Executive Chef - The Kitchen by Wolfgang Puck

JOB OVERVIEW

As the Executive Chef for The Kitchen and The Kitchen Counter by Wolfgang Puck, you are responsible for leading the culinary production and operations for the restaurant in the hotel and restaurants continuing effort to deliver outstanding guest service and financial profitability. The Kitchen is a 7-day per week full service dinner restaurant and The Kitchen Counter is 7-day per week quick service breakfast and lunch restaurant. The ideal candidate for this exciting role will be an innovative chef with vast and varied experience in restaurants, quick service, and fine dining, and working for a brand. This role with play a key role in the administrative duties of the kitchen but not limited to staffing, menu planning, ordering, vendor relationships, inventory and working closely with our front of house team and the Wolfgang Puck Corporate Team.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

• Lead daily culinary production, to include, but not limited to, preparation and production of meals, food quality and presentation, compliance with all safety and sanitation standards and regulation, team member productivity and performance, cost controls and overall profitability
• Execute daily and consistently the Wolfgang Puck recipes provided to your location
• Communicate with Wolfgang Puck Worldwide with any requests for changes to maintain brand consistency.
• Maintain Cost of Goods at or below targeted percentage through the use of food, beverage and operating expense control systems (e.g. proper use of inventory management system, budgets, insure proper use of prep and waste work sheets and proper inventories etc.).
• Understand and embody the Wolfgang Puck brand of hospitality
• Know the “Well (Wolfgang Puck Eat, Love, Live) Program” and provide knowledge to guests and to support to staff
• Candidate must be able to control cost to meet or exceed food and beverage budget while maintaining the highest operational and guest standards for this full service and quick service restaurant.
• Seeks opportunities to publicize the food and beverage outlets and catering facilities through development and implementation of a public relations strategy and by building a network in the community
• Writes, maintains and updates all menu specifications, recipes and pictures, production forecasts and ensures same are being followed. You will select, train, supervise and work with all Chef's and Cooks staff in the proper preparation of menu items to present food according to brand and restaurant standards.
• Maintain a strong relationship with vendors, communicating to them all current and future needs and negotiating pricing for the best of the hotel.
• Assist in purchasing of all food and non-food products, ensuring that Order Guides and Purchase Orders are used in all transactions
• Evaluate new products that could enhance standards and increase profitability
• The Executive Chef hires, trains, schedules and evaluates the staff of cooks with their Sous Chefs. Ensures highest possible level of sanitation and safety in our kitchens and pastry shop. Maintains established par inventory of cleaning chemicals and establishes a preventative maintenance plan for dishwashing equipment
• He/she is responsible for assisting in purchasing and maintaining inventory of culinary and BOH including dishware, glassware, silverware, pots and pans

• Analyze Event Orders for Private Dining Rooms to plan and coordinate the food and beverage portion of client functions with Catering and/or Meetings and Conventions/Events taking place inside the restaurant.

• Perform general management duties including, but not limited to, systems management, budget and forecasting, report generation, department management and meeting participation and facilitation
• Visually inspect, select and use quality food and beverage products including, but not limited to, fruits, vegetables, meats, fish and spices
• Create and implement new menus and individual food items seasonally with support of the Hotel Executive Chef and Wolfgang Puck brand.
• Monitor and develop team member performance to include, but not limited to, providing supervision and professional development, conducting counseling and assisting with evaluations, scheduling and assigning work and delivering recognition and reward
• Recruit, interview and train team members
• Insure that restaurant meets all local, state and government fire, health codes etc.
• Insure proper and thorough daily maintenance to keep the restaurant running at optimal levels and to prevent the need for “catastrophic” repairs and/or injury
• Daily cleanliness projects for all departments are clearly defined, executed and inspected

This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee occupying this position. Employees will be required to perform any other job-related duties assigned by their supervisor.

REQUIREMENTS

Education and/or Experience

• High School Diploma or equivalent required
• College degree and/or culinary degree preferred
• 5+ years of Culinary supervisory experience in a full-service, high volume restaurant and/or hotel environment required
• Previous Executive Chef experience preferred
• Must have hands on experience with food inventories and good understanding of all that impacts food cost.
• Must be well versed in writing schedules and meeting or beating budgeted labor costs through effective management.
• Must possess strong leadership skills to motivate and develop staff, the ability to build a team, self-confidence and a hands-on approach and be flexible and not afraid of change.
• Must have a professional appearance and warm, accommodating, confident, enthusiastic, motivating personality and abide by the principles, goals and policies of AHC, Curio and the Amway Grand Plaza.

Due to the nature of the hospitality industry, employees are required to work varying schedules, including nights, weekends and holidays, to accommodate the business and demands of the hotel.