Head Chef

Sungani Lodge is looking for a Head Chef to lead the kitchens at both of its family-owned safari properties in South Luangwa National Park, Zambia: Sungani Lodge and Kulandila Camp, about 6 km apart. You’d be based at Sungani, starting March 2027 for the May to November season.

The role

• Overall responsibility for both kitchens, hands-on: cooking, leading, training, tasting and inspecting
• Mentor the Kulandila kitchen team towards running confidently on its own
• Freedom to develop seasonal menus, refining an established offering with more finesse in plating and presentation
• Manage dietary and allergy requirements and contribute to bush dining and other guest experiences
• Own procurement, stock control, costing, food safety, hygiene schedules, SOPs and kitchen spending
• Make the most of limited supplies in a remote kitchen: blanching, freezing, preserving and cutting waste

What they are looking for

• An experienced Sous Chef or Head Chef ready to take full ownership of the Head Chef role
• Upmarket experience, ideally safari, lodge or luxury hotel
• Professional qualifications in cooking and food hygiene
• A creative, calm leader who enjoys developing and mentoring people, and is committed to building a Zambian team
• Food costing, budgeting, stock control and menu planning experience, and confident with guests
• Experience writing SOPs, training materials and kitchen systems
• A real love of the bush, wildlife and conservation

Good to know

• Live-in: comfortable double en-suite tent, with meals, laundry, cleaning and uniform provided
• With the lodge from March to November 2027; a retainer is being considered for the off-season
• Time off: 1 day a month plus 2 days’ annual leave a month, planned around occupancy
• Very remote, with no nearby town. A no-alcohol-at-work rule applies while guests are in camp
• Travel within Africa to and from the lodge at the start and end of the season is covered. Access is via Lusaka or Lilongwe, flying into Mfuwe, with transfers arranged
• Salary: excellent, negotiable according to experience

Applying

Email info@sungani.com with the subject line HEAD CHEF 2027, and include all of the following, as applications missing any of them may not be considered: your CV in Word format, a cover letter, a recent head-and-shoulders photo, current references and reference letters, copies of your qualifications, and images from your culinary portfolio.

Your cover letter should cover why you suit the role, your culinary and safari or lodge experience, team leadership and staff development, food costing and stock control, where you live now, how you feel about remote bush life and limited time off in peak season, and whether you hold a valid First Aid and CPR certificate.