Executive Chef

Summary

The Executive Chef is the head of our Culinary Department at the lodge and a key management position.  The Executive Chef is responsible for departmental profitability, management of main kitchen and production kitchen, menu development, restaurant serving periods, catered events, and staff meals.

The Executive Chef supervises all culinary operations and the Culinary Management Team to ensure lodge guests have a fantastic dining experience.  Our Chef also oversees the Production Sous Chef, who supervises daily staff meals, general store deli and other food production functions.  The staff dining program serves over one hundred staff during peak season.

The Executive Chef works closely with the Lodge General Manager in coordinating and executing Lodge operations and supporting all departments at the Lodge as needed.  The Executive Chef is also highly involved in supporting our youth employment program.

The lodge provides full breakfast, sit down and to go lunches and dinner in our main restaurant, tavern and outdoor dining room.  The lodge prides itself in serving fresh, health conscious and creative ‘California Lodge Cuisine’ that far exceeds guest expectations given our remote setting.  Most of our in-house guests eat with us in our relaxed mountain environment each night along with locals.  To learn more about our restaurant and recent menus, please see our website.

The lodge is a coveted wedding venue catering to customized weddings, corporate retreat and specialty group business each year in various venues throughout the lodge property.  This wedding and small group focus adds additional creative opportunities to the Executive Chef role, which is supported by our Catering Lead. 

Essential Functions/Key Responsibilities

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these essential functions.

Our ideal Executive Chef is creative, experienced, mature, self motivated and excited to develop

a friendly and professional staff environment and embraces working hands on at a high culinary level in a rustic environment.

Key Personality Traits

• High integrity and creativity

• Guest service oriented and staff-focused

• Self-motivated (takes initiative) with high standards

• Mature, personable leader with a relaxed nature

• Execution oriented; enjoys hands-on implementation

• Leading a healthy, drug-free lifestyle

• Dynamic, fun, and likes the outdoors

• Flexible with a “whatever it takes” attitude

• Patience, patience, patience

Competencies/Required Skills and Abilities 

• Extensive experience managing a busy, multi-faceted operation, including financial management

• Strong culinary training (formal and/or informal) and knowledge of fresh California style cuisine

• Significant menu design experience

• Create a warm family atmosphere for staff while maintaining high standards

• Strong interest in training/coaching and in supporting our youth mission

• Disciplined regarding planning and managing schedules and meal/rest breaks  

• Wedding or similar high-end catering experience

• Hospitality or related experience

• Independent thinker with great initiative, but comfortable working within a defined framework

Culture

• Create a fun, friendly culture and a high service standard

• Build an energized, well trained, technique driven team 

• Have warm and friendly guest interaction including table visits, special events appearances, cordial correspondence, etc.

Staff

• Schedule, train and manage kitchen staff

• Interview, hire and review kitchen staff

• Coordinate daily with Tavern and Restaurant managers/staff

• Communicate effectively and maintain a close working relationship with the General Manager as well as the kitchen management and lodge leadership teams

• Actively support our youth employment and development program

Operations

• Define, cost,, and price all restaurant and tavern menus

• Manage department profitability

• Work hands-on on a daily basis

• Coordinate and execute catering functions and special events

• Coordinate all production kitchen functions 

• Establish structured processes and enforcing restaurant standards, programs and procedures, including break scheduling and monitoring 

• Provide ongoing training and oversight in food quality, cleanliness and hygiene standards

• Establish and oversee strong safety standards

• Order, receive, and manage relationship for vendors/purveyors

• Manage storage and inventory training/standards

• Devise and execute operational enhancements

• Maintain kitchen equipment and supplies

Reporting/Financial

• Review and report kitchen staff hours and breaks

• Actively manage day to day labor and overtime

• Manage and code invoices and prepare food inventories/transfers

• Monitor actual and theoretical food costs

• Improve profitability

Other

• Support other Lodge departments and managers as needed

• Train and manage kitchen staff, including Sous Chefs and culinary supervisors

• Create fair and consistent work environment based on respect and positivity

• Create a staff mentality that is quality driven and guest-oriented

• Inspire and model friendly, heartfelt hospitality among your team

• Work hands-on in the kitchen on a daily basis

• Enforce structured processes, restaurant standards, programs and procedures

• Train and oversee food quality, cleanliness and hygiene standards

• Maintain strong safety standards

• Order, receive and maintain proper par levels

• Manage inventory and associated storage 

• Maintain kitchen equipment and supplies

• Actively manage day-to-day labor and overtime

• Review kitchen staff hours and payroll practices to ensure accuracy and best practices

• Improve profitability by controlling cost and limiting waste

• Complete tasks in a timely manner to ensure efficient service for the kitchen

• Communicate professionally with FOH and BOH staff, including management, and be a role model of professionalism 

• Work safely to avoid injuries and accidents, including ensuring use of proper Personal Protective Equipment for all team members

• When finding unsafe conditions and maintenance concerns, address them immediately

Work environment and Physical demands

• The physical environment requires the employee to work both inside and outside in heat/cold, wet/humid, and dry/arid conditions

• Frequent walking, twisting, bending, stooping, kneeling, crouching, crawling, reaching, sitting, climbing stairs

• Ability to stand and move continuously

• Lifting up to 50 pounds maximum 

• Scrubbing and mopping floors

• Working with required chemicals 

• Shifts of up to 8 hours per day, plus periodic additional overtime hours

Details

• Full time salaried position

• The lodge is a remote location and housing options are available both onsite and offsite

• Our local community is home to many key managers and their families as well

• Compensation based on experience

• Hours variable, including nights and weekends and all holidays, as well as situational/crisis availability; a regular schedule with specific, set days off will be established

• Drug testing required in support of the healthy work and living environment we strive to create

• Healthcare benefits available after 90 days

• 401K eligible with 3% company match after 1 year

• Additional week of paid time off after 3 years

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.