Palestinian Chef
You own the food at YOYA. The menu, the recipes, the standard and the pass. Palestinian cooking made properly, named properly, and taught to the kitchen that cooks it beside you.
About Casa Palestina
Casa Palestina is the first permanent Palestinian cultural institution in Portugal, based in Alcântara, Lisbon. Women-led and rooted in bringing Palestinian culture to life through food, live music, art and film screenings. The house exists to protect memory, deepen public literacy, and sustain Palestinian presence.
The role
The food here carries weight. For many guests a plate of musakhan or a bowl of maqluba is the closest they will get to Palestine, and for others it is the taste of home. That means the dishes are named properly, cooked properly, and explained properly. This is not a fusion kitchen.
You are the culinary authority in the building. The Kitchen Manager runs the operation around you: ordering, stock, rotas, compliance and records. You decide what the food is and how it is made.
What you will do
The food. Design, cost and evolve the YOYA menu: mezzeh, mains, breads, sweets and daily specials. Write and maintain the recipe book so every dish is the same whoever makes it. Specify ingredients and quality standards, including what cannot be substituted. Build vegetarian, vegan and allergen-safe versions without hollowing them out.
The pass. Run service, call tickets, hold timing with front of house. Check every plate. Set prep lists and mise en place standards. Adjust the offer when a supply gap, a full room or a late programme change demands it.
Teaching the kitchen. Train the team on these dishes: the technique, the seasoning and the story behind them. Many strong cooks will arrive having never made this food. Bringing them up to standard is part of the job.
Events and programming. Develop menus for openings, screenings, concerts, private hire and catering. Cook for Ramadan, Eid and Land Day. Represent the food publicly where useful.
Who we are looking for
- Substantial experience cooking Palestinian or wider Levantine food, alongside professional kitchen experience.
- Experience leading a section or a kitchen, with menu development and consistent execution under volume.
- Valid HACCP or equivalent certification, or willingness to complete it before you start.
- Working English. Portuguese and Arabic both an advantage.
- Right to work in Portugal.
- Availability across evenings and weekends, including event nights.
We are not looking for a kitchen run on shouting. No humiliation, no chaos passed down the line.
Working arrangement
Operating week is Tuesday to Sunday, closed Mondays. Full-time, shift patterns agreed in advance. Staff meal on every shift. You report to the Board of Directors and work in close partnership with the Kitchen Manager and the Restaurant Manager.
How to apply
Send a short note about your experience and your CV to careers@casapalestina.pt, with the role in the subject line. We would rather read a few honest paragraphs about why this house than a formal cover letter.