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Job Opportunities for Chefs In Maldives Resorts

Sep 14, 2023

Maldives is one of the popular destinations on every tourist’s bucket list, and with more people comes greater responsibility. Virtually every sector in the country offers excellent career opportunities to qualified professionals across the globe. One of the most prominent is the numerous job opportunities for chefs in Maldives resorts.

Chefs play a significant role in satisfying visitors at a resort, and most times, up to 20 and even more chefs are needed. With over 166 resorts currently operating in the Maldives and at least 6 new resorts entering the hospitality industry on a yearly basis, we can affirm that career opportunities for chefs in the Maldives will only keep growing year after year with its current development.

Nonetheless, it is about more than just being aware of these jobs. You should also know how to find them and the nature of the available jobs, just in case you need to glance through your resume for the last time before applying to a resort in Maldives. This post will delve deep into the job opportunities for chefs in Maldives resorts to help you get started.

Why Do We Have A High Demand For Chefs In Maldives?

It’s the same word we are both thinking of, actually- Tourism!!!

Tourism has become a significant mainstay of the Maldives' economic growth over the last fifty years, and this has, in turn, elevated the hospitality industry. As more resorts are built on the island-dominated nation, there is a need for expansion of the workforce, especially those to fill the bellies of tourists with delicacies of different kinds.

Most resorts in the Maldives are also 5-star with many rooms, which further allows a single resort to need more chefs to handle orders and please their visitors. The culinary arts is also a unique profession with few professionals in the field, so the search for professional chefs has also raised the demand in the Maldives.

The hesitation of the locals to become professional chefs amidst the continuous growth of the hospitality sector is also an unpopular opinion contributing to the high demand for chefs in the Maldives. By now, you can see that your level of professionalism is vital to grabbing job opportunities for chefs in Maldives resorts.

Reasons To Build A Chef Career In Maldives

There are several reasons you may want to consider progressing in your chef career in the Maldives. Since the country is a significant destination for tourists, it provides you with the perfect opportunity to fulfill your personal goals as a chef and achieve more.

The pay scale is attractive and comes with other benefits, including free accommodation, health insurance, food, and other employment benefits. It is fantastic to find out that salaries are tax-free and the service charge is enormous.

If you need help understanding what we mean by service charge, you should check out this article- Resort Service Charge In-Maldives.

It is also relatively easier to build your networks and expand your social reach if you work as a chef in one of the top resorts in the Maldives. Every chef in the nation is celebrated for their contributions to expanding the cuisines of the country and that of their nationalities as foreign chefs.

Another vital reason is self-fulfillment. There is a particular type of contentment that comes with achieving the goals one has set for himself. Therefore, securing a chef job in the Maldives will complete the dream of some chefs.

There are still some other social and economic benefits that you will be entitled to as a chef on the island, whether you are looking to develop a professional career or a job.

We believe you will be curious to learn more about the financial benefits, so we will discuss them further in the next section.

What Is The Average Salary Of A Chef In The Maldives?

It is tricky to state the exact amount you can earn from a particular job since this is subject to several factors. However, estimating the average salary of a chef in the Maldives is about 12500 MVR ($800).

On average, this can be as low as 6500 MVR ($400) and as high as over 46000 MVR ($3000). Executive chefs earn the highest, followed by the head chef, and then other roles in the hierarchy come next.

The amount chefs earn in the country depends majorly on their qualifications, area of specialization, working experience, and the resorts. For instance, the average pay of a Chef De Partie at the Kuramathi Resort in the Maldives is $22 per hour, while a chef holding the same position might earn less than this at another resort.

Job Opportunities For Chefs In Maldives Resorts

Resorts in the Maldives employ various chefs of divergent levels for different roles. These chefs are needed to ensure maximum efficiencies and also provide you an opportunity to kickstart your career regardless of the level you belong to. The following are the popular job openings in Maldives for chefs:

