Chef de Partie

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.

Work Location: In person