Executive Chef – Italian Cuisine

General Overview: Our client, a premium hospitality organisation in Dubai, is seeking an exceptional Executive Chef to lead the culinary vision and deliver an authentic, elevated Italian dining experience. This is a senior, hands-on leadership opportunity for an accomplished chef with a strong fine-dining background, genuine creative flair, commercial acumen, and the ability to build and inspire a high-performing kitchen brigade. The successful candidate will have significant influence over menu development, culinary standards, kitchen operations, and the overall guest experience. Key Responsibilities: Lead the overall culinary direction and execution of authentic Italian cuisine. Create, develop and engineer innovative seasonal menus while maintaining strong traditional culinary standards. Drive exceptional standards of food quality, presentation, consistency and guest experience. Recruit, build, train and lead a high-performing multicultural kitchen brigade. Develop signature dishes and continuously elevate the restaurant’s culinary offering. Establish and maintain kitchen SOPs, recipes, preparation methods and operational standards. Manage food costing, gross profit, purchasing, inventory and wastage to ensure strong commercial performance. Build relationships with suppliers and drive product quality and development. Ensure strict compliance with HACCP, food safety, hygiene and kitchen standards. Oversee VIP, private dining and bespoke culinary experiences. Coach and develop culinary talent, fostering a disciplined and high-performance kitchen culture. Take a hands-on leadership role during key services, leading from the pass and maintaining exceptional execution standards. Key Requirements: 10+ years of professional culinary experience, with at least 3–5 years at Executive Chef, Head Chef or Chef de Cuisine level. Proven experience within premium Italian restaurants and/or genuine fine-dining establishments. Exceptional knowledge of authentic Italian cuisine, traditional techniques and culinary standards. Strong expertise across handmade pasta, classical sauces, risotto, meat, fish and traditional Italian desserts. Demonstrated ability to recruit, develop and lead a professional kitchen brigade. Strong commercial understanding of recipe costing, food cost, gross profit, purchasing, inventory and wastage control. Hands-on leadership style with the confidence and willingness to lead from the pass during key services. Strong people-development, coaching and training capabilities. Excellent attention to detail, creativity and commitment to culinary excellence. Experience working with multicultural culinary teams is highly advantageous. Michelin-starred, Michelin-recommended or internationally recognised fine-dining experience is highly desirable. Restaurant opening, launch or repositioning experience is an advantage. Previous international hospitality experience, particularly across the Middle East or Africa, will be highly valued.