Head Production Chef

DNATA US Inflight Catering•Brisbane, CA

53d•Onsite

About The Position

The Head Production Chef is accountable for leading all kitchen production operations in a high-volume aviation catering environment, ensuring meals are produced safely, efficiently, and on schedule while meeting airline, regulatory, and financial targets. This role oversees Sous Chefs, Production Supervisors, and Specialty Cooks and is responsible for production planning, labor rostering, budget alignment, food safety compliance, and continuous performance improvement. Reporting directly to the Unit General Manager, with an indirect reporting line to the Regional Executive Chef and Head of Culinary, this role ensures strong alignment between site-level operational execution and enterprise culinary standards. The Head Production Chef is expected to build high-performing teams, plan ahead against forecasted volumes, control costs, and drive a culture of accountability, ownership, and winning mentality across the production operation.

Requirements

High School Diploma or GED required
7+ years of high-volume food production experience
3+ years in kitchen leadership or management
Proven experience managing supervisors and lead-level culinary staff
Experience in regulated food environments (HACCP, USDA/FDA, airline catering, healthcare, or commissary kitchens) required
Strong leadership presence with the ability to motivate and hold teams accountable
Advanced knowledge of HACCP, CCP monitoring, and regulatory compliance
Proven experience managing labor, budgets, and productivity targets
Excellent planning, organization, and decision-making skills
Ability to think strategically while executing tactically on the floor
Strong communication skills across culinary, QA, operations, and leadership teams
Comfortable operating in fast-paced, high-pressure environments
Flexibility to work rotating shifts, nights, weekends, and holidays

Nice To Haves

Culinary degree strongly preferred

Responsibilities

Lead daily production operations across Hot and Cold Kitchens to meet airline schedules and menu specifications
Translate flight forecasts and production plans into daily and weekly execution strategies
Anticipate operational risks and adjust staffing, prep, and production flow proactively
Ensure standardized recipes, portion control, and quality standards are consistently met
Resolve production bottlenecks and ensure on-time completion of all production phases
Conduct the daily Culinary briefings to assure the kitchens are being managed as per Dnata standards.
Develop and manage staff rosters aligned to production forecasts and labor budgets
Balance productivity, service levels, and cost efficiency when scheduling teams
Monitor labor hours, overtime, and staffing mix to remain within budget targets
Partner with Operations and HR on workforce planning and staffing strategies
Take ownership of labor productivity and continuous efficiency improvement
Directly manage Sous Chefs and Production Supervisors; provide leadership to Specialty Cooks and Production Leads
Conduct regular performance evaluations, coaching sessions, and development planning
Identify high-potential team members and build leadership pipeline within production
Address performance issues promptly and fairly, in partnership with HR and Operations
Foster a culture of accountability, engagement, and professional growth
Own HACCP execution and CCP compliance across all production areas
Ensure CCP logs (CCP2–CCP5) are completed accurately and reviewed daily
Enforce cooking, cooling, holding, labeling, allergen control, and traceability standards
Partner with Quality Assurance during audits, inspections, and corrective actions
Ensure sanitation programs and equipment safety procedures are fully implemented
Oversee ingredient usage, FIFO rotation, and production yields
Partner with Purchasing and Inventory on forecasting and supply availability
Drive waste reduction initiatives and investigate cost variances
Implement corrective actions to improve margins and operational efficiency
Assure the kitchens follow the correct figures for production
Manage the Kitro waste management program
Collaborate with Regional Executive Chef and Head of Culinary to ensure adherence to enterprise culinary standards
Support new menu rollouts, recipe updates, and airline program launches
Provide feedback on menu feasibility, labor impact, and production scalability
Ensure site-level execution aligns with brand, presentation, and quality expectations
Assure daily Chef’s Tables and NEA are conducted daily
Drive continuous improvement in production processes, layout, and workflow
Promote problem-solving, ownership, and proactive communication across teams
Lead by example with a high-performance, solution-oriented mindset
Champion safety, quality, service excellence, and cost discipline as non-negotiable standards
Other duties as assigned by management