Head Chef and Kitchen Manager

About Matcha Vibes

Matcha Vibes is a growing premium Japanese-inspired cafe brand based in Dubai, dedicated to exceptional quality, creativity, healthy living, and Japanese tea culture.

We’re building more than just a cafe. Our ambition is to become one of the UAE’s leading lifestyle and F&B brands, combining outstanding food, innovative beverages, exceptional service, and memorable guest experiences.

We are looking for a talented, experienced, and highly organized Head Chef & Kitchen Manager who can take full ownership of our kitchen operations, lead our culinary team, improve existing standards, and develop an exciting food offering that supports our brand’s growth.

Key Responsibilities

1. Kitchen Management & Operations

● Take full responsibility for daily kitchen operations, organization, efficiency, and performance.

● Establish and implement professional kitchen SOPs, checklists, and operational procedures.

● Ensure consistent food quality, presentation, portion sizes, and preparation standards.

● Manage food preparation, production planning, and kitchen workflow.

● Maintain a clean, organized, and efficient kitchen at all times.

● Ensure smooth coordination between kitchen, bar, and service teams.

1. Menu Development & Innovation

● Improve and develop our existing food menu, focusing on quality, creativity, profitability, and guest satisfaction.

● Create innovative breakfast, brunch, healthy dishes, sandwiches, pastries, desserts, and Japanese-inspired menu items.

● Develop seasonal specials and new products aligned with the Matcha Vibes concept.

● Standardize recipes, preparation methods, portion sizes, and presentation.

● Conduct regular tastings, product evaluations, and menu improvements.

● Understand current food trends and create products that attract new customers and encourage repeat visits.

1. Food Cost & Inventory Management

● Take ownership of food cost control, waste reduction, and kitchen profitability.

● Prepare accurate recipe costing and maintain target food cost percentages.

● Manage inventory, stock rotation, ordering, and supplier relationships.

● Implement FIFO/FEFO procedures and monitor product freshness.

● Minimize food waste, overproduction, and unnecessary purchasing.

● Work closely with the finance team on purchasing, inventory reporting, and cost optimization.

1. Team Leadership & Training

● Lead, supervise, train, and motivate the kitchen team.

● Establish clear responsibilities, performance expectations, and accountability.

● Prepare staff schedules based on operational requirements and business volume.

● Develop training procedures and monitor individual performance.

● Build a professional, respectful, disciplined, and results-oriented kitchen culture.

● Participate in recruitment, onboarding, and performance evaluations.

1. Food Safety & Quality Control

● Ensure full compliance with Dubai Municipality food safety requirements and applicable HACCP standards.

● Implement daily hygiene, temperature, cleaning, and food storage controls.

● Monitor ingredient quality, shelf life, and food handling procedures.

● Conduct regular internal quality inspections.

● Maintain the highest standards of cleanliness, safety, and consistency across dine-in, takeaway, and delivery orders.

1. Business Performance & Accountability

● Work directly with management to improve kitchen efficiency and commercial performance.

● Monitor food sales, customer feedback, food costs, and menu profitability.

● Identify operational problems and implement practical solutions.

● Provide regular reports on kitchen performance, inventory, costs, and team development.

● Support future expansion by developing scalable kitchen systems, recipes, and training standards.

Requirements

● Minimum 5 years of professional culinary experience, including at least 2 years in a Head Chef, Sous Chef, or Kitchen Manager position.

● Proven experience managing a professional cafe, restaurant, or premium casual dining kitchen.

● Strong knowledge of breakfast, brunch, contemporary cafe cuisine, and modern food trends.

● Experience developing menus, calculating recipe costs, and controlling kitchen expenses.

● Strong leadership, staff training, and team management skills.

● Excellent knowledge of food safety, hygiene, and kitchen operations.

● Experience with POS systems, inventory management, and digital operational tools.

● Ability to work independently, solve problems, and take ownership of results.

● Strong English communication skills.

● Previous UAE experience is highly preferred.

● Experience with Japanese-inspired or health-focused cuisine is an advantage.

Who We’re Looking For

We are not looking for someone who simply cooks well.

We want a kitchen leader who thinks like a business owner, understands the relationship between food quality and profitability, builds strong teams, creates systems, and constantly looks for opportunities to improve.

You should be hands-on, creative, organized, disciplined, and genuinely passionate about food and hospitality.

What We Offer

● An opportunity to lead and develop the kitchen of a growing Dubai F&B brand.

● Creative freedom to introduce new dishes and improve our food concept.

● Direct involvement in business development and future expansion.

● A supportive, ambitious, and multicultural team.

● Competitive compensation based on qualifications and experience.

● Long-term career growth opportunities.

How to Apply

Please send your CV along with:

● A brief introduction to your culinary and management experience.

● Examples or photographs of dishes and menus you have developed.

● Your previous kitchen management experience.

● Current location, availability, and expected salary.

Join Matcha Vibes and help us build an exceptional culinary experience in Dubai.

Pay: From AED5,000.00 per month

Education:

• Primary (Preferred)

Experience:

• Head chef : 4 years (Required)

Language:

• English fluently (Required)

Work Location: In person