Chef

Compensation Amount:
80.00 USD Hourly

Job Summary:
The Executive Chef is responsible for the overall culinary operations of the property, providing leadership, direction, and accountability for all food production and kitchen operations. This position ensures the highest standards of food quality, presentation, consistency, sanitation, safety, and service while delivering a dining experience that reflects the expectations of the residents and guests.

The Executive Chef leads, develops, and supervises the culinary team; establishes and maintains menus and recipes; manages food and labor costs; oversees purchasing, inventory, and vendor relationships; and ensures compliance with all applicable health, safety, sanitation, and food-service regulations.

Working closely with the General Manager, Dining Room Manager, Controller, and other members of the management team, the Executive Chef participates in menu planning, budgeting, forecasting, special events, resident functions, and operational planning. The position is expected to maintain a strong presence in the kitchen and dining operation, establish clear performance expectations, and develop a culture of professionalism, teamwork, accountability, and continuous improvement.

The Executive Chef must balance culinary excellence with sound fiscal and operational management. The position requires an individual who understands the unique expectations of a luxury residential community and can consistently deliver high-quality food and service while responding effectively to changing resident preferences, seasonal demands, special dietary requirements, and special events.

The successful candidate will demonstrate strong culinary expertise, leadership and communication skills, financial and organizational discipline, creativity, and a commitment to providing an exceptional resident dining experience.

Job Description:

EXECUTIVE CHEF

Department: Food & Beverage / Culinary
Reports To: General Manager / Managing Director
Supervises: Culinary Staff, Sous Chefs, Cooks, Kitchen Personnel, and other assigned Food & Beverage employees
FLSA Status: Exempt
Position Type: Full-Time

POSITION SUMMARY

The Executive Chef is responsible for the overall leadership, management, and operation of the culinary department. The position provides strategic and hands-on leadership to ensure consistently high standards of food quality, presentation, sanitation, safety, service, and resident satisfaction.

The Executive Chef is responsible for developing and maintaining menus, recipes, production standards, purchasing practices, inventory controls, staffing levels, food and labor costs, and kitchen operating procedures. The Executive Chef leads and develops the culinary team while maintaining a professional, organized, efficient, and service-oriented kitchen environment.

In a luxury residential community, the Executive Chef must understand that dining is an integral component of the overall resident experience. The position requires a strong understanding of resident expectations, seasonal preferences, special dietary requirements, private functions, catered events, room service, and the operational demands associated with a high-end condominium or residential hospitality environment.

The Executive Chef works closely with the General Manager, Managing Director, Dining Room Manager, Controller, and other department leaders to coordinate culinary operations with the property's overall financial, operational, and service objectives.

The Executive Chef is expected to maintain a visible leadership presence, establish clear expectations, hold employees accountable, and continually identify opportunities to improve food quality, efficiency, presentation, service, and profitability.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Culinary Leadership & Food Quality

- Provide overall leadership and direction for all culinary operations.
- Establish and maintain consistently high standards for food quality, taste, freshness, portion control, presentation, and consistency.
- Develop, test, implement, and periodically review menus, recipes, and culinary standards.
- Ensure recipes and standardized preparation procedures are followed consistently.
- Maintain appropriate menu variety while considering resident preferences, seasonality, product availability, cost, and operational capabilities.
- Develop daily and seasonal specials in coordination with management and dining operations.
- Ensure food is properly prepared, held, stored, plated, and served at appropriate temperatures.
- Monitor food presentation and quality during all meal periods.
- Maintain a strong understanding of current culinary trends and incorporate appropriate concepts without compromising the property's established dining standards.
- Respond appropriately to resident feedback regarding food quality, menu selections, portions, presentation, and dietary needs.

