Chef De Cuisine

POSITION SUMMARY:

The CDC will be responsible for managing the kitchen and back of house personnel and ensure the quality and consistency in production of all areas. This position will oversee the proper handling and storage of all food items in accordance with health department and property standards. To manage all food and labor costs and any irrelevant issues under Culinary Director’s direction. The position requires excellent communication and team management skills, professional appearance and the ability to maintain the highest of culinary standards.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Provides a pleasant dining experience for all customers.
• Ensure compliance with health, sanitation, liquor, safety and employment regulations by clearly communicating and reinforcing standards and procedures to all employees. Ensure that all hiring practices, employee disciplinary actions, and expectations of employees are in accordance with the federal, state and local laws. Ensure employees have all required certifications. Meet with the Culinary Director regularly to review equipment needs, cleaning schedule, project status, health/safety and sanitation follow up.
• Record keeping and administration including: invoices, inventory, and employee paperwork. Prepare weekly work schedules for all kitchen personnel in accordance with staffing guidelines and forecasted labor costs, adjusting schedules throughout the week to meet business demands. Responsible for the purchasing and management of food, labor and restaurant expense management daily.
• Directs staffing, training and evaluation of kitchen employees in accordance with policies and procedures to provide ongoing development and correct any deficiencies. Foster and promote a cooperative working climate, maximizing productivity and employee morale. Maintains a clean and safe work environment.
• Ensure all food products meet company standards and specifications. Ongoing development of menus and recipes. Be knowledgeable of food trends and continuously self-educate on dynamic industry trends.

SUPPORT FUNCTIONS

In addition to performance of the essential functions, this position may be required to perform a combination of the following supportive functions, with the percentage of time performing each function to be solely determined by the manager based upon the particular requirements of the business:

• Professionally represent the Company at community and industry organizations and events.
• Participate as a team player with other key team members.
• Provide constructive feedback to all departments including culinary, operations, and sales and marketing staff.
• Be a leader and role model to all employees.
• Additional duties as necessary and assigned.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, ABILITIES, AND SKILLS:

The individual must possess the following knowledge, skills and abilities and be able to explain and demonstrate that he or she can perform the essential functions of the job, with or without reasonable accommodation, using some other combination of knowledge, skills and abilities:

Specific Tasks

• Responsible for adherence to all operating policies set forth by the Company
• Responsible for the successful achievement of all financial, quality and service goals for the organization.
• Represents the Company as a liaison with the community surrounding the entire development, developing and maintaining good public relations for the purposes of developing business, as well as maintaining an excellent reputation as an employer.
• Monitors and ensures the highest service standards possible throughout the organization. Ensures guest and employee satisfaction.
• Interacts directly with the customers to provide welcoming, friendly service and to solicit/receive feedback on quality of food and service.
• Ensures the physical maintenance of the restaurant and catering facilities, finishes, furniture, fixtures and equipment, both inside the facilities and at the facility and ancillary storage area.
• Oversees and directs all kitchen staff activities, ongoing training and personnel issues.
• Meets with Culinary Director regularly, both in group meetings and individually, to discuss kitchen operations and to set and monitor achievement status of organizational goals.
• Monitors dining room operations and assists in supervising private functions.
• Performs management reviews for all junior kitchen staff.
• Directly responsible to support and maintain management and employee morale and motivation. Supervises all employee-related policies.
• Ability to multitask, work in a fast paced and high-volume environment and maintain a personable demeanor.
• Exceptional organizational, customer service, communication, teamwork and interpersonal skills.
• Experience in vendor, food and cost management as well as strong business acumen.
• Strong coaching and development skills as well as the ability to lead and mentor a team.
• Ability to work all kitchen stations.
• Ability to read, write and speak fluent English.

QUALIFICATION STANDARDS

Education:

Culinary degree preferred.

Experience:

A minimum of five years of experience in a similar position at a fast paced, high volume hotel or catering facility. At least two years of prior Chef de Cuisine experience in an established, high quality operation.

Licenses or Certificates:

ServSafe/Food Handler certification.

Grooming:

All employees must maintain a neat, clean and well-groomed appearance per company standards.

Other:

Bilingual or multilingual ability preferred.

Physical Demands:

• Most work tasks are performed indoors. Temperature is generally moderate and controlled by the property’s environmental systems; however, must be able to work in extreme temperatures like freezers (-10°F) and kitchens (+110°F), possibly for one hour or more.
• Must be able to sit at a desk for up to 5 hours per day. Walking and standing are required the rest of the working day. This includes travelling to and from meetings and may include air travel. Length of time of these tasks may vary from day to day and task to task.
• Must be able to exert well-paced ability to maneuver between functions occurring simultaneously.
• Must be able to exert well-paced ability to reach other departments on a timely basis.
• Must be able to lift up to 30 lbs. occasionally.
• Requires grasping, writing, standing, sitting, walking, repetitive motions, listening and hearing ability and visual acuity.
• Talking and hearing occur continuously in the process of communicating with guests, supervisors and subordinates.
• Vision occurs continuously with the most common visual functions being those of near vision and depth perception.
• Requires manual dexterity to use and operate all necessary equipment.