Lead culinary excellence at a flagship hotel in the heart of Ireland.
The Sheraton Athlone Hotel, a distinguished fourstar Marriott International property and a cornerstone of the Hodson Bay Group, is seeking an outstanding Executive Head Chef to lead our awardwinning culinary operation.
This is a rare opportunity for a senior culinary leader to shape, inspire and elevate food experiences across a high-profile hotel with a diverse and thriving operation including three outlets - La Provence Brasserie, Harvest Homemade Cafe and S Bar & Bistro - conferences, banqueting and weddings. We are looking for a who combines creativity with commercial focus, and leadership with a passion for people and quality.
Whether you are an accomplished Executive Head Chef in a large fourstar or luxury environment, or a proven senior chef ready to step into a flagship role, this position offers the platform to make a lasting impact within a globally recognised brand.
About the role
Reporting directly to the Managing Director, the Executive Head Chef will have full responsibility for leading and developing the hotel's food production function, ensuring the highest standards of culinary quality, consistency and innovation.
Key responsibilities include:
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Establishing and embedding exceptional culinary standards across all food service areas, delivering a consistently high-quality four-star guest experience.
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Leading, developing and inspiring the kitchen team, fostering a culture of respect, pride, engagement, accountability and continuous improvement.
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Driving menu development and culinary innovation across all outlets, with a strong focus on seasonal produce, presentation and guest satisfaction.
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Full ownership of kitchen operations, ensuring service excellence during daily operations, conferences, banquets and weddings.
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Managing departmental budgets and achieving agreed cost of sales, labour and margin targets, in close collaboration with the Financial Controller and Purchasing Manager.
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Ensuring full compliance with HACCP, food safety, hygiene and health & safety legislation at all times.
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Recruiting, training and appraising kitchen team members, ensuring the right people with the right skills are in place to meet business demands.
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Working closely with the wider senior management team, attending Head of Department and strategy meetings as required.
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Developing and maintaining kitchen SOPs and training manuals, championing best practice, brand standards and driving innovative approaches to all aspects of the kitchen and food operations.
This role requires a flexible approach, with a five days over seven roster aligned to the operational needs of the business.
What you'll bring
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A minimum of 5 years' experience at Senior Chef level within a quality fourstar hotel or comparable high-volume hospitality environment.
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Proven leadership ability with a strong track record of building, motivating and retaining high-performing kitchen teams.
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Excellent culinary knowledge with a sharp eye for detail, quality and presentation.
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Strong commercial awareness, including experience with budgeting, food cost control, labour management and rostering.
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A thorough understanding of HACCP and food safety best practices.
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The ability to thrive in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment while maintaining exceptional standards.
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Excellent communication, organisation and people-management skills.
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Fluency in spoken and written English.
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A collaborative mindset and strong alignment with Hodson Bay Group's values of Honesty, Excellence, Flexibility, Fun and Passion.
What you'll get
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A competitive senior chef package, reflective of the responsibility and profile of the role.
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Clear career progression opportunities within the Hodson Bay Group.
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Access to structured Marriott International and group training programmes.
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Complimentary membership of Sheraton Fitness and discounts in Sirana Spa.
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Meals on duty.
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Free car parking.
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Staff discounts across Hodson Bay Group hotels.
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Marriott Explore Rates at over 9,800 hotels across 145 countries and territories worldwide.
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Health, wellbeing and employee assistance supports.
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A supportive, peoplecentric culture that values collaboration, respect and development.
As part of the Hodson Bay Group - proudly holding Gold certification in Failte Ireland's Employer Excellence Programme, Silver accreditation from Investors in Diversity, and recognised as one of Ireland's Happiest Workplaces for 2025 in association with The Sunday Times - Sheraton Athlone Hotel is committed to creating an environment where talented professionals can thrive and grow.
Hodson Bay group is an equal opportunities employer.
Seize this exciting opportunity to lead a flagship culinary operation within a worldclass international brand. Apply now and shape exceptional dining experiences at Sheraton Athlone Hotel.
