Head Chef | Culinary Leader & Kitchen Operations Specialist
Professional Summary
Rachid Hmitou is an accomplished Head Chef with over 19 years of extensive experience leading high-end kitchens across the Agadir and Tamraght regions of Morocco. Specializing in Moroccan, Italian, Asian, and Oriental cuisines, Chef Rachid possesses a strong reputation for dynamic show cooking, live culinary stations, and large-scale luxury buffet operations. Known for steering successful restaurant openings, he excels at cross-cultural menu creation, food-cost optimization, rigorous HACCP compliance, and comprehensive team leadership.
Key Expertise & Core Competencies
- Culinary Mastery: Moroccan, Italian, Asian, and Oriental cuisine, specializing in live show cooking stations and gourmet grilling.
- Kitchen Operations: Complete operational ownership including full-cycle menu development, recipe costing, waste reduction, and local supplier management.
- Leadership & Training: Extensive experience building, training, and managing high-performing culinary teams in 5-star establishments.
- Standards & Safety: Strict adherence to international hygiene guidelines and HACCP protocols.
Career Highlights & Experience
- Head Chef – In Charge | Green Point (Tamraght): Directed kitchen operations, designed seasonal menus tailored to international surf clientele, managed local suppliers, and optimized food costs and waste reduction.
- Head Chef | La Plancha du Rocher (Tamraght): Oversaw pass management, quality control, and established specialized fish and grill stations.
- Head Chef – Opening | Le Rituel, Le Petit Pêcheur & Noa Beach (Imi Ouaddar): Led the grand opening of the fine-dining venue Noa Beach—managing kitchen layout setup, staff recruitment, and comprehensive training across three distinct culinary venues.
- Chef de Partie / Live Cooking Manager | Hotel Royal Atlas – The View Hotel (5-Star): Spent 11 years managing high-end Asian cuisine, luxury buffet lines, and interactive show cooking while training commis chefs under strict 5-star and HACCP regulations.
- Kitchen Manager & Versatile Cook | Multiple Establishments (Agadir Area): Successfully drove seasonal contracts and kitchen operations across prominent local venues including Hotel Tildi, Hotel Beach Club, and Costabella.
Education & Languages
- Education: Specialization Diploma in Kitchen Service (Hotel Beach Club Agadir); DEUG in Spanish Studies (Ibn Zohr University); Baccalaureate in Modern Letters.
- Languages: Arabic (Native); French & Spanish (Fluent); English (Intermediate); Polish & Russian (Basic).
