Chef (Japanese Cuisine)

DRIPLEX PTE. LTD. operates a Japaneseizakaya-style restaurant in Singapore, serving a wide range of Japanesehome-style dishes, set meals and sake. Our menu covers lunch set meals, donburiand curry rice, sashimi, deep-fried dishes (tonkatsu, karaage, aji fry), hotpots (motsunabe), oden, teppan dishes and izakaya-style à la carte dishes.

We are looking for anexperienced Chef to lead daily kitchen operations, prepare authentic Japanesedishes to a consistently high standard during both high-volume lunch serviceand evening izakaya service, and develop the kitchen team. The Chef will reportdirectly to the Director.

Job Description

Food Preparation & Quality

• Prepare, cook and present Japanese dishes in accordance with the restaurant’s recipes, portioning and presentation standards, including:

-Lunch set meals, donburi andJapanese curry rice for high-volume lunch service

-Sashimi and other raw seafood dishes, including filleting and preparation of whole fish

-Agemono (tonkatsu, karaage, ajifry, tempura) and teppan dishes (e.g. yakisoba)

-Nimono, hot pots (e.g.motsunabe) and oden, including simmered stocks and broths

-Izakaya-style à la carte dishesand appetisers to accompany sake and other beverages

-Apply traditional Japanese cooking techniques (knife work, fish preparation, simmering, grilling andfrying) and ensure consistency of taste and quality across all services.

-Inspect incoming ingredients, in particular fresh seafood, meat and produce, for freshness and quality, and reject items that do not meet standards.

-Prepare dashi, tare, sauces, marinades and other base preparations from scratch.

Menu Development

• Plan and develop lunch setmenus, seasonal izakaya menus and daily specials, taking into account ingredient seasonality, food cost and customer preferences.
• Recommend food pairings for the restaurant’s sake and beverage selection.
• Standardise recipes andmaintain recipe cards to ensure consistency.

Kitchen Operations & Cost Control

• Oversee day-to-day kitchen operations, including mise en place, ticket flow during peak lunch and dinner service, and closing procedures.
• Manage ordering and inventory of ingredients, including liaison with local and overseas suppliers /importers.
• Monitor food cost, minimise wastage and support the Director in achieving food cost targets.
• Ensure proper use, cleaning and maintenance of kitchen equipment and utensils.

Food Safety & Hygiene

• Ensure full compliance withSingapore Food Agency (SFA) food safety and hygiene requirements and the restaurant’s food safety practices.
• Maintain proper storage, labelling, temperature control and handling of raw seafood and other high-riskfood items.
• Maintain a clean, safe andorganised kitchen environment at all times.

Team Leadership & Training

• Supervise, train and mentorjunior kitchen staff in Japanese cooking techniques, food preparation andhygiene standards.
• Plan kitchen duty rosters andallocate tasks to ensure smooth operations during service.
• Coordinate with front-of-house staff on menu knowledge, allergens and special requests.

Job Requirements

• Minimum 10 years of professional kitchen experience in Japanese cuisine, including at least 5 yearsin a Chef / Head Chef or equivalent supervisory role.
• In-depth knowledge of Japanese home-style (teishoku) and izakaya cuisine, covering sashimi, agemono, nimono,nabe and grilled dishes.
• Strong fish-handling skills, including filleting whole fish and preparing sashimi.
• Experience running high-volume lunch service while maintaining consistent food quality and speed.
• Proven ability to develop set menus and seasonal specials.
• Experience in kitchen management, including inventory, ordering and food cost control.
• Good knowledge of food safetyand hygiene practices.
• Able to lead and train akitchen team, with good communication and interpersonal skills.
• Able to work shifts, weekends and public holidays.
• Formal culinary qualifications are an advantage but not required.