Executive Chef

Outlier Search Group; Vancouver; On-site; CAD 110,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Incentive program

Paid vacation

Health & dental coverage

Cell phone allowance

Spa access

Resort discounts

Daily meals

Job summary

Outlier Search Group represents a leading Vancouver Island resort seeking an Executive Chef to build a comprehensive culinary program and lead multiple dining, banquet, and event operations.

You will focus on people, systems, standards, and structure to ensure long-term success while remaining visible during peak service periods. This leadership role offers opportunity to shape culture and culinary direction in a renowned island destination.

Qualifications

• Red Seal Chef certification with 7–10+ years of progressive culinary leadership experience.
• Senior leadership experience within a resort, hotel, conference, or complex multi-outlet environment.
• Strong restaurant and banquet experience, including high‑volume weddings, conferences, or events.
• Proven experience managing a culinary operation of at least $3–5 million with strong food-cost and labour-cost expertise.
• Demonstrated success building teams, developing leaders, and creating positive, accountable kitchen cultures.
• Strategic, commercially minded leadership balancing culinary creativity, discipline, and guest expectations.

Responsibilities

• Lead the redesign of the resort's culinary program with consistent standards and quality expectations.
• Develop distinct, seasonally relevant menus across multiple concepts while strengthening culinary identity.
• Build, coach, and develop a strong culinary leadership team with clear accountability.
• Oversee food and labour costs, budgets, forecasting, purchasing, inventory, and menu engineering.
• Strengthen restaurant, banquet, and event execution while maintaining food-safety and operational standards.
• Create structured training pathways for apprentices, culinary students, and emerging leaders.

Skills

Culinary leadership

Menu development

Budgeting

Team building

Education

Red Seal Chef certification

Job description

Build the Next Chapter of Culinary Excellence at a Leading Vancouver Island Resort

The Company

Our client is an established, independently owned destination resort located on a spectacular oceanfront property on Vancouver Island.

The resort offers a collection of guest accommodations, multiple dining experiences, spa facilities, and extensive conference, wedding, and event operations. Today, the organization combines the scale and complexity of a major hospitality operation with the agility, community connection, and entrepreneurial spirit of an independent resort.

The Opportunity

This is a role for someone who wants to do more than run a kitchen - it's about building a culinary program. As Executive Chef, you'll act as the operational and cultural anchor of the resort's culinary function, leading multiple dining, banquet, and event operations.

This is primarily a leadership and program-development role. You'll remain visible during critical service periods while focusing on building the people, systems, standards, and structure required for consistent long-term success.

This opportunity is made for a culinary business leader who wants to build a program, develop future chefs, and create a lasting legacy.

What You’ll Own

• Lead the redesign of the resort's culinary program, establishing consistent standards, recipes, systems, and quality expectations


• Develop distinct, seasonally relevant menus across multiple culinary concepts while strengthening the resort's overall culinary identity


• Build, coach, and develop a strong culinary leadership team, creating clear accountability and a positive, respectful kitchen culture


• Oversee food and labour costs, budgets, forecasting, purchasing, inventory, menu engineering, and overall culinary performance


• Strengthen restaurant, banquet, and event execution while maintaining exceptional food-safety, sanitation, and operational standards


• Create structured training pathways for apprentices, culinary students, and emerging leaders, positioning the resort as an employer of choice for culinary talent

What You Bring

• Red Seal Chef certification and 7-10+ years of progressive culinary leadership experience


• Senior leadership experience within a resort, hotel, conference, or complex multi-outlet environment


• Strong restaurant and banquet experience, including high-volume weddings, conferences, or events


• Proven experience managing a culinary operation of at least $3-5 million, with strong food-cost and labour-cost expertise


• Demonstrated success building teams, developing leaders, and creating positive, accountable kitchen cultures


• A strategic, commercially minded leadership style with the ability to balance culinary creativity, operational discipline, and guest expectations

Why This Role

This is an opportunity to lead a genuine culinary and cultural rebuild within an established, independently owned Vancouver Island destination.

You'll have the autonomy to shape the resort's culinary direction, strengthen multiple dining operations, build a respected training kitchen, and create systems and standards designed to succeed well beyond the immediate transformation.

• Established and highly regarded Vancouver Island resort


• High-impact leadership role with genuine ownership and influence


• Opportunity to shape the culinary program, leadership structure, and team culture


• Vancouver Island lifestyle - work and live in an affordable area within a spectacular ocean-front setting

Compensation

• Base salary: $110,000-$120,000 annually


• Quarterly incentive program


• Three weeks' paid vacation


• Employer-paid extended health, dental, and medical coverage


• Cell phone allowance, spa access, resort discounts, daily meals, and additional employee perks

Please note - the salary range for this position is structured to reflect different stages of proficiency within the role. Compensation at the lower end applies to individuals developing core competencies, while higher compensation is associated with demonstrated expertise and sustained performance. Final offers are determined by the client based on candidate experience and organizational requirements.