Head Chef

Company Description

MAMA?

Founded in 2008 by Serge Trigano and his sons Jérémie and Benjamin (co-founders of Club Med), Mama Shelter is a creator of living spaces and a daily director!

These are atypical places, where everyone feels at home, places born of a blend of influences, freedoms, sensations and emotions. Each Mama tells the story of the city in which it is located, and all influences blend together. We offer our guests a joyful atmosphere and exceptional service at an affordable price. 

More than just rooms and restaurants, Mama Shelter is a dynamic, a vibe: they are true urban refuges, not only aesthetically pleasing and modern but also popular, welcoming and sexy.

Whatever your role, we're all here to make the customer experience as unforgettable as possible. 

Our mission: to bring little moments of happiness to people.

Our growth has enabled us to offer our teams great career paths through internal development and international mobility, and it's not a question of diplomas or years of experience.

Mama Shelter is part of Ennismore, a creative hotel group rooted in cultures and destinations, with a global portfolio of brands. Ennismore is a joint venture with Accor, founded in 2021.

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Our commitment to diversity and inclusion: 

Mama is an inclusive company, and our ambition is to recruit and promote diverse talent. 

Job Description

🌟 THE MISSION

You are the creative force behind Mama’s culinary identity 🍽️🔥✨ — the one who turns food into emotion, theatre, and unforgettable moments.

As our Head Chef, you don’t just run a kitchen—you lead a stage where energy, precision, and creativity come together in every dish.

You set the rhythm of service, inspire your brigade, and bring bold, memorable flavours that define Mama’s dining experience 🎶💫

Here’s what you’ll be responsible for:

🍽️ Culinary Visionary

• Define and evolve Mama’s culinary direction in line with the lifestyle concept
• Create bold, innovative menus that balance creativity, profitability, and consistency
• Bring seasonal inspiration, local influence, and global flair to every plate

⚡ Kitchen Leader

• Lead the kitchen brigade with energy, discipline, and presence on the pass
• Ensure smooth, efficient service across all meal periods and events
• Drive high performance, structure, and pride within the team

📊 Commercial Driver

• Manage food cost, wastage, and kitchen labour within agreed targets
• Support revenue growth through menu engineering and strategic pricing
• Deliver consistent quality while protecting profitability

👥 Team Inspirer

• Recruit, train, and develop a high-performing, diverse kitchen team
• Build a culture of respect, accountability, and creativity under pressure
• Inspire chefs to grow, perform, and take ownership of their craft

🤝 Collaboration Champion

• Work closely with the Restaurant, Bar, and Events teams to deliver seamless experiences
• Align culinary execution with brand activations and guest experiences
• Partner with suppliers to ensure quality, innovation, and consistency

🛎️ Quality & Standards Guardian

• Maintain exceptional standards across taste, presentation, hygiene, and consistency
• Ensure compliance with all HACCP, safety, and kitchen regulations
• Continuously refine processes to elevate kitchen performance

🎉 Experience Creator

• Bring storytelling to the plate through bold, expressive, and memorable dishes
• Support events, pop-ups, and activations with creative culinary input
• Help shape Mama as a true dining destination, not just a restaurant

Qualifications

🌟 MADE FOR YOU… ONLY IF ✨

• You have strong senior culinary leadership experience in high-volume or lifestyle hospitality kitchens 🍽️🏨
• You come from luxury, experiential, or destination dining brands ✨
• You are a natural leader who thrives in fast-paced, high-pressure kitchen environments ⚡
• You are commercially aware with strong control of food cost, waste, and margins 📊💰
• You are highly organised, structured, and operationally disciplined 🛠️
• You are present on the pass and lead from the heart of the kitchen, not the office 🔥
• You are passionate about flavour, innovation, and delivering standout guest experiences 💖
• You can lead large, diverse teams while maintaining consistency and energy 👥💫
• You bring creativity, resilience, and strong communication skills to every service 💬🤝

🎯 YOUR LITTLE EXTRAS

• Pre-opening experience? Big plus 🏗️✨
• Lifestyle or high-volume branded experience? Even better 🌍
• You know how to turn a kitchen into the heartbeat of a social dining experience 🍸🔥
• You bring bold ideas, precision, and Mama personality every day 🎶💫

Additional Information

Next, we're sure you know the tune 🎶:

• First melody: “At Mama, no AI! We review your application in person and take the time to understand your background. 🎧
• First verse: We organise an initial telephone interview with our People & Culture Team to see if your application fits in with our rhythm. 🤳
• Chorus: Once you've passed the phone interview, we'll arrange a remote meeting 💻 or a meeting at Mama 🤝 to meet the Gang! 
• Last verse: Naturally, you'll receive a response from us within two to three weeks at the latest, whether it's a ✔️ or a ✖️.