Sous Chef

Panthera Restaurant is recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Sous Chef

Location: Maitama, Abuja (FCT)
Employment Type: Full-time

Job Description

• Panthera Restuarant is recruiting an experienced Sous Chef with a fine dining background to take charge of our kitchen.
• You will lead the kitchen and the kitchen team on every shift, and you will be responsible for the quality, consistency and safety of everything that leaves the pass.

Key Responsibilities

• Take full charge of the kitchen during your shift, leading, directing and supervising all kitchen staff to ensure smooth, efficient and disciplined service.
• Assign stations and tasks to the team, monitor performance throughout service, and provide guidance, training and correction where needed.
• Prepare, cook and present high-quality dishes efficiently and consistently, in strict accordance with the restaurant's established recipes, portion sizes and fine dining presentation standards.
• Oversee the preparation of local, continental and, where required, international dishes, ensuring every plate meets the standard expected of a premium restaurant.
• Manage daily kitchen opening and closing procedures, ensuring all workstations are set up correctly for service and properly broken down at the end of the shift.
• Maintain impeccable standards of food safety, kitchen hygiene and sanitation across all prep areas, cooking stations, walk-in chillers and storage spaces, in line with health regulations.
• Enforce all kitchen safety practices among the team, including safe knife handling, fire and gas safety, correct use of equipment, slip-resistant footwear and the prevention of cross-contamination.
• Enforce proper storage practices, including labelling, dating and organising all food items, and strictly apply the FIFO (First-In, First-Out) method to ensure maximum freshness.
• Monitor daily inventory levels of fresh ingredients, dry goods and kitchen supplies, and report replenishment needs accurately to avoid menu shortages.
• Control food costs and minimise waste through precise portion control, creative use of trim and careful handling of raw ingredients.
• Inspect all incoming food deliveries for quality, temperature compliance, quantity and freshness before accepting them into storage.
• Safely operate, clean and maintain all commercial kitchen machinery, tools, grills, ovens and utensils, and report any faults or maintenance needs immediately.
• Coordinate closely with front-of-house staff to ensure timely food preparation, accurate ticket fulfilment, and prompt handling of special dietary requests and guest feedback.
• Collaborate with management on dish execution, testing new menu items, maintaining recipe consistency, and adapting to high-volume service and special events.

Requirements

• Minimum of a First Degree or Higher National Diploma (HND), preferably in Hospitality Management, Catering, Culinary Arts, Food Science or a related field.
• Proven experience as a Sous Chef or in a senior kitchen role, with solid experience in a fine dining restaurant.
• Strong knowledge and hands-on experience of local and continental cuisine.
• Experience in international cuisine will be an added advantage.
• Demonstrated ability to lead, supervise and motivate a kitchen team.
• Thorough knowledge of food safety, hygiene and kitchen safety regulations.
• Good understanding of food costing, stock control and waste management.
• Ability to work under pressure in a fast-paced, high-standard environment.
• Strong communication skills and the ability to work well with front-of-house and management.

Starting Salary
N250,000 / month with Accomodation