We are looking for an experienced and driven Head Chef to lead our restaurant team in our 220 seat Kumo Restaurant, located in Skye Niseko Hotel.

This role reports to Executive Chef and oversees all Back of House operations in Kumo for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

The style is modern Japanese Izakaya, with a focus on local and high quality food using fresh produce sourced locally.

You will bring the knowledge, experience and drive to continue Kumo’s position as market leader in Niseko.

1. Team Leadership:

• Lead, mentor, and inspire a busy and large kitchen team from various cultural backgrounds.
• Foster a positive and inclusive work environment, promoting teamwork and collaboration.
• Conduct regular team meetings to communicate goals, expectations, and feedback.

2. Organisational Skills:

• Implement and maintain efficient kitchen workflows and procedures.
• Ensure that all kitchen operations are well-coordinated and run smoothly.
• Manage inventory, ordering, and stocking of ingredients and supplies.

3. Kitchen Operations Management:

• Oversee all aspects of food planning, preparation, cooking, and presentation.
• Maintain high standards of food safety, hygiene, and cleanliness in the kitchen.
• Monitor and control kitchen costs, including labour, food, and waste management.

4. Collaboration:

• Work closely with the Executive Chef, F&B Manager, and Front of House Manager to deliver exceptional customer experiences.
• Collaborate with the team at our off-site production kitchen for suitable prep work and food storage.

5. Training and Development:

• Identify training needs and provide ongoing training and development opportunities for kitchen staff.
• Implement performance evaluation processes and set clear performance expectations.

6. Customer Satisfaction:

• Ensure that all dishes are prepared to the highest standards and meet customer expectations.
• Handle customer feedback and make necessary adjustments to improve service and quality.

• Head Chef experience in Modern Izakaya cuisine restaurants is desired.
• Language skills: Native Japanese or English fluency with basic Japanese.
• High-standard cooking skills.
• Strong kitchen leadership, mentorship, and supervision skills.
• Professional, courteous, and friendly manner.
• Natural team leader with proven experience in problem-solving within a team environment.
• Understanding of how to successfully operate a kitchen to deliver the required covers.
• Ability to engage with the local community, suppliers, and relevant stakeholders.
• High attention to detail and excellent organisational skills to achieve objectives and meet deadlines.

Employment Period: Ongoing

Employment Status: Full time year round

Contract Value: ¥7,600,000 to ¥9,000,000
(The above remuneration will be divided by 14 and paid monthly with two annual bonuses.)

Location: Niseko, Hokkaido, Japan

Working Hours: Average 40 hours per week (shift times vary by season)

Benefits include:

• Time-in-lieu system with paid overtime
• Health, social, and employment insurance
• Visa sponsorship
• Staff accommodation available
• Grand Hirafu season pass available at a discounted rate
• Free ski or snowboard lessons (availability dependent)
• Discounts on HTM services and businesses
• Access to language and work relevant training subsidy