Banquet Chef

Aparium Hotel Group; Detroit (MI); On-site; USD 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

The Detroit Foundation Hotel, managed by Aparium, seeks an experienced Banquet Chef to lead the hotel's banquet food operations and ensure premier event experiences. Reports to Executive Chef and Chef de Cuisine, collaborates on menus, production, and scheduling.

You will mentor culinarians, maintain sanitation, manage inventories, and coordinate with Sales, Banquets, and Culinary teams to deliver high-quality catering for weddings, conferences, and social events.

Qualifications

• Reading, writing and oral proficiency in English.
• Spanish language skills are a plus.
• 3–5 years in culinary/food & beverage head roles.
• Strong service, labor control, and cost awareness.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and vendor ordering software.
• Ability to cost out recipes and multi-task.
• Ability to work evenings, weekends and holidays.
• Physical ability to stand, lift up to 30 pounds and push/pull up to 100 pounds.

Responsibilities

• Lead, manage and develop banquet food operations.
• Oversee banquet controls: menus, build sheets, order guides.
• Coordinate with banquet managers to deliver high-quality events.
• Maintain equipment and kitchen inventories.
• Ensure sanitation standards meet regulations.
• Mentor and coach kitchen staff.
• Collaborate with other hotel departments for guest experience.
• Lead by example and mentor relationships.

Skills

English proficiency

Spanish (plus)

Team leadership

Culinary leadership

Microsoft Office

Costing recipes

Event banquet experience

Vendor ordering software

Tools

Vendor ordering software

Job description

Our teams are the intuitive force behind Aparium’s distinct experiences. If you’re driven by a passion for genuine hospitality and the list below sounds like you, we invite you to explore opportunities to contribute to our collective.

Driven by excellence, always learning and growing.

Possessing a deep connection to the place you call home.

Recognizing that diverse talents and perspectives enrich our community.

You
belong
here.

Diversity

We embrace the unique perspectives and backgrounds of our team.

Equity

We are committed to impartial practices and fair opportunities for all to thrive.

Inclusion

We ensure everyone feels welcomed, respected, and empowered to contribute their authentic self.

At Aparium, we believe how we treat our people is just as important as how we treat our guests.

That’s why our benefits are designed to support your whole self—at work and in life—so you can grow, thrive, and feel inspired every day.

This overview highlights many of the benefits we offer, though specific offerings and eligibility may vary based on your employment status.

What We Offer

Hotels Done Differently
starts with people like you.

Join a team where your personality and passion are part of the experience.

Reports to: Executive Chef and Chef de Cuisine

Position is exempt

WHO WE ARE

Hotels done differently. It’s not just a slogan or catchphrase, it is who we are in everything we do. We believe in the power of People, Place and Character; ensuring our properties are a place where individuals are valued and celebrated as a tribute to the neighborhoods and the people of the communities in which we operate; elevating our associates’ pride in who they are, where they live and who we serve.

The Detroit Foundation Hotel has transformed the historic Detroit Fire Department Headquarters into a 100 room independent hotel that adds another piece to the ongoing Detroit renaissance puzzle. The hotel draws on the Motor- City's unparalleled past while proactively moving the city to its next incarnation as a national cultural, business and artistic touch- point. Featuring an inviting ground- floor restaurant, The Apparatus Room, the hotel partners with local distillers, brewers, farmer s and other edible sundry purveyors to deliver and authentic Detroit experience.

The hotel is managed by Aparium, which was founded in 2011, driven by the belief that all hospitality experiences should be fueled by the poetics of their surroundings, Aparium was born with an intense focus on unearthing the amazing moments unique to every city. Since its founding, Aparium has grown into a new kind of hotel brand, one that ventures off the beaten path, both geographically and philosophically. It is a sophisticated hotel brand known for its singular ability to combine the business acumen of large hospitality companies with the charm of boutique hotels, bringing disparate forces together in bustling, smaller markets.

Since its founding, Aparium has grown into a new kind of hotel brand, one that ventures off the beaten path, both geographically and philosophically. It is a sophisticated hotel brand known for its singular ability to combine the business acumen of large hospitality companies with the charm of boutique hotels, bringing the disparate forces together in bustling, smaller markets.

WHO YOU ARE

Your past experiences have led you to understand that there is an art + science to the how and what a hospitality operation professional is responsible for. Your balance of creative and organizational skills allows you to be both an artist as well as an air traffic controller. You are an intrinsically motivated individual who finds fulfillment in a full dining room with happy guests. You have the utmost respect for the ingredients and the process, striving to work directly with local farmers and artisans to obtain your ingredients at their height of freshness and peak of flavor. You understand the critical role you play in the hotel’s financial strategy and have a history of achieving cost effective solutions to daily kitchen management without sacrificing quality.

THE ROLE

The Banquet Chef reports to and works directly with the Executive Chef and Chef de Cuisine, collaborating with menu planning, productivity, and ordering processes to ensure production meets business levels. It is critical that you possess a background and basic knowledge of culinary technique related to the F+B concept(s) for the hotel and have a keen understanding of food production and execution for catering and events. You are a highly organized individual and an expert in constant and consistent communication, able to reinforce efficiencies while ensuring consistency in the kitchen operations. You lead the team through your collaborative approach—you understand that the ability to act as a soldier is as critical as being a general. Having the skills to mentor and teach your team of culinarians is a must for this position, as is demonstrating humility and genuine care for the items you create and the individuals who execute upon them.

At Aparium, our culinary teams are expected to hold themselves, the guests, and each other in high regard. You will actively develop trusting and transparent relationships with all associates throughout the hotel. You will have the opportunity to work with a phenomenal group of individuals with whom collaboration, humbleness, and open-minds are the norm—no egos are allowed. The ability to work with controlled measure and respect for your leadership team and peers is imperative; we have a no-tolerance policy for the “old school way”.

WHAT YOU WILL DO

• Lead, manage and develop the banquet food operations of the hotel
• Oversee banquet controls and systems, including but not limited to, menus, build sheets, order guides, production guides, recipes and set up guidelines.
• Work with banquet managers to produce food of the highest quality for events in a timely manner
• Maintain banquet equipment and kitchen inventories
• