Estate Head Chef

About Hazendal

Hazendal Wine Estate is a distinctive luxury destination where rich heritage, wine, hospitality and contemporary experiences come together. Our culinary offering spans multiple venues, including Siyalima, the Hotel, Mark's Restaurant and the Golf Restaurant, alongside wine experiences, weddings and estate-wide events.

We are passionate about exceptional food, local provenance and creating memorable guest experiences that honour our history while embracing our vision for the future.

The Role

We are seeking an experienced, hands-on Estate Head Chef to lead our culinary department across Hazendal Wine Estate.

Reporting to the Hospitality Operations Director, you will oversee and support the Head Chefs across our various venues, ensuring consistently high standards of food quality, presentation, service and kitchen operations. You will play a key role in developing our culinary offering, building high-performing teams and ensuring that every venue delivers an exceptional dining experience.

This role requires a strong culinary leader who combines creativity and craftsmanship with operational discipline, commercial awareness and a passion for developing people.

Key Responsibilities

• Oversee culinary operations across the estate's restaurants, hotel, golf facilities and event venues, maintaining consistently high food and service standards.
• Lead, mentor and develop the Head Chefs, establishing clear expectations, accountability and a culture of culinary excellence.
• Guide seasonal menu development, championing quality ingredients, local provenance and the unique identity of each venue.
• Support Hazendal's culinary vision by celebrating its heritage, wine culture and connection to the land through distinctive dining and wine-pairing experiences.
• Monitor food costs, stock control, portioning, wastage and kitchen productivity to achieve agreed financial targets.
• Ensure compliance with food safety, hygiene and operational standards across all kitchens.
• Support the delivery of weddings, banqueting, special events and other estate-wide culinary experiences.
• Collaborate with the wider hospitality, procurement, finance and winemaking teams to continuously improve guest experiences and operational performance.
• Encourage sustainable kitchen practices and the use of seasonal, locally sourced and estate-grown produce where practical.
  

What We Are Looking For

• At least 5–7 years of experience in senior professional kitchen roles, including substantial experience as a Head Chef or equivalent.
• Proven experience in five-star hospitality, luxury restaurants or comparable high-end establishments.
• Demonstrated experience overseeing multiple kitchens or outlets and leading other senior chefs.
• Strong culinary expertise, creativity and exceptionally high standards of food quality and presentation.
• Sound commercial understanding, including food costing, stock management and cost control.
• Excellent leadership, communication and people-development skills.
• A hands-on, collaborative and solutions-driven approach, with the ability to perform under pressure.
• A genuine passion for food, hospitality, seasonal ingredients and continuous improvement.

Experience in luxury wine estates, fine dining, banqueting, wine pairing or sustainable, estate-grown food concepts will be advantageous.

Join Hazendal

Join a talented culinary team and help shape the future of dining at Hazendal. This is an opportunity to combine culinary craftsmanship, practical leadership and a passion for exceptional hospitality while contributing to a distinctive estate experience rooted in heritage and a vision for the future.

Hazendal is committed to transforming and redressing past inequalities. Our employment equity goals will be considered in our selection process.

If you have not heard from us within two weeks of submitting your application, please consider your application unsuccessful on this occasion. We thank you for your interest in joining Hazendal Wine Estate.