Executive Chef at UPDC Hotels Limited (Festival Hotel Conference Centre & Spa)

Festival Hotel is a 4 star first class hotel with 471 rooms made up of classic, deluxe rooms and suites. The hotel is located in an expansive ground in a fantastic location with a serene atmosphere as well as a safe and secure environment. It offers facilities such as adult and children swimming pool, exotic tropicalised garden, conferencing and private function facilities, modern and well equipped table tennis and twin state of art squash court, well equipped state of art gym, jogging tracks, sauna and steam bath facilities. It has an expansive car park,excellent food and bevrage facilities with 2 restaurants offering local and international cuisine, in housing laundry and dry cleaning facilities, exotic art stands and an in house clinic. It also has gifts shops,a shopping mall and a cinema in the premises.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Executive Chef

Location: Amuwo-Odofin, Festac - Lagos
Employment Type: Full-time

Job Description

• The Executive Chef is responsible for the overall culinary direction, quality, and performance of all food and beverage outlets within the property.
• This role demands a passionate, creative, and business-minded leader capable of developing exceptional menus, maintaining the highest standards of food quality and safety, and inspiring a team to deliver outstanding dining experiences.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead, plan, and supervise all kitchen operations across restaurants, banquets, and in-room dining.
• Create innovative, seasonal menus aligned with the hotel’s brand standards and guest expectations.
• Ensure consistency and excellence in food presentation, taste, and portion control.
• Develop and maintain strong food safety and hygiene standards in compliance with HACCP and local regulations.
• Manage food costs, labor budgets, and inventory controls to maximize profitability.
• Recruit, train, mentor, and evaluate kitchen staff to build a motivated and high-performing team.
• Collaborate closely with the Food & Beverage, Banquet, and Procurement teams to ensure smooth coordination of services.
• Stay abreast of culinary trends, techniques, and innovations to continuously enhance guest experiences.
• Oversee menu engineering, recipe costing, and standard operating procedures (SOPs).
• Represent the culinary department in management meetings and special events.
• Ensure prompt handling of guest feedback and culinary-related complaints.

Qualifications & Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree or Diploma in Culinary Arts, Hotel Management, or a related field.
• Minimum of 7 years of progressive culinary experience, with at least 3 years in a senior management (Executive or Executive Sous Chef) role in a 4- or 5-star hotel or resort.
• Proven expertise in international and local cuisine.
• Strong leadership, organizational, and communication skills.
• Exceptional knowledge of kitchen operations, budgeting, and food safety systems.
• Ability to work under pressure and maintain high standards during peak operations.
• Certification in Food Safety / HACCP is an advantage.
• Professional affiliation with recognized culinary associations is preferred.

Core Competencies:

• Strategic and creative culinary vision
• Financial acumen and cost management
• Staff development and team leadership
• Quality assurance and attention to detail
• Innovation and trend awareness.

Application Closing Date
30th November, 2025.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should send their Resume to: hrmanager@festivalhotellagos.com using the Job Title as the subject of the email.