Senior Sous Chef - Chinese Cuisine Development

Overview of the Company
dnata is one of the world’s largest air and travel services providers, offering ground handling, cargo, travel and catering & retail services at over 130 airports in more than 30 countries across six continents. At dnata, we are by your side for the entire travel experience. dnata Catering and Retail is one of the world’s leading in-flight hospitality providers, delivering world-class culinary services and innovative products that enhance our passengers’ experience.
What’s the purpose of role:
The role of Senior Sous Chef - Chinese Specialist, is based at Heston, with a strong emphasis on the preparation and understanding of Regional Chinese cuisine and working knowledge of Western cuisine. The Senior Sous chef will be allocated account(s) and responsible for understanding the culinary needs of their customers and subsequently delivering them, both from a menu development and presentation perspective but equally as importantly ensuring our operational kitchens have the know how to deliver the menus consistently and to the standards set. In addition the role will work with Procurement on dedicated category’s to drive range improvement and consolidation to deliver good, better best in each category.
It is important to note that to be successful for this role, you will need to be fluent in either Cantonese or Mandarin.
Who you’ll deal with:
Internal: National Accounts Executive Chef, Food Technologist, chefs, unit personnel, central support functions, QA, Compliance
External: Airline customers, apprentices, EHO, Auditors
What you’ll be doing:
Work with customer and sales/commercial team to understand customer requirements fully
Develop Regional Chinese dishes and products that match customer brief, commercial constraints and development strategy
Constantly look to innovate and be creative in your development ideas across a wide range of cuisines
Prepare customer menu presentations with assistance of development team to meet presentation deadlines in the UK and culinary support in other Dnata stations ex UK
Lead Menu Presentations to Customers and assist National Accounts Executive Chef with high profile Menu Presentations incorporating Regional Chinese
Explain kitchen/production concepts in ‘layman’ terms to customers and chefs
Lead in-house presentations to unit Chefs on new products and new methods of production
Work with commercial team on menu specifications post-presentation to ensure accuracy and consistency of data
Develop plating guides for presentation
Assist with transitioning presentation dishes into mainstream production
Review and constantly improve recipes and production methodology
Input innovative and create ideas to the development strategy
Support with in-house hospitality for client entertaining – write menus, produce shopping list, produce menu items, liaise with hospitality team
Champion regional Chinese food trends in the business
Work on various projects as directed e.g. new concepts
Ensure all costs are contained within agreed financial guidelines and maintain and monitor working practices, systems and processes to meet schedules.
Ensuring that all recipes are communicated effectively and as appropriate provide information to the Commercial department
Responding positively to cost and production implications of new customer specifications.
In liaison with Procurement develop core range as allocated to deliver good, better and best in each category.
Ensure the quality of the raw product is in line with expectations of category and that suppliers are fully aware of requirements
This list is not exhaustive, accountabilities may vary dependant on locality or role complexity and may include any other duties considered reasonable by the line manager.
What you’ll have:
Professional culinary qualifications e.g. 706/1, 706/2 & 706/3 or diploma/degree level
Competent in regional Chinese Cuisines, also speaking fluent in either Mandarin or Cantonese.
Previous product development experience in a manufacturing environment or similar is essential
Must have experience of working in various types of culinary outlets including fine dining and international
This is a customer facing role, so you will need to be good at building rapport and creating long-term business relationships
You will need to be confident in presenting to a group and taking the lead role
You must have excellent product presentation skills
You will need to be enthusiastic with a ‘can do’ attitude to producing a quality product within tight deadlines
Outstanding understanding of food values and food quality with an understanding of chemical/molecular balances in foods
It is important that you are able to adapt to meet the customers’ needs whilst still operating within the company constraints
Must be able to deliver to deadlines
You will need to be flexible about your working hours to meet customer requirements
Able to work at other UK locations as necessary for presentations
Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build relationships with internal departments and external customers
You will be expected to keep up to date with food trends via social media, attending food festivals etc.
Bring your knowledge of modern restaurant/ food concepts and new kitchen technology into the traditional airline catering operations