Head Chef

HEAD CHEF WANTED | MODITLO RIVER LODGE & VILLAS

Live. Work. Lead. In the African Bush.

Moditlo River Lodge & Villas is looking for an experienced, passionate and hands-on

Head Chef to join our team and take full ownership of our kitchen operation.

This is not a city hotel position.

This is a live-in position in a remote bush environment, where you will live and

work surrounded by the incredible wildlife and natural beauty of the Greater Kruger.

If you love hospitality, food, nature and the challenge of running a high-performing

kitchen in a unique safari environment, this could be the opportunity for you.

Position:
Live-In

Work Cycle: 6 weeks on / 2 weeks off

Salary:
Negotiable, based on experience and suitability

Please consider the remote location and live-in nature of the position carefully

before applying. This role requires someone who is genuinely comfortable with

bush living and an extended work cycle away from home.

As Head Chef, you will take responsibility for the complete kitchen operation and

lead a team responsible for delivering exceptional food experiences to our guests.

You will be responsible for:

• Leading and managing the entire kitchen team.
• Planning and executing daily meal services.
• Maintaining consistently high standards of food quality and presentation.
• Developing and maintaining menus suitable for a luxury safari lodge.
• Managing guest dietary requirements, allergies and special requests.
• Ensuring the kitchen is fully prepared before every service.
• Managing stock, ordering, food costs and wastage.
• Maintaining excellent food hygiene and safety standards.
• Training, developing and managing kitchen staff.
• Planning kitchen rosters and ensuring appropriate staffing.
• Managing special events, private dining, villa requirements and VIP guests.
• Monitoring kitchen equipment and reporting maintenance requirements.
• Maintaining accurate kitchen records and procedures.
• Working closely with Lodge Management, Food & Beverage and Front of House.

We are looking for someone who is:

• Hands-on – You are comfortable leading from the front and getting involved.
• Proactive – You see what needs to be done before someone has to tell you.
• Organised – You plan ahead and ensure the kitchen is ready for every service.
• Accountable – You take ownership of your department and your results.
• A Leader – You know how to manage, train, motivate and develop a team.
• Guest-focused – You understand that food is a major part of the safari experience.
• Solution-oriented – When something goes wrong, you don't simply report the problem; you work towards the solution.
• Adaptable – Bush life comes with its own challenges, and you need to be comfortable working in a remote environment.

YOU WILL BE EXPECTED TO HAVE A STRONG UNDERSTANDING OF:

• Luxury hospitality.
• Menu planning and recipe development.
• Food costing and portion control.
• Food safety and hygiene.
• Dietary requirements and allergies.
• Kitchen administration and record keeping.
• Quality control.
• High-volume and multi-service operations.

• Relevant culinary qualification.
• Previous experience in a senior kitchen position.
• Proven experience managing a kitchen team.
• Strong culinary and organizational skills.
• Good understanding of food costing and stock control.
• Strong communication and leadership abilities.
• Ability to work independently and under pressure.
• Previous experience in a luxury lodge, safari lodge, hotel or high-end hospitality environment will be advantageous.

• Live-in accommodation.
• 6 weeks on / 2 weeks off work cycle.
• Salary negotiable based on experience and suitability.
• The opportunity to live and work in the African bush.
• The opportunity to lead a kitchen in a luxury safari lodge environment.
• A unique working environment within the Greater Kruger.
• A team-focused hospitality environment.