Executive Chef: Executive positions for chefs are rare since it is a highly specialized positions, and most often, business owners have specific individuals in mind to head their kitchen hierarchy. An executive chef oversees menus, kitchen budgets, and kitchen standards. They may also be involved in the recruitment process and offer strategic assistance to the owners.
Head Chef (Chef de Cuisine): The head chef is sometimes the apex position in some resorts, depending on the size, and will have to combine the function of the executive chef with theirs. Typically, a head chef is expected to supervise day-to-day kitchen operations and assist other lower-ranked chefs in catching up with the latest developments, especially when new dishes are introduced.
Deputy Chef (Sous Chef): Sous chefs are usually tagged the second-in-command and work hand-in-hand with the head chef. They are also crucial in designing, training, supervising, and coordinating kitchen operations. They report to the head or executive chef and work for an extended period in the kitchen.
Station Chef (Chef de Partie): The chef de partie is a specialized duty as these chefs are employed to prepare a particular dish. They also work as assistants to the Sous chef and help in keeping the kitchen under adequate conditions. Chef De Partie includes regional specialty chefs such as Chinese specialty chefs, Pastry chefs, and so on.
Junior Chef (Commis Chef): The commis chef is a junior member of the kitchen and handles the light food preparation. There are usually a lot of job opportunities for chefs in Maldives resorts for this level since it does not require intensive culinary skills.
Kitchen Porter: Kitchen porters include all other kitchen assistants who assist the chefs in food preparation and maintaining different kitchen etiquette. Some of their roles include picking food items, chopping and slicing ingredients, salad dressings, preparing sauces, labeling containers, and cleaning countertops.

You should check through the list and decide the category in which your current skill level falls, then proceed to the next section to locate where to find your first opportunity.

Where To Find A Chef Job In Maldives Online?

Finding a chef job in Maldives is not different from securing a job in other countries, although the opportunities accessible online might be limited. Nevertheless, if you can maximize the platforms we outline, you can get your first job opportunity in Maldives in no time.

Recruitment Websites

Recruitment websites like Indeed, Career Maldives, and Job Maldives should be at the top of your list in the search for platforms to access numerous opportunities for chefs.

By simply typing the word ‘chef in the Maldives,’ you can access tons of jobs available. You can also streamline your search if you are searching on Job Maldives by checking out the Kitchen Opportunities page.

You can also check out details about the posted company before applying for a job with them. That is because several impersonations on the internet look to scam you if you are not careful.

Job and Career websites

LinkedIn is the most popular job and career platform, with millions of employers posting offers on the platform every day. You have to put out your best and convince anyone who takes a glance at your profile that you are the right chef for their resort.

Websites of Resorts in Maldives

You can also follow a couple of resorts in Maldives and check out their websites frequently to see if there is an opening for you. Most resorts in Maldives tend to post their need for workers, especially chefs, on their websites alongside the requirements for such openings.

Social Media Platforms

This medium is our least recommended method of searching for job opportunities for chefs in Maldives resorts, but it works. You can check out popular social media platforms to see if anyone or an organization is speaking about a chef opportunity in the country. However, you must be careful with transacting with strangers to be on the safer side.

You should also make use of search engines such as Google to access more job opportunities from resorts in the Maldives.

Requirements To Get A Chef Job In Maldives

Every job has its requirements, and it is pertinent to understand these requirements before applying for a job. The same applies to chef jobs in Maldives, whose requirements are stated in the job posting.

As a general rule of thumb, chef jobs in Maldives often require more excellent soft skills for most lower-ranking chef levels and a minimum of 2 years of experience.

You may need to offer more to secure jobs in higher-ranking roles such as head chef and executive chef. Standard requirements to get a chef job in Maldives include the following:

At least 2 years of experience working in the industry

Creativity and innovativeness
Degree in a relevant field (usually for a specialized position) and demonstration of knowledge
Certificate of completion of professional training from a reputable organization
Positive attitude and good personality
Excellent team spirit
VISA (For foreigners)
Work permit.

The resort primarily provides a work permit and Employment Approval (EA), so you only need to provide documents that make you eligible. Definitely, your CV/Resume will play a vital part in securing the job for you, too. Hence, you should spend more effort in drafting a compressive and professional CV/Resume for yourself.

For foreigners looking to secure a Visa to enable them to work in the Maldives, you should read our article on how to find a resort job in Maldives, where we cover the visa requirements to secure a career in the country.

Note that the stated requirements are simply the common ones expected of you to possess as a chef by the resort. The resort may note other specific requirements depending on the job level.

What If I Don’t Want To Work In A Maldives Resort?

It is possible not to work in a Maldives resort and still become a chef in the country. You can either work with a traditional restaurant or even become a private chef.

However, it is much more beneficial to work with a resort since you have a guaranteed source of income, while otherwise, you need to work hard to build your reputation before earning the cash.

The earnings of a private chef cannot be quickly evaluated, although it should be around the national average of the chefs’ salary.

Conclusion

There are tons of job opportunities for chefs in Maldives resorts, and the continuous growth of resorts on the island has contributed to the spike in demand. We have already given some top platforms where you can find the latest Maldives jobs for chefs, with Job Maldives and Career Maldives among your surest bets.

You should know all the available chef levels so you can apply for the right job. Also, be sure to understand the requirements before applying for a chef job in Maldives to put you on par with other applicants.

As Maldives continues to grow its hospitality sector, now is the time to secure a job on the island and develop your professional career.