Indian Specialty Chef

Job description

POSITION SUMMARY

Assists the Sous Chef in ensuring the quality, consistency, and production of Indian cuisine in the kitchen. Exhibits culinary talents by personally performing tasks while leading the staff and managing all food-related functions. Works with the team to improve guest and employee satisfaction while maintaining the operating budget. Must ensure sanitation and food standards are achieved. Develops and trains the team to improve results, with a focus on authentic and innovative Indian culinary techniques.

Prepare ingredients for cooking, including portioning, chopping, and storing food. Pull food from freezer storage to thaw in the refrigerator. Weigh, measure, and mix ingredients according to recipes or personal judgment. Prepare and cook food according to recipes, quality standards, presentation standards, and food preparation checklist. Monitor food quality while preparing food. Test foods to determine if they have been cooked sufficiently, using methods such as tasting, smelling, or piercing them with utensils. Ensure proper portion, arrangement, and food garnish to be served. Serve food in proper portions onto proper receptacle. Use kitchen tools safely and appropriately. Wash and disinfect kitchen area, tables, tools, knives, and equipment. Check and ensure the correctness of the temperature of appliances and food. Notify manager if a product does not meet specifications. Communicate any assistance needed during busy periods.

Follow all company and safety and security policies and procedures; report maintenance needs, accidents, injuries, and unsafe work conditions to manager; complete safety training and certifications. Ensure uniform and personal appearance are clean and professional. Welcome and acknowledge all guests according to company standards. Speak with others using clear and professional language. Support team to reach common goals; listen and respond appropriately to the concerns of other employees. Ensure adherence to quality expectations and standards. Stand, sit, or walk for an extended period of time. Move, lift, carry, push, pull, and place objects weighing less than or equal to 10 pounds without assistance. Perform other reasonable job duties as requested by Supervisors.

CORE WORK ACTIVITIES

Ensuring Culinary Standards and Responsibilities are met 
•    Ensuring Culinary Standards and Responsibilities are Met
•    Supervises the preparation and production of all Indian cuisine items for buffet and a la carte menu to ensure compliance with prescribed recipes and specifications.
•    Supervises kitchen shift operations and ensures compliance with all Food & Beverage policies, standards, and procedures.
•    Maintains food preparation handling and correct storage standards for Indian ingredients and dishes.
•    Recognizes superior quality Indian products, presentations, and flavor.
•    Plans and manages food quantities and plating requirements for Indian food operations (e.g., restaurant, banquet).
•    Communicates production needs to key personnel.
•    Produces production prep list for Indian cuisine.
•    Assists in developing daily and seasonal Indian menu items.
•    Ensures compliance with all applicable laws and regulations (e.g., HACCP, OSHA, ASI, and Health Department).
•    Assists in estimating daily restaurant production needs.
•    Prepares and cooks Indian foods of all types, either on a regular basis or for special guests or functions.
•    Checks the quality of raw and cooked Indian food products to ensure that standards are met.
•    Determines how Indian food should be presented and creates decorative food displays.

Leading Kitchen Team
•    Supervises and coordinates activities of cooks and workers engaged in Indian food preparation.
•    Utilizes interpersonal and communication skills to lead, influence, and encourage others; advocates sound financial/business decision making; demonstrates honesty/integrity; leads by example.
•    Leads shift teams while personally preparing Indian food items and executing requests based on required specifications.
•    Supervises and manages restaurant kitchen employees. Understands employee positions well enough to perform duties in employees’ absence.
•    Encourages and builds mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
•    Serves as a role model to demonstrate appropriate behaviors.
•    Ensures and maintains the productivity level of employees.
•    Ensures employees are cross-trained to support successful daily operations.
•    Ensures employees understand expectations and parameters.
•    Establishes and maintains open, collaborative relationships with employees and ensures employees do the same within the team.
•    Assumes duties of the Sous Chef in his/her absence.
•    Assists Chef in daily line up and conducts in his/her absence.

Establishing and Maintaining Kitchen Goals
•    Sets and supports achievement of kitchen goals including performance goals, budget goals, team goals, etc.
•    Develops specific guidance and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish daily kitchen operations work.
•    Understands the impact of kitchen operation on the overall property financial goals and objectives and manages to achieve or exceed budgeted goals.
•    Effectively investigates, reports, and follows-up on employee accidents.
•    Knows and implements company safety standards.

Ensuring Exceptional Customer Service
•    Provides services that are above and beyond for customer satisfaction and retention.
•    Manages day-to-day operations, ensuring the quality, standards, and meeting the expectations of the customers on a daily basis.
•    Improves service by communicating and assisting individuals to understand guest needs, providing guidance, feedback, and individual coaching when needed.
•    Sets a positive example for guest relations.
•    Emphasizes guest satisfaction during all departmental meetings and focuses on continuous improvement.
•    Empowers employees to provide excellent customer service.
•    Handles guest problems and complaints.
•    Interacts with guests to obtain feedback on product quality and service levels.

Managing and Conducting Human Resource Activities 
•    Identifies the developmental needs of others and coaches, mentors, or otherwise helps others to improve their knowledge or skills.
•    Participates in training restaurant staff on Indian menu items including ingredients, preparation methods, and unique tastes.
•    Manages employee progressive discipline procedures.
•    Participates in the employee performance appraisal process, providing feedback as needed.
•    Uses all available on-the-job training tools for employees.
•    Assists as needed in the interviewing and hiring of employee team members with appropriate skills.

Additional Responsibilities 
•    Provides information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
•    Analyzes information and evaluates results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
•    Attends and participates in all pertinent meetings.

