Head chefs & kitchen management · Amsterdam & the Netherlands
We find the head chef your kitchen needs
NovaChef: The chef who brings stability back to your kitchen
NovaChef places head chefs, sous chefs and floor managers for restaurants and hotels. Based in the heart of Amsterdam, working across the Netherlands. Formerly AV Staffing.
70%of our candidates speak Dutch
15+ yearsof recruitment experience
200+chefs placed
Chefs we placed work here today
For employers
A head chef who brings calm to your kitchen
We test candidates on what they can prove: organisation, leadership and cooking. So the chef you hire delivers from day one.
Discuss your vacancy → Explore our expertise (Dutch) →For chefs
Your craft deserves the right kitchen
We deliberately choose hotels, restaurants and caterers that put the kitchen first. So you know your talent is valued and you can make the difference.
Apply now → Finding a new role through NovaChef →This is what makes the difference in a kitchen
01
Organisation
Purchasing, food cost, workflow, hygiene and HACCP. Set up and kept in order.
02
Leadership
A strong chef provides clarity and coaches, and works hands-on from day one. The result: less turnover and a stable kitchen.
03
Network
A strong chef brings their network: good kitchen staff, trusted suppliers and sharp purchasing. The result: lower hiring costs and a kitchen up to strength faster.
And cooking? That goes without saying.
Kitchen management is our trade
NovaChef places senior hospitality roles: head chefs, sous chefs and floor managers. Head chefs are our focus. Around 70% of our candidates speak Dutch.
We're a team of three, with over fifteen years of recruitment experience between us. We work from the heart of Amsterdam and place across the Netherlands. You always deal directly with Thomas, Juri or Saartje: from the first call until after the placement.
Senior roles in hospitality
What we're hiring for right now
There are no vacancies online right now. Many of our searches are confidential. Register and we will contact you as soon as a kitchen fits.
Send an open applicationDon't see your position? Send an open application →
Chefs who found their kitchen through us
"He has consistently demonstrated his expertise by securing three excellent Sous Chef positions for me over the past three years. Thomas is always easy to contact, quick to act, and genuinely committed to finding the right opportunities for his clients."
MZ
Maciej Zasada
Sous chef · 22 years in fine dining and hotels
Recommendation on LinkedIn · April 2025
"Super meedenkend, groot netwerk in Amsterdam en snelle reacties! Wilt het beste voor bedrijf en werknemer. Bedankt voor alles 💪🏻"
NR
Nigell Rietveld
Sous chef · Restaurant Moon
Recommendation on LinkedIn · October 2025
"Persoonlijke en goede communicatie. Hij kijkt goed naar je persoonlijke wensen en graaft dieper als dingen niet helemaal duidelijk zijn. Tegen mijn verwachting in zeer snel een nieuwe baan, die goed bij mijn persoonlijke wensen past met daarbij een passend salaris. Top! Thanx Thomas en team."
FS
Frank Schipper
Chef de Cuisine
Recommendation on LinkedIn · August 2023
Reviews on Google
★★★★★
"Thomas is zeer prettig om mee samen te werken. Inmiddels al een paar jaar naar volle tevredenheid. Uiterst vriendelijke en vooral duidelijke communicatie, snel schakelen en goede selectie van kandidaten. Alles wat je zoekt in een recruiter. Ook kijkt hij echt naar wat er bij jou bedrijf past, wat zorgt voor een efficiënte selectie. Ik raad Novachef zeker aan!"
HM
Helen Malveiro
Client
Review on Google · October 2026
★★★★★
"Ik wil Thomas van harte bedanken voor zijn hulp bij het vinden van werk. Hij dacht met me mee, bood goede ondersteuning en hielp me nieuwe kansen te ontdekken. Ik waardeer zijn inzet, betrokkenheid en positieve houding enorm. Binnen een week had ik al 3 interviews bij 3 verschillende werkgevers, waardoor ben ik snel aan mijn nieuwe baan gekomen.
Ik kan Thomas zeker aanbevelen aan iedereen die hulp zoekt bij het vinden van een baan!"
SS
SRH Shah
Candidate
Review on Google · October 2026
★★★★★
"I've worked with AV-Staffing for the past three years, and they've helped me secure three excellent Sous Chef positions in that time. They are always easy to reach, quick to respond, and genuinely invested in finding the right fit rather than just filling a role.
What stands out most is their knowledge of the hospitality industry and the strength of their network: they understand what makes a placement actually work, not just on paper. Working with the team has been smooth and reliable every time.
If you're in hospitality and looking for staffing support, AV-Staffing is a company you can trust to get it right."
MZ
Maciej (Szef Kuchni)
Sous chef
Review on Google · July 2026
Why clients come back
"Dankzij hun selectie zijn wij erin geslaagd een aantal kandidaten aan te werven die in onze organisatie passen."
Tom Peerdeman
HR-Manager · De Horeca Groep
"NovaChef heeft ons al meerdere keren aan fijne nieuwe collega's geholpen."
Ella Dröge
HR-Manager · Utrechtse Horeca Groep
"Thanks to their selection we have succeeded in recruiting a great Head Chef who fits right into our organization."
Monica Bunde
HR Director · Clayton Hotel Group
€ 300
referral bonus
Know a good chef or floor manager?
Refer them to us. If your candidate is placed through us and passes their probation period, you receive 300 euros.
Refer someone via WhatsAppFor cooks and chefs
Applying for:
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Frequently asked questions
Do you only place head chefs, or also cooks and sous chefs?
Our focus is on head chefs and executive head chefs, but we also place sous chefs, independent cooks and other key roles in the kitchen team.
Do you only work in Amsterdam?
Our network is strong in Amsterdam, but we place chefs and floor managers across the Netherlands, including outside the Randstad.
Do you also place floor managers or general managers?
Yes, we place (assistant) floor managers. Looking for a general manager? Get in touch: we are happy to see what our network can do.
What does it cost to find a chef through NovaChef?
That depends on the role. Call or email us and you will know where you stand within one conversation.
I am a cook or chef looking for a new job. How does it work?
We contact you personally and, based on your wishes, look at which positions are currently open in the market for you.
How does the 300 euro referral bonus work?
Refer someone to us. If your candidate is placed through us and passes their probation period, you receive 300 euros.
Can you help with a visa or work permit?
No. We only work with chefs who are already allowed to work in the Netherlands: with a passport from the EU, the EEA or Switzerland, or with a residence permit that allows you to work. We cannot arrange a visa or work permit, and the employers we recruit for almost never sponsor one.
Tell us who you're looking for
Call, WhatsApp or email us directly. No middle layers.