Head Chef

About the role

Noord House, a boutique guesthouse and all‑day restaurant in Shalaan, Damascus, is seeking an experienced Head Chef to shape its food identity from the ground up. The role is hands‑on, focusing on fresh pasta, pizza, focaccia, seasonal dishes and food designed for sharing.

Key responsibilities

• Develop and maintain recipes, portion standards and presentation guidelines.
• Produce fresh pasta, pizza dough, focaccia breads, sauces and other core preparations from scratch.
• Manage dough fermentation and ensure consistency across bread and pizza production.
• Operate and oversee cooking in a wood‑fired oven.
• Recruit, train, schedule and lead a small kitchen team.
• Control food purchasing, supplier relationships, inventory, waste and cost.
• Maintain rigorous food safety, hygiene and kitchen organization.
• Collaborate with owners and General Manager on menu development, pricing and events.

Required profile

• 5–7 years of professional kitchen experience, including senior kitchen roles.
• Passion for simple, high‑quality food and a hands‑on approach.
• Creative, organised and calm under pressure, able to lead by example.
• Experience with Mediterranean, Italian or ingredient‑led contemporary cooking is a plus.

Required skills

• Fresh pasta making from scratch.
• Pizza dough fermentation and wood‑fired pizza baking.
• Bread and focaccia baking, including natural fermentation.
• Operation of a wood‑fired oven.