Executive Chef Full-Time

Full time applicants are required to have an open availability Monday - Saturday between the operating hours of 6am-Midnight and are typically scheduled a minimum of 40 hours a week.

A glimpse at the job:

At Wegmans, we are able to make great meals easy for our customers thanks to the skills and passion of our culinary professionals. In the role of Executive Chef, you will oversee the Prepared Foods areas and act as the culinary resource for the entire store. You will be given the opportunity to display your culinary training, experience and talent in a large volume environment and will promote a focus not only on great tasting prepared foods but on educating customers and team members and providing incredible customer service.

I will add value by:

• Managing all Prepared Foods departments and teams in the store, ensuring food is prepared following Wegmans core recipes and presented in ways that showcase quality and drive sales
• Collaborating with Perishable Area Manager and department managers throughout the store to create and promote recipes that highlight Peak of Perfection items and reflect Menu magazine themes; coming up with merchandising ideas that incorporate Menu , as well as seasonality, customer trends and corporate marketing plans
• Possessing a knowledge of customer and industry trends, seizing opportunities to promote sales by understanding which products to promote and working with area managers to drive innovation and creativity, when appropriate, to meet store and customer needs
• Using available culinary resources, including cooking technique demonstrations and meal tastings, to share knowledge with customers and employees, giving them the tools needed to make, or help make, great meals easy; being sure to lead employees by example and set the pace throughout the Prepared Foods area
• Analyzing financial reports and product trends and reacting with the aim of increasing profitability in the department; benchmarking with others to ensure Wegmans is staying ahead of the competition
• Maintaining a strong presence in Perishable areas by spending time in departments during peak hours to ensure employees, products and departments are meeting customer needs
• Setting and meeting department goals, facilitating a relationship between other departments and the kitchen in order to achieve success
• Reviewing department schedules and projections, working with staff to forecast future trends and control payroll expenses
• Holding department managers accountable for responsibilities including proper ordering, maintaining inventory levels, following Simplification practices and utilizing shrink to reduce waste
• Recruiting and retaining a talented and diverse workforce; recognizing culinary excellence and customer service abilities in employees, utilizing these skills and ensuring the right people are in the right roles to help them develop and best serve the needs of customers and the company/ store
• Ensuring employees have up-to-date performance reviews and receive on-going feedback, continually looking for ways to improve practices & processes and develop culinary leadership
  
  

What abilities I must bring to the table to be considered:

• Experience working a variety of positions in multi-faceted food service facilities and venues, including restaurants, hotels, country clubs, conference centers, casinos, theme parks, etc.
• Experience in food service profit & loss management

• Managerial/ supervisory experience including but not limited to, interviewing, selection, disciplinary action, employee development, managing financials and supervising management

• Experience in food service/ preparation
• Actively communicate the company vision and values to all and ensure work is completed in line with the organization's priorities and goals ( integrates Who We Are and What We Do )
• Exhibit excitement and passion for product , speaking from personal experience to describe why and how products are used
• Committed to having a customer needs focus , listening to customers and making decisions with their needs in mind, focusing efforts on building customers relationships and providing incredible service
• Easily build relationships with others, gaining trust and support, finding common ground and using team-based approaches to solve problems and achieve goals
• Display and order for freshness: ensure a consistent and fresh look across the department that highlights the peak of perfection and is easily shoppable with the freshest products available
• Show commitment to developing food interest in self and others by collaborating with the Culinary Team to increase customer and employee knowledge and promote food appreciation
• Focused on selling and meal emphasis, generating store excitement related to Helping Customers Make Great Meals Easy and partnering with other areas to execute product promotions that emphasize Peak of Perfection and unique products
• Using culinary creativity and a passion for culinary arts, as well as Wegmans cooking techniques, to come up with unique recipes, menu pairings, and presentation ideas that utilize products at the peak of their perfection and aim to enhance culinary style

What will set me apart from other candidates:

• Associates or Bachelors degree in Culinary Arts
• Diverse culinary experience, including working with a variety of food in a variety of regions and/ or cultures

Work environment:

• Continuous interaction with customers and co-workers in a fast-paced environment
• Typical motions include repetitive hand and arm movements, bending, reaching and frequent lifting of an average of 5 – 20 pounds
• Tasks will be performed using and in the proximity of ovens, stoves and other hot equipment and products
• Work requires the safe and proper handling of cooking utensils and kitchen equipment
• May be exposed to various allergens and work environments, including temperature changes
• Will be required to spend the majority of time on his or her feet and stand or walk without a break for up to 4 hours

Other:

• Employment at Wegmans may be contingent upon your completion and our evaluation of a physical, drug screen and/or criminal background check.