Co Executive Chef

Otter Creek Farmstead & Distillery is a premier hunting lodge and special events venue located in Northeast Alabama.  The land and lodge are the passion of owners, Frank and Jane Brown. The property is enjoyed by men and women who share their passion for creating a total experience of hospitality, culinary and hunting for quail, deer, turkey, pheasant and chukar.

CO-EXECUTIVE CHEF POSITION DESCRIPTION: Otter Creek is looking for a talented Co-Executive Chef to co-lead the culinary team and maintain and grow the culinary operations. The Chef should be creative and enthusiastic (it’s not about food cost; it’s about quality). They must have a positive attitude and be open to accommodating special requests from guests. The number one goal is to produce consistent quality product and to ensure that the guests dining at Otter Creek enjoy their experience. We emphasize teamwork. We will have twoExecutive Chefs with different responsibilities. The current Executive Chef is the lead on lodge cooking during hunting season. The Co-Executive Chef will provide all meals on off days for the current Chef and support either breakfast or lunch or the appetizer hour every day throughout hunting season. Normal hunting parties are 12-15 people. Additionally, the Co-Executive Chef will be the lead on multi-course wine dinners in our 4,000-bottle wine room and other fine dining activities and will be supported by the current culinary team for these special dinner events.  

Equally important as culinary expertise is the candidate’s character; the innate ability to build a professional and friendly kitchen environment that is respectful of other staff and clientele is paramount for this position. Otter Creek’s employee culture is one that values honesty, hard-work, and professionalism.

   INITIAL FOCUS:

• Continuation and Growth of Otter Creek’s Farm to Table Program: The Chef is responsible for canning of all jams and jellies sold in the Pro-Shop. We have chickens and a meat-aging program and we make our own sausages. In addition, the team utilizes the herb and vegetable gardens and the greenhouse. Otter Creek wishes to expand its true farm-to-table operations.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS/TRAITS:

• This is a hands-on working position managing daily production and providing consistency, quality, and excellent presentation.

• Otter Creek Chefs have a passion for the profession and are considered the “Culinary Ambassadors to Otter Creek” in the pursuit of excellence.

o Our culinary staff work together as two teams.  One Chef provides the culinary expertise during hunting season, and the other is the lead for wine dinners and fine dining.

o Each Chef supports the other in delivering the Otter Creek experience.

• The Co-Executive Chef must be a skilled communicator, a professional with a personable demeanor and approachable manner. All of these are important pre-requisite qualities for this position.

• An organized and detail-oriented individual with a solid culinary foundation and exceptional skillset.

• The Co-Executive Chef helps to create the annual operating budget. The budget is based on a forecast of the number of hunters. This position will be responsible for an annual replacement cost budget for plates, glassware, silverware, smallwares, and any new equipment.

• The Co-Executive Chef develops recipes and menus and teaches techniques for food preparation and presentation which help to create authentic guest experiences.

• The Chef is expected to be visible and personable with guests. Dining Room presence is a MUST including casual guest conversation. This position will be responsible for promoting Otter Creek culinary expressions in a regular marketing updates (social media posts and/or e-blasts) with the help of other team members.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

A distillery will open on the property by early fall 2024 generating additional culinary events.  Outside of hunting season, Otter Creek hosts wedding, corporate events, music events, wine dinners and other miscellaneous events.  The property has gardens, a green house and herb gardens for farm to table fare. Facility equipment includes two wood-fired pizza ovens, combi-oven, altra sham, 3 convection ovens with Salamander, Montaque broiler oven, Evo Grills, Lang Smokers, Traeger smokers, griddles, indoor gas grill, Kalamazoo dual fuel grill, Komota Joe’s and two Santa Maria grills and a commercial sous vide. The property is still evolving and growing rapidly and duties are fluid and will continue to evolve.  

• During Hunting Season we operate on an all inclusive basis.

• During hunting Season, sales are considered 100% banquet as guests do not order from an a la carte menu; the Chef creates what is made for that day!

• The Chefs do the purchasing.

• There is one (1) Kitchen that management rates condition as a 5 out of 5.

• Otter Creek operates twelve months annually and is only closed on traditional holidays. The busiest months are October – March.

• The Executive Chefs reports to the General Manager and work with the Lodge Manager, Hospitality Manager, Member Services and Accounting.

• The current Co-Executive Chef has been employed for 4 years.

DINING/LODGING SPACES: 

Grand Room Dining Room – Casual with 85 seats, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days per week but Hunting Season is limited to up to 15 hunters and spouses.

Grand Room Private Parties/Events – Otter Creek has one (1) Private Room with a guest capacity of up to 300 guests. The largest seated event that Otter Creek can accommodate is 125 guests.

 Wine Room/ Conference Room – Private dining area with 20 seats, serving wine dinners and other private dining.

 Otter Creek Lodge – Limited special events. Casual with 20 seats.

 Big Oak Lodge– Limited special events. Casual with 10 seats.

  Lodging: There are 17 guest rooms in the Otter Creek Lodge, Big Oak Lodge, Hill Cottage and Stables that offer private king and queen bedrooms, each with private bath.

Game Room - Limited special events. Casual with 12 seats.

Otter Creek Distillery - Whiskey Distillery opening Fall of 2024.

COMPENSATION: A compensation package will include base salary and performance bonus. Additional benefits include medical and dental insurance, 401K, and paid vacation.

TO APPLY: Applicants will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled. Interested candidates should send resumes, a well-conceived cover letter, and supporting information (a digital Portfolio is encouraged).