2. Kitchen Operations

- Direct the day-to-day operation of the kitchen and culinary department.
- Establish production schedules and assign responsibilities based upon business volume, reservations, events, and staffing.
- Ensure appropriate preparation is completed prior to each meal period and special event.
- Maintain an organized, clean, efficient, and professional kitchen.
- Establish procedures for opening, closing, cleaning, preparation, storage, and daily kitchen operations.
- Coordinate effectively with the Dining Room Manager and front-of-house staff to ensure smooth service.
- Ensure timely communication between the kitchen and dining room regarding menu changes, shortages, special requests, delays, and service issues.
- Provide appropriate culinary support for resident functions, special events, private parties, banquets, and catered activities.
- Participate in after-hours events when culinary leadership or oversight is necessary.

3. Menu Development

- Develop and maintain menus that reflect the expectations and preferences of the resident population.
- Evaluate menu performance and make recommendations for additions, modifications, or discontinuations.
- Establish recipes, preparation methods, portion sizes, and plating standards.
- Maintain accurate recipe costing and nutritional/allergen information when applicable.
- Coordinate menu development with seasonal availability and purchasing opportunities.
- Ensure menus can be executed consistently within established staffing, equipment, and budget parameters.
- Work with management and resident committees, when appropriate, regarding culinary programming and menu development.

4. Financial Management & Cost Control

- Manage culinary operations within approved departmental budgets.
- Monitor food, labor, operating, and other controllable costs.
- Establish appropriate food-cost targets and monitor performance against those targets.
- Review departmental financial statements and operating reports with management.
- Identify variances and develop corrective action when financial performance does not meet expectations.
- Monitor portion control and production levels to minimize waste.
- Establish and enforce appropriate receiving, storage, rotation, and inventory procedures.
- Monitor food waste and implement procedures to reduce unnecessary loss.
- Assist management in preparing annual operating budgets, forecasts, capital requests, and business plans.
- Ensure culinary purchases are consistent with approved budgets and established purchasing procedures.

5. Purchasing & Inventory

- Oversee the purchasing of food, kitchen supplies, smallwares, and other culinary-related products.
- Maintain appropriate vendor relationships and evaluate product quality, pricing, availability, and service.
- Obtain competitive pricing when appropriate and work with management to identify purchasing efficiencies.
- Ensure all deliveries are inspected for quality, quantity, temperature, freshness, and compliance with specifications.
- Maintain proper inventory levels without excessive overstocking.
- Establish and enforce FIFO (First In, First Out) procedures.
- Conduct or oversee regular inventory counts.
- Investigate discrepancies between purchases, inventory, production, and sales.
- Ensure invoices and receiving documentation are properly processed in accordance with company procedures.

6. Staff Leadership & Development

- Recruit, interview, select, train, schedule, supervise, and evaluate culinary employees in accordance with company policies.
- Establish clear job expectations and performance standards.
- Maintain appropriate staffing levels based on business volume and budget.
- Develop employee schedules that provide appropriate coverage while controlling labor costs.
- Train employees in culinary techniques, recipes, food safety, sanitation, equipment operation, customer service, and company procedures.
- Provide ongoing coaching and development to culinary employees.
- Recognize strong performance and address performance deficiencies promptly and professionally.
- Maintain appropriate documentation regarding employee performance and corrective action in accordance with company policy.
- Promote teamwork, professionalism, accountability, respect, and effective communication.
- Develop qualified employees for increased responsibility and future advancement.
- Ensure employees report to work appropriately prepared, in proper uniform, and ready to perform their assigned responsibilities.

7. Food Safety, Sanitation & Regulatory Compliance

- Maintain full compliance with applicable federal, state, and local health department requirements.
- Ensure compliance with all applicable food safety, sanitation, HACCP, OSHA, and company requirements.
- Maintain appropriate food temperatures and temperature logs.
- Ensure proper food handling, storage, labeling, dating, and rotation.
- Ensure appropriate procedures are followed for allergens and special dietary requirements.
- Maintain a clean, sanitary, and safe kitchen and food preparation environment.
- Ensure kitchen equipment is properly cleaned, maintained, and used.
- Immediately address food safety or sanitation concerns.
- Cooperate with health department inspections and ensure deficiencies are corrected promptly.
- Maintain required certifications and ensure applicable culinary employees maintain required certifications.

