Klein Alto Restaurant is Alto Wine Estate’s temporary home-away-from-home while the main estate is under renovation. The venue operates from a restored historic cellar building, atrium and outdoor deck overlooking the Helderberg Mountain, combining relaxed wine-farm hospitality with hearty, locally sourced cuisine and Alto wine-pairing experiences.
Key Duties
- Section management: Own a designated kitchen section from mise en place to close-down, including prep lists, par levels, service readiness, station cleanliness, daily handovers and coordination with bookings, tastings, group lunches, date-night dinners and seasonal events.
- Quality control: Maintain Klein Alto’s plating standards, flavour balance and consistency across wine-paired dishes, hearty à la carte items, sharing boards, seasonal specials and event menus.
- Yield and waste control: Record yields, minimise waste, use trimmings appropriately in stocks, sauces and staff meals, and support sell-through of seasonal produce and slower-moving stock through chef specials.
- Ordering and stock control: Prepare accurate requisitions for the Sous Chef or Head Chef, understand supplier lead times for meat, fish, fresh produce and specialty items, and verify deliveries against temperature and quality requirements.
- Food safety, allergen control and labelling: Enforce hygiene, date-labelling, allergen and recipe-control standards, including clear communication of allergens and wine-pairing considerations to front-of-house.
- Operational resilience: Support service continuity during load-shedding or equipment interruptions by prioritising high-risk perishables, maintaining chiller discipline, adjusting prep plans and executing practical menu pivots.
- Front-of-house and wine alignment: Brief servers and tasting-room staff on dish components, allergens, preparation methods and Alto wine-pairing cues, including acidity, spice, sweetness, richness and serving timing.
Knowledge, Education and Qualifications
- Education: Grade 12 or equivalent is required.
- Professional qualification: Diploma or certificate in Professional Cookery, Culinary Arts or equivalent industry training is preferred.
- Food safety: Food Safety and Hygiene certification, HACCP Level 2 or equivalent, is required.
- Additional training: Allergen management, wine-service awareness or wine-and-food pairing exposure is advantageous.
Experience
- Required experience: 4–7 years’ experience in a professional kitchen within a structured brigade, including proven ability to run a section independently during full service.
- Reports to the Head Chef
- Preferred experience: Experience in wine-estate restaurants, premium casual dining, refined bistro environments, luxury hospitality, high-volume seasonal service or event-based dining is advantageous.
- Venue-relevant exposure: Exposure to wine-pairing menus, tasting-room coordination, sharing boards, seasonal produce, locally sourced ingredients and outdoor-deck or atrium-style service is preferred.
- Pastry experience: Practical experience in pastry preparation, plated desserts, baked items, tarts, cakes, breads, petits fours or dessert components is advantageous, particularly where these support à la carte service, wine-pairing menus, functions and seasonal estate events.
- Supervisory exposure: Experience mentoring junior chefs, coordinating commis chefs and managing section-level ordering, stock control and cost discipline is required.
Skills and Competencies
- Technical and professional skills: Full ownership of a kitchen section, including mise en place, service execution, quality checks, post-service control and handover.
- Behavioural competencies: Accountable, calm under pressure, organised, quality-driven and able to maintain standards during busy lunch periods, dinner services, wine events and seasonal trade peaks.
- Communication skills: Communicates clearly with the brigade, Sous Chef, Head Chef, front-of-house team and tasting-room staff during preparation, service and handover.
- Languages: Working proficiency in English is required; Afrikaans or other guest-facing languages are advantageous.
Problem Solving
- Manages section flow, ticket prioritisation, mise en place gaps and plating consistency during fluctuating wine-farm service patterns.
- Handles stock shortages, supplier delays, equipment issues, weather-related outdoor-deck changes, late bookings, event pressure and quality deviations.
- Uses independent judgement to adjust workflow, protect food quality, maintain food safety and support front-of-house communication.
- Works within established recipes, portion standards and kitchen systems while adapting to seasonal menus, tasting-room demand and Alto wine-pairing requirements.
APPLY ONLINE - https://za.indeed.com/job/chef-de-partie-86423786efb2899d
Or email stefan@hmvineyards.com