Executive Chef (gn) Event Catering Basel
We are seeking a culinary director with a business focus for one of the leading event catering companies in the Basel region. The company serves virtually all large-scale food-related events in the region, with exclusive contracts for stadiums, trade show and convention centers, and theaters, and is strategically expanding in German-speaking Switzerland.
The spectrum ranges from VIP menus to high-volume formats serving several thousand portions a day. Top-tier quality standards combined with an investment-oriented, profit-driven approach. Production takes place in a central kitchen featuring banquet, fast-service, and VIP kitchens, serving approximately 2,500 events per year.
Your Responsibilities
- Full control over the menu across all locations and formats: VIP plated service, buffets, flying buffets, standing lunches, pop-ups, stand catering, food trucks, crew catering
- Development and customization of menus for events serving up to several thousand people, including individual customer requests
- Cost of Goods Sold, Labor Costs, and Post-Event Cost Analysis for Each Event
- Logistics planning, including temperature zones and scheduling between the central kitchen and event venues
- Management of the kitchen teams, consisting of approximately 80 permanent employees and over 500 temporary staff, including on-site supervision and quality control
Here’s what you should bring
- Proven experience in high-volume catering and in event cost estimation
- Knowledge of logistics planning for large-scale events (transportation, temperature management, scheduling)
- Experience leading large, international teams
- Proficiency in office work and the ability to produce timely analyses and reports
- Fluent in German (Swiss German is a plus), basic knowledge of English
- A leader with a business focus—not a cook in the kitchen or a mere administrator—assertive and thick-skinned
The house offers
- Flexibility for kitchen management and processes across all locations
- Establishment of a central kitchen management team with real authority; growth in German-speaking Switzerland
- A company committed to investment; ISO 22000 certification in progress
- A location with a vibrant dining scene, a maximum of about 15 work weekends per year, and time off in lieu of overtime
Frame
Start date: Spring 2027 or as agreed. Work on an equal footing with management, sales, and logistics.
We’re not looking for a chef who just stands at the stove. We’re looking for someone who will take culinary responsibility for about 2,500 events a year and make sure guests can taste the difference on their plates.
Application
Confidential via Walnut Careers. Step 1 is a review of your application materials, including a market and salary assessment, followed by a virtual meeting with senior management, and, if there is genuine mutual interest, an in-person interview.