Head Chefs and Chefs

Company Description

The Garden Venue is a function and event location set in beautifully landscaped gardens within the Northriding Smallholdings, near the Northgate Dome. Spanning 3 hectares, the venue offers a relaxed country atmosphere with multiple reception, conference, meeting, and ceremony rooms. These indoor and outdoor spaces accommodate events from intimate gatherings of 12 guests to large functions of up to 500 guests. The venue hosts a wide range of events, including weddings, conferences, seminars, team-building programs, birthday parties, year-end functions, bridal showers, and baby showers. With distinctive spaces such as the Olive Tree Hide, Koi Pond Pavilion, and Elephant Room, The Garden Venue offers diverse settings to create memorable experiences for guests.

Role Description

This is a full-time, on-site role based in the Johannesburg for Head Chefs and Chefs at The Garden Venue. Team members will plan, prepare, and present high-quality menus tailored to weddings, conferences, and special events, ensuring consistency in taste, presentation, and portion control. Responsibilities include overseeing food production for events, managing kitchen operations, maintaining stock levels, and ensuring strict adherence to food safety and hygiene standards. Head Chefs will lead and schedule kitchen staff, coordinate with event and front-of-house teams, and contribute to menu development and cost control. Chefs will support all cooking, prep, plating, and cleaning duties, helping to ensure timely service and a positive guest experience at each function.

Qualifications

• Culinary expertise: Strong skills in hot and cold kitchen preparation, event catering, menu design, and plating for large and small functions.
• Kitchen and operations management: Experience with stock control, ordering, cost management, food safety compliance, and efficient workflow in a busy kitchen.
• Team leadership and collaboration: Ability to supervise and train kitchen staff (for Head Chefs), work effectively within a diverse team, and coordinate with event and service teams.
• Quality and service orientation: Commitment to high standards of taste, presentation, cleanliness, and guest satisfaction under time constraints.
• Education and experience: Formal culinary qualification or relevant certification, with proven experience in hotels, event venues, or catering environments; prior leadership experience is advantageous for Head Chefs.
• Personal attributes: Strong communication skills, reliability, ability to work flexible hours including evenings and weekends, and resilience in a fast-paced environment.

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