7461 - Chef de Cuisine - Cruise Ships

Our Client is an award winning cruise line operating cruise holidays throughout the UK, Europe, Mediterranean, Caribbean, Canada and North and South America.
They have been perfecting the art of cruising for 175 years and are delighted that more British passengers choose to travel with them than any other cruise line.
Their vision is to be the most spectacularly successful cruise company. Their employees are engaged and passionate people with their passengers at the heart of everything they do. They pride themselves on an exemplary and unrivalled customer service.
Their fleet of luxury vessels range in size from intimately carrying 700 passengers, exclusively adult ships to 3100 passengers, catering for all ages, tailoring their service to all of their customers’ needs.
An exciting opportunity has now arisen as a Chef de Cuisine to work on one of our client’s large cruise liners, travel the world, whilst getting paid and having the opportunity to work with celebrity chefs. The position is offered on a 6 month renewable contract.
You will work onboard one of our client’s largest cruise liners, in a structured and developmental environment, with quality produce and superb equipment in highly professional, diligent and dedicated teams.
You will be based in the Main Galley where your role as a Chef de Cuisine will come into play where you will be responsible for the day to day management of the Food Production team within allocated areas, managing a team of between 80 – 100 staff.
You will ensure all work is carried out safely, efficiently and in accordance with all current safety and company regulations, including the Public Health Policy.
You will identify areas of improvement and develop and train staff, continually striving to improve passenger satisfaction scores and providing a consistent passenger dining experience.
You will ensure adequate resourcing of teams, complete appraisals identifying development opportunities and provide support to Sous Chefs to guide, motivate and direct their respective teams.
You will monitor and manage food costs and resources effectively, ensuring the daily passenger and crew food allocation is met.
You will achieve CSQ targets and work proactively towards increasing scores by ensuring a strong team ethos of attention to detail.
You will effectively resolve passenger issues or complaints in the correct manner relating to the department.
You will liaise with Celebrity Guest Chefs, working with them to ensure understanding of the individual concept and specific standards to be maintained by the team.
You will monitor and review food orders placed taking into account consumption history and storing schedules.
You will authorise the requisition of food orders at the required level and identify slow moving food items.
You will effectively manage the volumes of provisions ordered and stock rotation of fresh produce.
You will ensure all areas and equipment are operated and maintained in a sanitised and clean state at all times, undertaking regular inspections and implementing effective cleaning schedules.
Your passion, flair and ability to engage with our passengers will be key in the delivery of this unique experience, leaving passengers with a taste of wanting more!
In addition to your professional duties you will also have to deliver staff training and have ship safety duties and responsibilities.

Knowledge and Skills:
You will ideally be an accomplished Chef de Cuisine ideally with cruise line work experience.
To succeed in this role, you need to be professional, diligent, disciplined and committed to consistent quality assurance on a large scale.
You should therefore have experience of working in a 4/5 star volume hotel or restaurant, ideally rosette / Michelin standard.
It is essential that you are professionally trained Chef with relevant qualifications, e.g. City & Guilds 7061/2 or equivalent recognised hotel / culinary diploma / qualification and ideally NVQ 1 or 2 in food production / preparation qualification or equivalent.
You should have a Level 3 Award in Supervising Food Safety in Catering.
You should have proven experience of budgets, food wastage and financial management within a corporate environment.
You should have an excellent command of the English language – advanced. If English is not your first language you will have to take the Marlins test.
You should ideally have a valid ENG1 medical certificate.
You should be PC literate, competent in the use of MS Office.
This role requires the job holder to hold STCW certificates in proficiency in survival craft and STCW survival techniques. If you do not have these then you must be prepared to gain the qualifications.
Superb inter-personal skills and instant credibility are essential as you will be inter-facing with a number of people from different backgrounds, nationalities and religions.
In return, our client offers good rates of pay, which are tax free, all accommodation costs covered, all meals and uniform provided, except shoes.
In addition, there is a crew bar, crew gym, access to free dental and medical care, death in service benefit, free mobilisation flights and free flight back to your home base at the end of your contract, laundry service and with your Managers permission you can go passenger side and use the passenger’s gym and see the theatre and entertainment shows.
Finally, your family can holiday and can accompany you and travel free whilst you are on board ship.
You will also get the opportunities to meet new people and see the world, interspersed with 2 month leave periods.
Please do not apply for this position unless you are an experienced qualified Chef.