Head Chef
Head Chef
A fantastic opportunity to join the team at Dunboyne Castle Hotel & Spa as Head Chef
About Us
Dunboyne Castle Hotel & Spa is a luxury estate, nestled in 21 acres of lush green Meath countryside. The Georgian mansion which welcomes visitors today was originally built in 1764, on the same site as the original castle. Dunboyne Castle was acquired by Mr. Thomas Röggla in December 2022. The hotel joined his collection of luxury Irish hotels forming the TMR Hotel Collection, including Farnham Estate Spa & Golf Resort, Harvey’s Point, Mount Wolseley & Aghadoe Heights.
As part of the TMR Collection & under the guidance of Windward Management, Dunboyne Castle offers great opportunities for growth & progression in your hospitality career.
Responsibilities
Reporting to the General Manager, the Head Chef will take overall responsibility for the daily operation of the Kitchen Department, ensuring the highest standards of food quality, presentation, hygiene and service across all food outlets at Dunboyne Castle Hotel & Spa.
As part of your role:
Lead and manage the daily operation of the Kitchen Department, ensuring consistently high-quality food across all outlets.
Supervise, motivate and develop the kitchen team, providing effective training, coaching and support.
Work closely with the Food & Beverage and wider hotel teams to ensure smooth daily operations and an excellent guest experience.
Take responsibility for menu development, product sourcing and introducing new dishes and culinary trends.
Ensure effective control of food costs, labour costs, stock levels and departmental budgets.
Maintain high standards of food quality, presentation and consistency through regular monitoring and follow-up.
Ensure all food preparation, cooking and kitchen operations comply with Health & Hygiene, Health & Safety and hotel standards.
Manage employee performance and employee relations matters professionally, working closely with the HR Department where required.
Ensure appropriate staffing levels and efficient labour practices are maintained within the department.
Monitor guest feedback and operational reports, taking action to continually improve the food operation.
Lead regular kitchen briefings and contribute to departmental and hotel meetings.
Promote a positive team culture and maintain strong working relationships across all hotel departments.
About this role
Requirements
Excellent leadership capabilities to effectively manage a large team.
Proven experience as a Head Chef, Senior Sous Chef or similar senior kitchen management role
Extensive experience working in a busy, high-quality kitchen environment.
Strong culinary skills with a passion for quality, consistency and presentation.
Proven experience managing food costs, menu costing, stock control and departmental budgets.
Proven ability to supervise, motivate and develop colleagues.
Experience in training and coaching kitchen team members.
Strong ability to work efficiently and deal with busy periods competently.
Strong understanding of Health & Safety, food hygiene and kitchen operating standards.
Strong communication skills, both verbal and written.
Self-Motivated and Enthusiastic.
Excellent Interpersonal Skills.
Ability to work flexibly and maintain a hands-on approach within a busy hotel operation.
Perks and Benefits of working at Dunboyne Castle Hotel & Spa
Career progression opportunities across the Windward group
Employee Assistance Programme
Meals on duty
Discounted room & dining rates in Windward properties for you as well as friends and family
Refer-a-friend scheme
Training and development opportunities dedicated to your development
Employee awards & staff recognition scheme including employee of the month, long service awards, team recognition days and random treat days
Salary Information
The advertised pay range represents the salary available for this role. Final starting salary will be determined within this range, based on relevant skills, qualifications, experience, and business requirements.
About Windward Management
Dunboyne Castle Hotel & Spa is managed by Windward Management.
Windward Management is a team of highly experienced hotel operators and investors with a hotel portfolio of approx. 2,000 keys* in Ireland. Founded in 2007, Windward is a leading hospitality management company, managing and operating hotels on behalf of their owners.
Join Us Today as a Head Chef!
What you will need
Required criteria
- Fluent written and spoken English
- Past experience as a Head Chef, Sous Chef or comparable role
- Must have full eligibility to work in Ireland
- Must have experience using Microsoft Office applications
Skills needed for this job opportunity
KPIs
Leading Teams
Menu/Product Knowledge
Chefing Skills
Food Costing Skills
Menu Engineering Skills
Budgeting and Forecasting