8. Resident Experience & Hospitality

- Maintain a resident-first approach to all culinary operations.
- Understand that food and dining are key components of the property's overall hospitality experience.
- Respond professionally to resident comments, concerns, and requests.
- Work with management and dining room personnel to resolve service concerns promptly.
- Maintain appropriate confidentiality regarding resident preferences, complaints, and other private information.
- Develop relationships with residents while maintaining appropriate professional boundaries.
- Identify opportunities to enhance the overall dining experience through food quality, presentation, menu variety, special events, and culinary programming.

9. Special Events & Programming

- Provide culinary leadership for resident events, holiday functions, themed dinners, private parties, and other special programming.
- Assist with menu development, food costing, staffing, production schedules, and event execution.
- Coordinate with the Event Coordinator, Dining Room Manager, Lifestyle/Activities personnel, and management.
- Ensure food production and service are properly coordinated with event schedules.
- Provide appropriate culinary presence during significant events when necessary.
- Conduct post-event reviews when appropriate to identify opportunities for improvement.

10. Equipment, Maintenance & Capital Planning

- Monitor the condition and performance of kitchen equipment.
- Report equipment deficiencies and maintenance needs promptly.
- Coordinate with Maintenance regarding equipment repairs and preventative maintenance.
- Develop recommendations for equipment replacement, upgrades, and capital improvements.
- Assist management in developing capital budgets and long-term replacement plans.
- Ensure employees are properly trained in the safe operation of kitchen equipment.
- Maintain appropriate procedures to prevent damage, misuse, and unnecessary wear of equipment.

11. Communication & Interdepartmental Coordination

- Maintain effective communication with the General Manager, Managing Director, Dining Room Manager, Controller, Maintenance, Housekeeping, Activities, and other departments.
- Participate in management meetings and operational planning sessions as requested.
- Communicate staffing, operational, financial, food-quality, and safety concerns promptly.
- Ensure changes affecting dining operations are communicated appropriately to front-of-house employees and management.
- Provide timely information necessary for budgeting, forecasting, purchasing, payroll, scheduling, and financial reporting.
- Work collaboratively with other departments to support the property's overall operational objectives.

12. Policies, Procedures & Accountability

- Develop, implement, and maintain written culinary policies, procedures, recipes, checklists, and operating standards.
- Ensure employees understand and consistently follow established procedures.
- Conduct regular inspections of kitchen operations and employee performance.
- Maintain appropriate records and documentation.
- Ensure departmental practices comply with Guest Services, Inc. policies and applicable laws and regulations.
- Take ownership of operational problems and develop practical solutions.
- Maintain accountability for departmental results, including food quality, labor, food cost, sanitation, employee performance, and resident satisfaction.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

The Executive Chef directly supervises assigned culinary personnel and is responsible for providing appropriate leadership, direction, training, scheduling, coaching, and performance management.

The Executive Chef is expected to establish a culture in which employees understand:

- What is expected of them.
- How their performance will be measured.
- Who is responsible for each task.
- The standards to which they are accountable.
- How their work contributes to the resident experience and success of the operation.

The Executive Chef will work with management and Human Resources regarding hiring, disciplinary action, performance evaluations, employee development, and termination in accordance with Guest Services policies.

BUDGET & FINANCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY

The Executive Chef is responsible for managing the culinary department within established financial parameters and is expected to understand the financial impact of operational decisions.

Responsibilities include:

- Food-cost management.
- Labor-cost management.
- Inventory control.
- Waste reduction.
- Purchasing controls.
- Recipe costing.
- Portion control.
- Budget preparation.
- Budget monitoring.
- Variance analysis.
- Capital equipment planning.
- Financial reporting.

The Executive Chef is expected to review departmental financial information regularly and take appropriate corrective action when results vary materially from budget or established expectations.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education

- Culinary degree, certificate, or equivalent professional culinary training preferred.
- Additional hospitality, restaurant management, or business education is desirable.

