About Hurtigruten:
Embark on an exciting opportunity with OSM Thome as a Head Chef with primary responsibility for the fine-dining restaurant Røst aboard MS Finnmarken, sailing between Hamburg, Germany, and Norway’s North Cape, serving primarily German-speaking guests.This role holds overall culinary responsibility of the fine-dining guest experience onboard, where local ingredients meet high execution standards in an à la carte setting. As Head Chef, you will lead the Røst galley while contributing to the wider galley operation onboard, ensuring quality, safety, efficiency, and strong collaboration across departments.
Do you have a passion for culinary excellence and delivering memorable guest experiences? Are you ready to lead a fine-dining kitchen at sea, where sustainability, precision, and leadership go hand in hand? Then this may be the role for you.
Duties and responsibilities:
• Primary culinary responsibility for the fine-dining restaurant Røst, including menu execution, plating standards, timing, and overall guest experience.
• Responsibility for maintaining and developing fine-dining service standards in alignment with Hurtigruten’s culinary concept and brand positioning.
• Close cooperation with Restaurant Management and service leadership to ensure seamless service flow, pacing, and presentation during fine-dining service.
• Responsibility for training galley staff in fine-dining techniques, precision, and presentation standards relevant to the Røst concept.
• Full operational responsibility for the Røst galley and associated provision rooms, including hygiene, cleaning, and compliance with applicable procedures and instructions, as well as shared responsibility for all catering premises connected to the galley.
• Responsibility for planning, preparation, and delivery of all meals served from the Røst galley, ensuring consistent quality and guest satisfaction.
• Leadership and personnel responsibility for galley employees, including supervision, training, performance follow-up, and efficient, economical utilization of available resources.
• Responsibility for professional training and development of galley personnel, including apprentices, with particular focus on safe use of hazardous equipment (meat saws, fryers, chemicals), correct use of personal protective equipment, and completion of required risk assessments.
• Responsibility for conducting a minimum of one staff meeting per shift and reporting key points to the Executive Chef.
• Joint responsibility for provisioning based on approved menu planning, including quantity forecasting, planned purchases, use of approved suppliers, and goods ordering in cooperation with the Storekeeper.
• Shared responsibility with the Executive Chef for inspection and approval of all food deliveries, including shelf life, temperature, packaging, and quality.
• Shared responsibility for supervision, correct use, and maintenance of galley equipment and provision rooms.
• Budget responsibility within the assigned area of operation, including cost control and efficient resource utilization.
• Responsibility for waste management within the Røst galley, ensuring correct handling and delivery to designated waste stations.
• Responsibility for ensuring correct use of the warehouse management system within galley operations.
• Responsibility for reporting irregularities, deviations, and accidents via the Hotel Manager and initiating corrective actions.
• Responsibility for ensuring compliance with the vessel’s operational and safety management systems, including IK Food routines, within the assigned area of responsibility.
• Responsibility for verifying correct registration and compliance with work and rest hour regulations for galley personnel.
• Continuous responsibility for remaining updated on required qualifications, company management systems, and vessel-specific documentation, systems, equipment, and manuals relevant to the role.
Qualifications/Experience:
• Certificate of apprenticeship as a cook or equivalent professional qualification.
• Relevant experience in kitchen management and operations.
• Experience from fine-dining, à la carte, or high-end hospitality environments is highly desirable.
• Strong quality awareness and attention to detail.
• Good knowledge of HACCP and food safety management systems.
• Proficiency in English, both written and spoken; German is an advantage.
• Personal suitability and leadership capability will be emphasized.
• Willingness to complete required maritime certifications (Basic Safety, Crowd and Crisis Management) and obtain an approved seafarer medical certificate. Course costs are covered by the employee.
Personal qualities:
• Strong focus on safety, compliance, and quality.
• Confident and motivating leader who inspires and develops others.
• Sociable, solution-oriented, and flexible.
• Detail-oriented while maintaining a strong operational overview.
• Enjoys working in close cooperation with both galley and service teams.
• Strong communication skills, both written and verbal; responsible and decisive.
We offer:• A challenging leadership position with primary ownership of a fine-dining restaurant onboard.
• An exciting future characterized by innovation, development, and strong culinary ambition.
• The opportunity to work with one of Norway’s strongest and most respected maritime brands.
• A professional and international working environment with skilled colleagues.
• A well-defined and sustainability-driven F&B concept.
Responsibility and decision-making authority:
The Head Chef has primary responsibility for the fine-dining restaurant Røst and is delegated authority to lead daily operations, quality standards, and team performance within the assigned area. The role reports to the Executive Chef and contributes actively to strategic and operational culinary decisions in line with company procedures and safety management systems.
How to apply for the job:
Register your profile with OSM Thome Recruitment tool on https://jobs.osmthome.com/jobs.