Executive Chef

Rise People; Vernon; On-site; CAD 100,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid vacation

Employee discounts

Attraction privileges

Job summary

Okanagan Gondola seeks an experienced Executive Chef to drive all culinary operations across its mountain destinations, including restaurants, cafés, and events. You will lead menu development, production standards, and high-performance teams while aligning offerings with budget and profitability goals.

The role requires strong leadership, financial discipline, and a passion for hospitality excellence, with oversight of food safety, inventory, and labour planning.

Qualifications

• Minimum 8 years of progressive culinary experience.
• Minimum 5 years in a senior culinary leadership position.
• Proven experience leading high-volume food service operations.
• Strong understanding of food cost management, labour planning, and inventory control.
• Demonstrated success in menu development and culinary innovation.

Responsibilities

• Lead all culinary operations across restaurants, cafés, quick-service venues, catering, and special events.
• Establish high standards for quality, consistency, presentation, and execution.
• Develop and implement culinary procedures, recipes, and production standards.
• Foster accountability, teamwork, innovation, and continuous improvement.
• Collaborate on menu pricing and profitability initiatives.

Skills

Leadership

Menu development

Culinary operations

Food cost management

Labour planning

Inventory control

Communication

Food safety

Education

Red Seal Certification

Job description

Okanagan Gondola is creating one of British Columbia's premier tourism destinations, offering guests unforgettable mountain experiences through sightseeing, hospitality, dining, weddings, corporate events, and outdoor recreation.

We are seeking an experienced and passionate Executive Chef to lead all culinary operations across the property and help establish Okanagan Gondola as a destination known not only for its views, but also for its exceptional food and hospitality.

Reporting directly to the Director of Food & Beverage, the Executive Chef will play a key leadership role in developing culinary programming, building high-performing teams, driving profitability, and creating memorable dining experiences for visitors and event guests alike.

Position Overview

The Executive Chef is responsible for the leadership, management, and execution of all culinary operations at Okanagan Gondola.

This position oversees menu development, food production, kitchen operations, food safety, inventory management, purchasing, labour planning, and team development. The Executive Chef will work closely with the Director of Food & Beverage to ensure culinary offerings align with the organization's operational and financial objectives while delivering exceptional guest experiences.

The successful candidate will be a hands-on leader with a strong operational background, proven financial discipline, and a passion for hospitality excellence.

Key Responsibilities

Culinary Leadership

Lead all culinary operations across restaurants, cafés, quick-service venues, catering, and special events.

Establish and maintain high standards for food quality, consistency, presentation, and execution.

Develop and implement culinary procedures, recipes, and production standards.

Foster a culture of accountability, teamwork, innovation, and continuous improvement.

Create and develop menus that balance guest appeal, operational efficiency, and profitability.

Introduce seasonal features and special event offerings.

Collaborate with the Director of Food & Beverage on menu pricing and profitability initiatives.

Incorporate local and regional ingredients where practical.

Continuously evaluate guest feedback and sales performance to improve offerings.

Oversee daily food production and kitchen operations.

Manage staffing levels, scheduling, and labour productivity.

Ensure efficient workflow and kitchen organization.

Support weddings, special events, corporate functions, and group business.

Monitor food quality throughout preparation and service.

Manage food costs, labour costs, and inventory levels within established targets.

Implement portion controls, recipe standards, and inventory management systems.

Reduce waste and improve operational efficiencies.

Participate in budget preparation and forecasting.

Support departmental profitability objectives.

Recruit, train, mentor, and develop culinary team members.

Conduct performance evaluations and support employee development plans.

Build strong leadership within the kitchen team.

Promote a positive and professional workplace culture.

Assist with succession planning and long-term workforce development.

Health, Safety & Compliance

Ensure compliance with all food safety regulations and sanitation requirements.

Maintain FoodSafe, WorkSafeBC, and WHMIS standards.

Conduct regular safety and sanitation inspections.

Ensure proper food handling, storage, and preparation procedures are followed at all times.

Qualifications

Required

Minimum 8 years of progressive culinary experience.

Minimum 5 years in a senior culinary leadership position.

Proven experience leading high-volume food service operations.

Strong understanding of food cost management, labour planning, and inventory control.

Demonstrated success in menu development and culinary innovation.

Exceptional leadership and communication skills.

Preferred

Red Seal Certification.

Experience in resorts, destination attractions, hotels, conference centres, or tourism operations.

Banquet, wedding, and catering experience.

Experience opening new venues or growing hospitality operations.

What We're Looking For

The ideal candidate is:

A strong and inspiring leader.

Passionate about hospitality and guest experiences.

Financially disciplined and operationally focused.

Creative, organized, and detail-oriented.

Comfortable working in a dynamic and growing environment.

Committed to building and developing high-performing teams.

Competitive salary of $100,000 to $120,000 annually.

Paid vacation.

Employee discounts and attraction privileges.

Opportunity to play a key leadership role in one of British Columbia's newest destination tourism attractions.