CAREER OPPORTUNITY
Mandi House Chef
Culinary Lead • Authentic Yemeni & Arabian Cuisine | SAVA House
Saint Cloud, MN | Full-Time | In Person
JOB OVERVIEW
SAVA House is seeking a passionate, highly skilled and experienced Mandi House Chef to help lead the culinary launch and ongoing kitchen operations of its premium restaurant in Saint Cloud, Minnesota. This is a hands-on leadership role for a chef with deep knowledge of authentic Yemeni, Saudi and broader Arabian rice-and-meat traditions, with particular expertise in Mandi-style cooking.
The successful candidate will be responsible for delivering consistently exceptional food, preserving authentic flavors and techniques, establishing repeatable kitchen standards, mentoring culinary staff, supporting menu development and helping build a distinctive guest experience around SAVA House’s Mandi offering.
CORE CULINARY SPECIALTIES
Candidates should demonstrate strong, practical experience preparing and executing the following dishes at commercial restaurant scale:
- Traditional Yemeni and Arabian rice dishes, grilled meats, sauces and complementary sides
AUTHENTICITY MATTERS: The role requires expert knowledge of meat selection and marination, house spice blends, stock development, rice preparation, smoke infusion, slow cooking, moisture control, timing and traditional Mandi techniques.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
- Authentic Mandi Production. Lead the daily preparation and cooking of Mandi and related Arabian dishes, maintaining authentic flavor, texture, aroma, presentation and portion standards on every service.
- Kitchen Leadership. Supervise and guide cooks and kitchen assistants; assign duties, coach technique, reinforce standards and create a disciplined, collaborative and respectful kitchen culture.
- Recipe Standardization. Develop and maintain practical recipes, preparation methods, spice ratios, cooking times, plating specifications and batch controls to ensure consistency across shifts.
- Quality Control. Inspect ingredients, oversee preparation, taste dishes throughout production and correct quality issues before food reaches guests.
- Menu Development. Work with management to refine signature dishes, introduce seasonal or complementary items and develop premium menu offerings that remain true to the restaurant’s culinary identity.
- Food Cost & Waste Control. Support portion management, yield improvement, responsible use of ingredients and reduction of avoidable kitchen waste while protecting food quality.
- Inventory & Purchasing. Monitor stock levels for rice, meat, poultry, spices, produce and key specialty ingredients; communicate purchasing needs early and support reliable supplier planning.
- Food Safety & Sanitation. Maintain rigorous food-handling, temperature-control, cleaning, storage, labeling and hygiene practices in accordance with applicable health and safety requirements.
- Service Coordination. Coordinate closely with front-of-house leadership to manage ticket flow, special requests, large orders and service timing so guests receive meals at their best.
- Kitchen Readiness. Ensure stations, equipment, prep lists and mise en place are ready before service and that closing procedures leave the kitchen clean, safe and organized.
- Training & Knowledge Transfer. Train team members in SAVA House recipes and techniques so the restaurant can maintain quality as the operation grows.
- Continuous Improvement. Identify operational improvements in preparation, workflow, equipment use, presentation and guest-facing menu execution.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE
- Demonstrable hands-on experience preparing Mandi and other traditional Yemeni, Saudi or Arabian rice-and-meat dishes in a professional kitchen.
- Strong understanding of meat marination, spice preparation, rice cooking, slow-cooking methods, smoke/charcoal flavoring techniques and batch production.
- Prior experience supervising, mentoring or coordinating kitchen staff in a restaurant, catering or hospitality environment.
- Ability to maintain consistent taste and presentation while producing food efficiently during high-volume service.
- Sound knowledge of kitchen hygiene, sanitation, safe food handling, temperature control and organized storage practices.
- Strong communication, teamwork and leadership skills, with the ability to coordinate effectively with management and front-of-house staff.
- Ability to remain composed, organized and detail-focused during busy service periods.
- Flexibility to work restaurant operating hours, including evenings, weekends and peak service periods as required.
PREFERRED BACKGROUND
- Previous employment in a specialist Mandi House, Yemeni restaurant, Saudi/Gulf restaurant or premium Middle Eastern dining operation.
- Experience opening a new restaurant, setting up kitchen systems or helping launch a new menu concept.
- Experience training junior cooks and documenting recipes or standard operating procedures.
- Knowledge of complementary Yemeni and Arabian sauces, breads, salads, appetizers, grills, desserts and beverages is an advantage.
COMPENSATION, PROFIT SHARING & RELOCATION SUPPORT
BASE COMPENSATION
Competitive compensation aligned with prevailing U.S. market rates for comparable chef roles, adjusted for experience, technical skill, leadership capability and overall fit.
PROFIT SHARING
10% profit sharing as part of the compensation package. Specific calculation, eligibility, payment timing and other plan terms will be defined in the written employment agreement or applicable company profit-sharing plan.
RELOCATION SUPPORT
For a successful candidate relocating to Saint Cloud for the role, SAVA House will provide accommodation for six (6) months, subject to the terms of the final employment offer and relocation arrangement.
ADDITIONAL BENEFITS
- Employee meals and/or food discounts in accordance with company policy.
- Company events and team-building activities.
- Opportunity to play a central role in establishing the culinary identity of a growing premium restaurant concept.
- Professional growth and leadership opportunity within a new hospitality venture.
THE CANDIDATE WE WANT
We are looking for a chef who takes pride in authenticity, consistency and hospitality. The ideal candidate combines the discipline of a kitchen leader with the practical skill of a specialist Mandi chef: someone who understands that excellent Mandi depends on the details—from the spice profile and tenderness of the meat to the grain separation, aroma, smoke, timing and presentation of the finished dish.
This position is particularly suited to a chef who wants to help build something from the ground up, influence standards and menu direction, train a strong kitchen team and share in the restaurant’s success.
HOW TO APPLY
APPLY THROUGH TALENT FRONTIERS
Submit a current resume/CV together with a short summary of your Mandi experience, the types of Arabian cuisine you specialize in, and your current location/relocation availability.
Shortlisted candidates may be asked to discuss recipes, kitchen leadership experience and practical preparation methods as part of the selection process.
Bring authentic Mandi craftsmanship to Saint Cloud—and help define the SAVA House experience.
Recruitment Note: This job description summarizes the principal responsibilities and candidate profile for the role and may be refined to reflect operational needs. Compensation, profit sharing, relocation support and other employment terms are governed by the final written offer and applicable company policies.
