Executive Chef

Responsible For:  

Catering Department at Beaumont Hospital. Liaise with and support the Catering Department in St Joseph’s Hospital, Raheny.

Overview of The Role:

The Executive Chef is responsible for the management of the kitchen, including patient meal service, staff restaurant and hospitality. They must ensure that the provision of the highest standard and best practice in food preparation and hygiene always operates in the catering department.

This role is suited to an experienced individual who has a proven track record in managing and delivering excellent standards in a high volume operation. The appropriate person must be able to manage a team and drive change within the department. Good IT and financial skills are essential.  

Accountability, Duties and Responsibilities

Specific Responsibility:

• To have overall responsibility for the kitchen’s operations.
• To assume responsibility for the preparation, production of food, and service of food on site, ensuring that food safety, health & safety, food quality and all legislative standards are maintained.
• To manage the kitchen team. To supervise, direct and mentor staff in the performance of their duties, ensuring compliance with the hospital and statutory standards, including health and safety and food safety.
• To prepare the kitchen staff rota, providing adequate cover in the most cost effective manner, in line with department and hospital budgets.

General Accountability:

• Maintain a high level of service and hygiene standards in accordance with food safety legislation, infection control policies, best practice and hospital policy.
• To adhere to the requirements of all appropriate legislation including the Safety Health and Welfare at Work Act.
• Be responsible for the day to day security of the work area with awareness of fire regulations, safety of equipment and security arrangements.
• Keeping up to date with all relevant mandatory training for the department and yourself.

Operational Duties and Responsibilities:

Food Safety & Quality 

• To maintain the food safety and quality of the catering department, ensuring that patient needs are consistently met.
• To work closely with the dietetics department to regularly review and update patient menus, complying with all nutritional requirements as advised.
• Liaise with dieticians, speech and language therapists, nursing and other clinical staff as needed to obtain information regarding patients, and adhere to their directions.
• To ensure that HACCP and Pre-requisite programmes are in place, are adhered to, and reviewed and updated as required.
• Verification of HACCP records and completion of corrective action as required.
• To ensure work practices of all staff in the department comply with food safety legislation and best practice. Stay up to date with changes to legislation and best practice.
• To be an active member of the food safety team and work to maintain and enhance standards in accordance with legislation and best practice.
• To be up to date with FIC Regulation 1169/2011 for allergens, nutritional information and menu requirements. Ensure that all menus and information for service users is up to date.
• To liaise with the Regulatory Authorities and external auditors and follow up on reports ensuring a prompt close out of non-conformances.
• To ensure equipment is working correctly and meets the requirements to maintain food at the correct temperatures.
• Assist with food service and ensure highest standard of customer service is achieved, monitored and maintained.
• To conduct pre service briefs with staff, ensuring that staff are aware of portion size, presentation and allergen content of food that they are serving.
• To be involved in special functions and hospitality, ensuring that all food safety and quality requirements are met.

Health & Safety:

• Ensure that a safe environment is maintained for staff, and all service users, in compliance with Health, Safety & Welfare at Work Act 2005 and best practice.
• Follow all infection control guidelines to safeguard all patients, team members and service users.
• Report and follow up on all accidents, incidents or near misses for the kitchen.
• Report any defective equipment and take out of service until assessed/repaired by a certified technician.
• Report any issues with fixtures or fittings to technical services department and follow up on same.
• Participate in all safety training and procedures for the hospital, and ensure staff under your remit do the same; e.g. Fire Training, Fire Evacuation, Manual Handling.

People Management:

• To lead, manage and motivate the kitchen team to ensure duties are carried out correctly and to a high standard.
• Complete the staff roster for the kitchen staff ensuring staff are rostered fairly and know their roster in advance.

• Manage time and attendance for kitchen staff, ensuring that return to work interviews are completed, and any issues with non-attendance/lateness are documented and followed up. Comply with procedure for submission of medical certificates to administration staff. Submit and approve weekly payroll returns to administration staff.

• Management of all leave for kitchen staff.
• Carry out departmental inductions and probation assessments for new team members. 
• Conduct staff appraisals as required.
• Manage training for kitchen staff. Ensure that staff are scheduled and supported to complete all mandatory training. Carry out an annual Training Needs Analysis (TNA) to assess what training is needed for team members; work with catering management to achieve this.
• Form part of panels for the interviewing and hiring of new staff as requested.

Administration and Financial: 

• Deal with customer feedback and work with the relevant people to ensure close out of any concerns with patients/service users.
• Work with the catering management team to conduct surveys for patients and service users, and use the data collected for continuous improvement purposes.
• Management of all documents and records relevant to the kitchen.
• Liaising with suppliers and the purchasing officer for the purchasing of foods and sundries for the catering department, staying within departmental budget.
• Working with the purchasing officer and stores staff to monitor and control stock levels and participating in stocktakes or checks as required.
• Ensure the most effective and efficient level of use of all resources e.g. labour, stock, material, equipment etc.
• Support the use of all new technology and equipment.
• Keep abreast of current developments and practices in hospital catering and be aware of changes in relevant legislation.
• Be familiar with and adhere to hospital policies and procedures especially in relation to fire and major accident procedures.
• Maintain security in so far as it is possible and advisable, in the situation, for both colleagues and hospital property.

Self-Development

• Maintain and update own knowledge and keep abreast of new developments, procedures and policies.
• Take responsibility for own learning and development. Participate in Mandatory Training and other training as identified by the hospital for the proper performance of duties of the post.
• Participate in the hospital’s appraisal/performance reviews.

The job description is an outline of the post as it is currently perceived by the hospital and will be subject to review and amendment. This job description will therefore be subject to change in light of the various strategies for the hospital and the development of the Clinical Directorate model and any future developments that arise and will evolve and change over time.

Selection Criteria: 

Selection criteria outline the qualifications, skills, knowledge and/or experience that the successful candidate would need to demonstrate for successful discharge of the responsibilities of the post. 

Applications will be assessed on the basis of how well candidates satisfy these criteria.

Qualifications and Experience:

Essential:

1. Have obtained one of the following: a BA in Culinary Arts NFQ Level 7/Level 8 or London City & Guilds Examination No. 706/1 & No. 706/2 or equivalent approved qualifications.
2. Have completed a Food Safety Management Systems Course QQI Level 5/QQI Level 6 or equivalent.
3. Have at least 10 years Chef experience, inclusive of 5 years at supervisory/management level within a large operation.
4. Held a previous role within a healthcare setting.
5. Experience of menu design, and implementation in line with budget allocation.
6. Proven ability in the use of IT applications e.g. Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Outlook.
7. Have a proven track record of managing a team and implementing change.
8. Excellent communication, leadership and organisational skills.

Desirable:

1. Completed the following with an accredited training provider:  
   • a Health & Safety qualification, such as Certificate in Safety Health & Welfare at Work, Certificate/Diploma in Occupational Health and Safety
   • Train The Trainer Certificate
   • A management qualification, for example, Supervisory Management Programme.

Informal Enquiries ONLY to: (Please note NO APPLICATIONS will be accepted via the Informal Email)