Mandi House Chef

Talent Frontiers • Minneapolis, MN

43d • $55,000 - $62,000 • Onsite

About The Position

SAVA House is seeking a passionate, highly skilled and experienced Mandi House Chef to help lead the culinary launch and ongoing kitchen operations of its premium restaurant in Saint Cloud, Minnesota. This is a hands-on leadership role for a chef with deep knowledge of authentic Yemeni, Saudi and broader Arabian rice-and-meat traditions, with particular expertise in Mandi-style cooking. The successful candidate will be responsible for delivering consistently exceptional food, preserving authentic flavors and techniques, establishing repeatable kitchen standards, mentoring culinary staff, supporting menu development and helping build a distinctive guest experience around SAVA House’s Mandi offering.

Requirements

• Demonstrable hands-on experience preparing Mandi and other traditional Yemeni, Saudi or Arabian rice-and-meat dishes in a professional kitchen.
• Strong understanding of meat marination, spice preparation, rice cooking, slow-cooking methods, smoke/charcoal flavoring techniques and batch production.
• Prior experience supervising, mentoring or coordinating kitchen staff in a restaurant, catering or hospitality environment.
• Ability to maintain consistent taste and presentation while producing food efficiently during high-volume service.
• Sound knowledge of kitchen hygiene, sanitation, safe food handling, temperature control and organized storage practices.
• Strong communication, teamwork and leadership skills, with the ability to coordinate effectively with management and front-of-house staff.
• Ability to remain composed, organized and detail-focused during busy service periods.
• Flexibility to work restaurant operating hours, including evenings, weekends and peak service periods as required.

Nice To Haves

• Previous employment in a specialist Mandi House, Yemeni restaurant, Saudi/Gulf restaurant or premium Middle Eastern dining operation.
• Experience opening a new restaurant, setting up kitchen systems or helping launch a new menu concept.
• Experience training junior cooks and documenting recipes or standard operating procedures.
• Knowledge of complementary Yemeni and Arabian sauces, breads, salads, appetizers, grills, desserts and beverages is an advantage.

Responsibilities

• Authentic Mandi Production. Lead the daily preparation and cooking of Mandi and related Arabian dishes, maintaining authentic flavor, texture, aroma, presentation and portion standards on every service.
• Kitchen Leadership. Supervise and guide cooks and kitchen assistants; assign duties, coach technique, reinforce standards and create a disciplined, collaborative and respectful kitchen culture.
• Recipe Standardization. Develop and maintain practical recipes, preparation methods, spice ratios, cooking times, plating specifications and batch controls to ensure consistency across shifts.
• Quality Control. Inspect ingredients, oversee preparation, taste dishes throughout production and correct quality issues before food reaches guests.
• Menu Development. Work with management to refine signature dishes, introduce seasonal or complementary items and develop premium menu offerings that remain true to the restaurant’s culinary identity.
• Food Cost & Waste Control. Support portion management, yield improvement, responsible use of ingredients and reduction of avoidable kitchen waste while protecting food quality.
• Inventory & Purchasing. Monitor stock levels for rice, meat, poultry, spices, produce and key specialty ingredients; communicate purchasing needs early and support reliable supplier planning.
• Food Safety & Sanitation. Maintain rigorous food-handling, temperature-control, cleaning, storage, labeling and hygiene practices in accordance with applicable health and safety requirements.
• Service Coordination. Coordinate closely with front-of-house leadership to manage ticket flow, special requests, large orders and service timing so guests receive meals at their best.
• Kitchen Readiness. Ensure stations, equipment, prep lists and mise en place are ready before service and that closing procedures leave the kitchen clean, safe and organized.
• Training & Knowledge Transfer. Train team members in SAVA House recipes and techniques so the restaurant can maintain quality as the operation grows.
• Continuous Improvement. Identify operational improvements in preparation, workflow, equipment use, presentation and guest-facing menu execution.

Benefits

• Competitive compensation aligned with prevailing U.S. market rates for comparable chef roles, adjusted for experience, technical skill, leadership capability and overall fit.
• 10% profit sharing as part of the compensation package.
• Accommodation for six (6) months for a successful candidate relocating to Saint Cloud.
• Employee meals and/or food discounts in accordance with company policy.
• Company events and team-building activities.
• Opportunity to play a central role in establishing the culinary identity of a growing premium restaurant concept.
• Professional growth and leadership opportunity within a new hospitality venture.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed