Overview
Head Chef Jobs in Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa at Café Frank
Title: Head Chef
Company: Café Frank
Location: Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa
café FRANK head chef
Café Frank is a café and catering company situated in the vibrant Cape Town city centre, focused on wholesome food served fast. Over the last 17 years Café Frank has grown into a much-loved neighbourhood “canteen’’ serving homemade style lunch with fresh options daily, using carefully sourced produce from responsible producers, catering for all dietary requirements.
Alongside the café, we run a growing catering arm, a delivery operation, and we're developing the venue as a space for private functions and events.
We're a small, tight-knit team that cares about good food and caring hospitality and we're looking for a Head Chef who feels the same way.
The Role
This is a hands-on leadership role at the heart of our kitchen. You'll be responsible for everything that comes out of it — from the daily blackboard menu to catering prep, and private functions. You'll manage a kitchen team of around 8, keep standards high under real lunch-service pressure, and work closely with the owner on new ideas, recipes, and the direction of our events offering.
We are seeking a Head Chef who wants to help shape the future of our business. If you have experience with private functions and events and the appetite to help us develop that side of the business from the ground up, this is a genuinely exciting opportunity.
What you'll be doing
1. Designing and executing a daily changing blackboard menu built around seasonal, locally sourced produce
2. Leading and managing a kitchen team of 8+, including scheduling, briefing, and performance
3. Managing service efficiency
4. Planning, costing, and executing private functions and events — including menu design, logistics, and on-the-day service — and actively contributing ideas to grow this side of the business
5. Managing catering jobs alongside the café operation (with the restaurant manager)
6. Controlling food costs, waste, stock levels and budgets
7. Maintaining hygiene, safety, and health standards throughout the kitchen
8. Developing seasonal menus and new recipes inline with our philosophy and ethos
Ideal candidate
1. You have experience in and a love for making wholesome, produce-driven food
2. You have worked catering and functions before – private dinners, intimate events, bespoke catering — and you understand what it takes to plan and deliver them well
3. 3+ years of professional kitchen experience at a senior level in a relevant environment — farm-to-table, wholefood, private catering, functions, or quality neighbourhood restaurants
4. Demonstrated experience in menu development and kitchen management
5. Proven ability to lead and manage a kitchen team under pressure
6. Strong planning and organisational skills — you're the kind of chef who preps ahead and thinks in systems
7. Creative, curious, and genuinely interested in testing and developing new ideas and recipes
8. Experience with or a passion for seasonal, locally sourced, and whole-ingredient cooking
9. Solid understanding of food costing, waste reduction, and kitchen economics
10. Calm, collaborative, and a good communicator — this is a small team and culture matters
The details
1. Hours: Monday to Saturday, daytime only (every 2nd Saturday only)
2. Weekends and evening for functions on an ad hoc basis
3. Start date: available from now through to end of May 2026 — we're flexible for the right person
4. Remuneration: market-related and negotiable depending on experience
5. Formal culinary qualifications are welcome but not required — we hire on experience, attitude, and fit
To apply
Send us
- Your CV
- A cover letter telling us why Café Frank appeals to you and what experience you'd bring to our functions offering. Briefly describe the type of establishment/s you have worked in most recently, including the style of kitchen and the type of service
- A portfolio or food photography showing your style of cooking, and
- The contact details of at least two professional references by Friday 15 May 2026
Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
For more about café FRANK refer to www.cafefrank.com