanitation procedures.

§ Organise and record food safety and health & safety training for all staff.

§ Prepare and receive weekly provisions in line with menu cycle and budgets.

§ Ensure meals per shift are ready on, time and presented to our client?s standards.

§ Assist with the monthly evaluation and revise menu cycle and costs.

§ Assist with the weekly rosters planning including leave plots ensuring all staff have their entitled time off and leave ensuring the operational needs are met.

§ Ensure successful conflict resolution and record.

§ Organise and implement regular theme nights

§ To ensure that all security procedures are adhered to.

§ To recommend and discuss with the Catering Unit Manager any improvements to
the system/procedures which may be beneficial to our client?s operations.

As in any successful management position, the development and motivation of the team around you is essential.
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Knowledge and Skills:

You should be an energetic and accomplished English speaking Head Chef who can ideally speak fluently at least one other European language. You should be highly self motivated with the ability to communicate and motivate a varied team. You should have chef/catering experience at Executive/ Head/ Sous Chef level.

As the role involves managing a kitchen feeding a contingent of US military personnel the successful candidate should be accomplished in cooking American and South American cuisine.

Experience of working in contracted catering services, in a military environment or for a leading international facilities management provider would be ideal, as would experience of working in post conflict areas, remote sites, on oil rigs or in other arduous environments.

You will have an excellent understanding of commercial catering operations and specifically a high degree of knowledge on food hygiene including HACCP, food handling and food presentation concepts and knowledge of popular catering and bakery products.

You should possess excellent communication skills in English and ideally one other language and be able to adapt to rapid changes in a positive manner and work to tight deadlines.

Superb inter-personal skills and instant credibility are essential as you will be inter-facing with a number of people from different backgrounds, nationalities and religions.

You will be resourceful with a flexible outlook, have the ability to multi-task in order to handle competing priorities and be able to fit in to an international dynamic and multi-cultural environment.

Finally you should possess a Drivers Licence.

This is an outstanding challenge for an accomplished Head Chef looking for something different.

Whilst our Client?s operation is somewhat unique they are in it for the long term and are looking for a minimum of 12 : 18 month?s commitment.

The basic salary is paid in Euros and is tax free for an Ex-Patriate employee. In addition