MANAGEMENT COMPETENCIES

Leadership
•    Adaptability - Determines how change impacts self and others; displays flexibility in adjusting priorities; and communicates both the reasons for change and how it impacts the workplace.  
•    Communication - Customizes approach to conveying complex information and ideas to others in a convincing and engaging manner; appropriately interprets verbal and non-verbal behavior; and models active listening to ensure understanding..
•    Problem Solving and Decision Making - Models and coaches others on breaking complex issues into manageable parts, identifying and evaluating alternatives and their implications before making decisions, and involving and gaining agreement from others when making key decisions. 
•    Professional Demeanor - Exhibits behavioral styles that convey confidence and command respect from others; makes a good first impression and represents the company in alignment with its values.
Managing Execution
•    Building and Contributing to Teams - Leads and participates as a member of a team to move the team toward the completion of common goals while fostering cohesion and collaboration among team members.
•    Driving for Results - Sets high standards of performance for self and/or others; assumes responsibility for work objectives; initiates, focuses, and monitors the efforts of self and/or others toward the accomplishment goals; proactively takes action and goes beyond what is required.
•    Planning and Organizing - Gathers information and resources required to set a plan of action for self and/or others; prioritizes and arranges work requirements for self and/or others to accomplish goals and ensure work is completed.
Building Relationships
•    Coworker Relationships - Interacts with others in a way that builds openness, trust, and confidence in the pursuit of organizational goals and lasting relationships.  
•    Customer Relationships - Develops and sustains relationships based on an understanding of customer needs and actions consistent with the company’s service standards. 
•    Global Mindset - Supports employees and business partners with diverse styles, abilities, motivations, and/or cultural perspectives; utilizes differences to drive innovation, engagement and enhance business results; and ensures employees are given the opportunity to contribute to their full potential.
Generating Talent and Organizational Capability
•    Organizational Capability - Evaluates and adapts the structure of team assignments and work processes to best fit the needs and/or support the goals of an organizational unit.
•    Talent Management - Provides guidance and feedback to help individuals develop and strengthen skills and abilities needed to accomplish work objectives.
Learning and Applying Professional Expertise
•    Applied Learning - Seeks and makes the most of learning opportunities to improve performance of self and/or others.
•    Business Acumen - Understands and utilizes business information to manage everyday operations and generate innovative solutions to approach team, business, and administrative challenges.
•    Technical Acumen - Understands and utilizes professional skills and knowledge in a specific functional area to conduct and manage everyday business operations and generate innovative solutions to approach function-specific work challenges
o    Basic Cookery - Knowledge of procedures and techniques for mixing, thawing, baking, and cooking, measurement tools, recipe execution (expanding and condensing as necessary), and methods for innovative preparation and presentation.
o    Food Production and Presentation - Knowledge of techniques and equipment for preparing and presenting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques and sanitation standards.
o    Cooking - Ability to prepare and present meals utilizing culinary principles, standards, techniques and equipment (e.g., grilling, sautéing, broiling, baking, using decorative food displays, following recipes).
o    Food Storage and Rotation - Knowledge of procedures and temperatures for storing and rotating food stock in coolers, refrigerators, freezers, dry storage, etc. to maintain freshness ("First In, First Out").  This includes preparing, labeling, dating, rotating, and pulling perishable foods and drinks in accordance with storage guidelines; identifying food products that do not meet company or compliance standards; and knowledge of policies and procedures for discarding food items or products.
o    Food and Beverage Sanitation - Knowledge of procedures and techniques for kitchen maintenance, cleaning, and use of sanitation systems; use of grease trap; trash (compactor(s), Baler operation, dish machines, and other equipment. Knowledge of techniques for care and cleaning of silver, stainless steel, and dish machines.
o    Food Handling - Knowledge of basic food handling policies and procedures, as well as the procedures for assisting cooks in serving or preparing food.
o    Kitchen Maintenance - Knowledge of general maintenance procedures and standards of cleanliness for the food storage and preparation areas.
o    Kitchen Tools and Equipment - The ability to use and store kitchen tools (e.g., cutting tools, knives, tongs, slicers, spatulas) and ability to use kitchen equipment (e.g., grills, ovens, steam tables, deep fryers, kettles) properly and safely.
o    Cleaning the Kitchen - The ability to properly and safely clean and maintain kitchen floors, walls, and ceilings, including meal wall guards, overhead fans and hoods, and floor drains.  This includes correctly choosing and applying appropriate chemicals and/or products.  This includes knowing the right equipment to use for each job.
o    Purchasing and Materials Management - Knowledge of practices and procedures needed to maintain material, equipment and supplies; including vendor identification and contract negotiation, supply requisition and purchasing, and inventory control.
•    Basic Competencies - Fundamental competencies required for accomplishing basic work activities. 
o    Basic Computer Skills - Uses basic computer hardware and software (e.g., personal computers, word processing software, Internet browsers, etc.).
o    Mathematical Reasoning - Demonstrates ability to add, subtract, multiply, or divide quickly, correctly, and in a way that allows one to solve work-related issues.
o    Oral Comprehension - Demonstrates ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
o    Reading Comprehension - Demonstrates understanding of written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
o    Writing - Communicates effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Eligible for individuals with working rights in Fiji. 

 

At Marriott International, we are dedicated to being an equal opportunity employer, welcoming all and providing access to opportunity. We actively foster an environment where the unique backgrounds of our associates are valued and celebrated. Our greatest strength lies in the rich blend of culture, talent, and experiences of our associates. We are committed to non-discrimination on any protected basis, including disability, veteran status, or other basis protected by applicable law.

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