Area Executive Chef

Proper Hospitality; Palm Springs (CA); On-site; USD 100,000 - 115,000; Full time

Job summary

Avalon Palm Springs is seeking a creative, senior culinary leader to pilot two distinct concepts under Proper Hospitality. You will craft seasonal menus rooted in the Coachella Valley, source locally, and mentor a team to execute high-quality service across breakfast, lunch, poolside, and dinner.

Demonstrated leadership in high-end kitchens, menu development, and cost control is essential. A strong partnership with leadership and guests will define the culinary program and guest experience.

Qualifications

• Leadership experience in quality-driven kitchens.
• Proven ability to develop menus and manage costs.
• Experience building and mentoring kitchen teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead with culinary vision for two concepts reflecting the Coachella Valley landscape.
• Develop menus with local purveyors and Avalon’s identity.
• Mentor sous chefs and line cooks to execute the vision.
• Oversee food cost targets, inventory, and supplier relationships.
• Ensure safety and health compliance across operations.
• Collaborate with ownership and F&B leadership on concept evolution.

Skills

Culinary leadership

Menu development

Team mentorship

Local sourcing

Food cost control

Kitchen operations

Stakeholder communication

Education

Culinary degree

ServSafe Certification

Job description

• Pay or shift range: $100,000 USD to $115,000 USD
  The estimated range is the budgeted amount for this position. Final offers are based on various factors, including skill set, experience, location, qualifications and other job-related reasons.

Description

YOUR TWO CONCEPTS

Melvyn’s — Bold, Classic, Elevated

A legacy-driven concept rooted in Rat Pack-era glamour, classic service, and high-quality traditional cuisine. Focuses on consistency and execution while preserving its historic identity, rather than chef-driven creativity or innovation.

Marlowe's — Our newest member of the family!

A three-meal-a-day restaurant that sets the tone for the entire property. Breakfast for guests waking to mountain views, lunch and poolside service for those living their best desert afternoon, and a dinner concept that anchors Avalon's reputation as a destination — not just a hotel.

These are two distinct culinary personalities under one roof — and you are the creative thread connecting them.

WHAT YOU'LL DO

Lead with Culinary Vision

• Design and evolve seasonal, chef-driven menus for both concepts that reflect the Coachella Valley landscape, local purveyors, and Avalon's iconic personality.
• Bring a distinct culinary point of view — one that resonates with both the property's heritage and today's discerning Palm Springs guest.
• Stay ahead of culinary trends while staying true to what makes each concept unique; creativity and consistency are not a trade-off here.
• Personally develop relationships with local farmers, ranchers, and artisan producers to build a sourcing story guests can taste.
• Collaborate closely with ownership and the Area Director of Food & Beverage to evolve concepts over time as the property grows.

Build and Mentor Your Team

There is no Executive Sous Chef in this structure — you'll work directly with a team of sous chefs who you'll develop in your culinary philosophy. This is by design: it gives you close creative control and the ability to build a kitchen culture from scratch.

• Recruit, inspire, and retain sous chefs and line cooks who share your passion and can execute your vision with precision.
• Invest in your team's growth through daily mentorship, hands-on training, and a kitchen environment built on creativity and respect.
• Create a culture where cooks want to stay, learn, and grow — and where exceptional work is recognized.
• Manage scheduling, station assignments, and day-to-day team logistics in partnership with your sous chefs.
• Maintain active presence during service — you're a chef who cooks and leads from the pass, not from the office.
• Partner with the front-of-house team to ensure food, timing, and presentation are seamlessly integrated into the guest experience.
• Tailor culinary offerings for special events, private villa buyouts, Coachella weekend, and VIP guest requests — this market is high-demand and high-opportunity.
• Monitor guest feedback and reviews with genuine curiosity, using insights to continuously evolve your menus and service.
• Oversee and support a strong events program (approximately 20% of F&B revenue), including weddings and corporate events. Prior banquet and catering (B&C) experience is essential to effectively manage operational demands and ensure seamless execution.

Manage the Business of the Kitchen

We want a chef, not an accountant — but great chefs understand the numbers. You'll have the support you need on financial reporting, but ownership of food cost and kitchen efficiency is yours.

• Manage food cost targets through smart menu engineering, portion discipline, and supplier relationships — without sacrificing quality.
• Oversee ordering, inventory, and waste reduction with your sous chef team handling day-to-day purchasing execution.
• Maintain full compliance with Riverside County health codes and food safety regulations; lead a kitchen where safety is cultural, not just procedural.
• Provide regular reporting on food cost performance and kitchen metrics to the F&B Director and ownership.

WHO YOU ARE

The right chef for this role is a creative leader first — someone who can articulate and execute a culinary vision while building a team that makes it happen every day. You may have come from an independent restaurant, a boutique hotel, a resort, or an entirely different chapter. What matters is your food, your instincts, and your ability to lead.

• You lead from the kitchen, not from behind a desk — service excites you and it shows.
• Your food reflects a clear culinary perspective; guests can tell a real chef is behind it.
• You develop cooks into better cooks; mentorship is as important to you as technique.
• You're organized enough to run two concepts without an exec sous, and creative enough to make both exceptional.
• You've worked in high-quality kitchens and understand both craft and volume.
• You communicate well with ownership, front-of-house, and your team — the kitchen doesn't operate in a silo.
• You're drawn to Palm Springs: its creative energy, its seasonality, and its unique position as a desert resort destination.

EXPERIENCE & CREDENTIALS

• A portfolio of culinary work that demonstrates a distinct point of view — from fine dining to casual, we're interested in great food, not just impressive titles.
• Meaningful experience in a leadership role in quality-driven kitchens; executive chef, chef de cuisine, or comparable creative ownership of a concept.
• Demonstrated ability to develop menus, manage food costs, and build kitchen teams.
• Familiarity with Southern California sourcing, ingredient seasonality, and the resort hospitality guest.
• Valid Riverside County Food Handler's Card or ServSafe Manager Certification (or ability to obtain immediately upon hire).
• A culinary degree is a plus — but your food is the credential that matters most.

WHY AVALON PALM SPRINGS

Palm Springs is having a moment — and Avalon is at the center of it. With 70 Spanish-style lodgings, three cabana-lined pools, the Estrella Spa, and one of the most storied addresses in California hospitality, this property offers a rare combination: the intimacy of a boutique hotel with the cultural footprint of an icon.

You'll work alongside a team that is building something — not maintaining it. Proper Hospitality's approach to lifestyle hospitality means we invest in culinary talent, take creative risk, and hold ourselves to a standard of excellence that makes the work genuinely rewarding.

• Direct access to ownership and creative decision-making authority over culinary direction.
• Performance incentive tied to culinary program success — your work is rewarded.
• A property and lifestyle market that attracts a sophisticated, food-forward guest.
• The quality of life that comes with building a career in one of California's most desirable desert destinations.

ABOUT AVALON PS HM, LLC

Avalon PS HM, LLC is a dynamic team of passionate individuals united by a shared love for the art of hospitality. We seek out the best talent — from within the industry and beyond — as we build a new kind of lifestyle hospitality company inspired by timeless traditions and focused on genuine innovation. The work is challenging, fast-paced, and deeply rewarding.

Avalon PS HM, LLC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We make decisions based on merit, regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, gender identity or expression, genetics, or any other characteristic protected by federal or state law. We utilize E-Verify for employment eligibility. In compliance with local Fair Chance Hiring Ordinances, we consider qualified applicants with criminal histories on an individualized basis.

Equal Opportunity Employer
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws.For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.