Ahmad Qasem

Accomplished culinary professional with over 15 years of international experience in high-volume luxury hotel environments, specializing in Arabic, Italian, and international cuisine. Proven expertise in strategic menu development, and culinary innovation. Adept at leading and mentoring diverse kitchen brigades to achieve excellence in food quality and service. Skilled in executive decision-making, P&L management, and stringent HACCP compliance.

Sous Chef - The Plaza Doha, LXR Hotels & Resorts - Doha, Qatar

(2025-05 - 2026-05)

• Designed and executed seasonal banquet menus for events up to 800+ guests.
• Reduced food cost by 8% through portion control and supplier negotiation.
• Led and trained a brigade of 10+ chefs across all banquet sections.
• Directed large-scale productions, managing service flow, plating, and presentation to deliver consistent five-star standards under high-volume conditions.
• Partnered with service and event teams to synchronize kitchen timing, guest flow, and overall dining experience.
• Oversaw ingredient sourcing, portion control, and cost management to achieve profitability without compromising quality.
• Maintained rigorous HACCP and hygiene standards, ensuring readiness for audits and compliance with brand and government regulations.

Junior Sous Chef (Pre-Opening) - Waldorf Astoria Doha West Bay - Doha, Qatar

(2023-05 - 2025-05)

Banquet, Room Service, Breakfast, Executive Lounge, and Tribeca Market Restaurant.

• Maintained 100% compliance with ISO and HACCP standards, consistently achieving 'Excellent' ratings during Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) inspections.
• Standardized 200+ high-end recipes in accordance with ISO protocols to ensure consistency across all meal periods and banquet events.
• Reduced kitchen operational waste by 15% through the implementation of ISO environmental guidelines and Hilton's Light Stay tracking system.
• Collaborated closely with the Executive Chef during the pre-opening phase, helping establish kitchen workflows, standards, and menu systems across five outlets.
• Managed daily culinary and banquet operations including Breakfast, Room Service, Executive Lounge, Business Lunch, and Weekend Brunch, ensuring precision, consistency, and presentation at luxury standards.
• Led outside catering for high-profile clients, maintaining impeccable organization and refined execution.

Junior Sous Chef (Pre-Opening) - Rixos Qetaifan Island North - Doha, Qatar

(2022-11 - 2023-05)

Supported international cuisine operations at the water park during the pre-opening phase.

Chef de Partie - Banana Island Resort Doha by Anantara - Doha, Qatar

(2018-07 - 2022-10)

Specialized in Arabic cuisine at Al Nahham Restaurant.

• Led operations for 200+ covers daily, ensuring quality and consistency.
• Managed operations at Ted's American Restaurant (October 2021 – October 2022).
• Supported large-scale banquet production.

Demi Chef de Partie - Banana Island Resort Doha by Anantara - Doha, Qatar

(2015-11 - 2018-06)

Commis (Pre-Opening) - Banana Island Resort Doha by Anantara - Doha, Qatar

(2014-10 - 2015-10)

Commis II - Kempinski Hotel Ishtar Dead Sea - Dead Sea, Jordan

(2013-09 - 2014-09)

Ashur Pizza & Grill Restaurant Italian Cuisine

Commis III - Kempinski Hotel Ishtar Dead Sea - Dead Sea, Jordan

(2012-06 - 2013-09)

Ashur Pizza & Grill Restaurant Italian Cuisine

• Participated in the World Economic Forum 2013.

Commis III - Kempinski Hotel Amman - Amman, Jordan

(2010-07 - 2011-11)

Banquet, À la Carte, Breakfast, IRD, Hot Kitchen, Cold Kitchen, Italian & International Cuisine.

Diploma - Hotel Management Studies - Khawarizmi University Technical College

General Secondary Certificate - Hospitality & Tourism Stream - Imam Malik School