Sous Chef (Breakfast)
Mama Shelter - Cape Town
Company Description
MAMA?
Founded in 2008 by Serge Trigano and his sons Jérémie and Benjamin (co-founders of Club Med), Mama Shelter is a creator of living spaces and a daily director!
These are atypical places, where everyone feels at home, places born of a blend of influences, freedoms, sensations and emotions. Each Mama tells the story of the city in which it is located, and all influences blend together. We offer our guests a joyful atmosphere and exceptional service at an affordable price.
More than just rooms and restaurants, Mama Shelter is a dynamic, a vibe: they are true urban refuges, not only aesthetically pleasing and modern but also popular, welcoming and sexy.
Whatever your role, we're all here to make the customer experience as unforgettable as possible.
Our mission: to bring little moments of happiness to people.
Our growth has enabled us to offer our teams great career paths through internal development and international mobility, and it's not a question of diplomas or years of experience.
Mama Shelter is part of Ennismore, a creative hotel group rooted in cultures and destinations, with a global portfolio of brands. Ennismore is a joint venture with Accor, founded in 2021.
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Our commitment to diversity and inclusion:
Mama is an inclusive company, and our ambition is to recruit and promote diverse talent.
Job Description
🌟 THE MISSION
You are the early heartbeat of Mama’s kitchen 🍳🔥✨ — setting the tone, pace, and precision of the day from the very first plate.
As our Breakfast Sous Chef, you ensure mornings run with calm control, consistency, and energy, delivering vibrant breakfast experiences that start every guest’s day the Mama way.
You support the Head Chef and lead the breakfast pass with focus, speed, and pride — turning early service into a smooth, high-quality operation 🎶💫
Here’s what you’ll be responsible for:
⚡ Breakfast Service Leader
- Run the breakfast service with confidence, structure, and pace
- Lead the pass during morning service, ensuring timing, accuracy, and flow
- Take ownership of service execution in the Head Chef’s absence during breakfast hours
🍳 Morning Execution Excellence
- Ensure all breakfast items are prepared and presented to Mama’s standards
- Oversee à la carte and buffet (if applicable) execution with consistency and quality
- Maintain speed and efficiency without compromising presentation or flavour
👥 Team Support & Coordination
- Supervise and support the breakfast kitchen team during prep and service
- Ensure clear communication between kitchen and FOH for smooth guest flow
- Provide on-the-job guidance and maintain a positive morning energy
📊 Prep & Operational Control
- Ensure all mise en place is completed accurately and on time for breakfast service
- Control food waste, portioning, and stock usage in line with targets
- Maintain kitchen cleanliness, organisation, and readiness for handover to lunch service
🤝 Collaboration Partner
- Work closely with the Head Chef and wider kitchen team to ensure seamless transition into lunch service
- Coordinate with FOH teams to deliver efficient and guest-focused breakfast service
- Support special requests, dietary needs, and guest preferences with care and speed
🛎️ Standards Guardian
- Uphold Mama’s hygiene, safety, and quality standards at all times
- Ensure full compliance with HACCP and kitchen procedures
- Maintain consistency across all breakfast dishes and service elements
🎉 Energy Setter
- Bring calm, positive, and focused energy to early shifts
- Set the tone for the kitchen team and ensure a smooth start to the day
- Help create a breakfast experience that feels effortless, fresh, and welcoming
Qualifications
🌟 MADE FOR YOU… ONLY IF ✨
- You have strong experience as a Sous Chef or Senior CDP within breakfast or all-day dining operations 🍽️🏨
- You thrive in early shifts and fast-paced morning service environments ⚡
- You are highly organised, efficient, and calm under pressure 🛠️
- You are confident running a section or leading service independently when required 🔥
- You understand prep planning, cost control, and kitchen structure 📊💰
- You are hands-on, present on the pass, and lead by example 👨🍳👩🍳
- You are passionate about delivering consistent, high-quality guest experiences from the first service of the day 💖
- You communicate clearly and work well with both kitchen and front-of-house teams 💬🤝
- You bring reliability, discipline, and positive morning energy 👥💫
🎯 YOUR LITTLE EXTRAS
- Breakfast or high-volume all-day dining experience? Big plus 🏗️✨
- Lifestyle or hotel brunch concept experience? Even better 🌍
- You know how to make mornings feel effortless, efficient, and memorable 🍳🔥
- You show up early with focus, pride, and Mama personality 🎶💫
Additional Information
Next, we're sure you know the tune 🎶:
- First melody: “At Mama, no AI! We review your application in person and take the time to understand your background. 🎧
- First verse: We organise an initial telephone interview with our People & Culture Team to see if your application fits in with our rhythm. 🤳
- Chorus: Once you've passed the phone interview, we'll arrange a remote meeting 💻 or a meeting at Mama 🤝 to meet the Gang!
- Last verse: Naturally, you'll receive a response from us within two to three weeks at the latest, whether it's a ✔️ or a ✖️.