Experience

- Minimum of five years of progressive culinary experience, including supervisory or management responsibility.
- Experience as an Executive Chef, Chef de Cuisine, Executive Sous Chef, or comparable culinary leadership position preferred.
- Experience in luxury hospitality, private clubs, resorts, country clubs, high-end residential communities, or similar environments strongly preferred.
- Demonstrated experience managing food and labor costs.
- Demonstrated experience developing menus and standardized recipes.
- Experience supervising and developing culinary employees.
- Experience with special events and banquet operations preferred.

Certifications

- Current ServSafe Manager certification or equivalent food safety certification, as required.
- Any additional certification required by applicable state or local regulations.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES

The successful candidate should demonstrate:

- Advanced culinary knowledge and technical skills.
- Strong leadership and supervisory ability.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
- Strong organizational and time-management skills.
- Financial and cost-control awareness.
- Knowledge of food purchasing and inventory management.
- Knowledge of food safety and sanitation requirements.
- Ability to develop and execute menus.
- Ability to train and develop employees.
- Ability to work effectively in a high-volume, high-expectation environment.
- Ability to remain calm and professional under pressure.
- Strong problem-solving and decision-making skills.
- Ability to prioritize multiple operational demands.
- Strong attention to detail.
- Professional appearance and demeanor.
- Commitment to hospitality and exceptional resident service.
- Ability to work cooperatively with management, employees, residents, vendors, and guests.

PERFORMANCE EXPECTATIONS

The Executive Chef is expected to demonstrate consistent accountability for:

- Food Quality – Consistent taste, freshness, presentation, portioning, and execution.
- Resident Satisfaction – Professional response to resident preferences, concerns, and expectations.
- Financial Performance – Effective management of food cost, labor cost, waste, purchasing, and departmental budgets.
- Employee Performance – Appropriate staffing, training, coaching, accountability, and development.
- Food Safety – Consistent compliance with all food safety and sanitation standards.
- Operational Efficiency – Effective planning, preparation, communication, and execution.
- Menu Management – Relevant, appealing, properly costed, and operationally achievable menus.
- Teamwork – Effective cooperation with dining, management, and other departments.
- Leadership Presence – Active involvement and visibility in daily culinary operations.
- Continuous Improvement – Identification and implementation of opportunities to improve quality, efficiency, service, and financial performance.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

The position requires the ability to perform the essential functions of the position, with or without reasonable accommodation, including:

- Standing and walking for extended periods.
- Frequent bending, reaching, stooping, lifting, and carrying.
- Working in a commercial kitchen environment with exposure to heat, cold, steam, noise, and food-service equipment.
- Lifting and carrying food products, equipment, and supplies consistent with the requirements of the position.
- Operating kitchen equipment safely.
- Working extended hours, weekends, holidays, and evenings as operational requirements dictate.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The Executive Chef works primarily in a commercial kitchen and dining-service environment but may also work in offices, storage areas, event spaces, receiving areas, and other areas of the property. The position requires flexibility to respond to changing operational conditions, resident needs, special events, staffing issues, equipment failures, and other circumstances affecting culinary operations.

CONFIDENTIALITY

The Executive Chef may have access to confidential company, employee, financial, resident, vendor, and operational information. Such information must be handled in accordance with Guest Services, Inc. policies and applicable law.

GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES

This job description is intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed. It is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, or qualifications required for the position. The Executive Chef may be assigned additional responsibilities consistent with the position and the operational needs of Guest Services, Inc. and the property. All employees are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner, support the organization's service standards, comply with applicable policies and procedures, and contribute to a positive and respectful workplace.

Founded in 1917, Guest Services has worked tirelessly to earn the reputation as the premier hospitality management company and National Park Service concessionaire in the United States. Guest Services takes great care and pride in providing best-in-class services across a wide variety of client sites including luxury communities, hotels, resorts, government and business dining facilities, full-service restaurants, state and national parks, outdoor recreation, boathouses, marinas, museums, conference centers, senior living communities, health care systems, school and university dining facilities, and specialty retail stores.

Guest Services, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity employer.  All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and promotion without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or protected Veteran status.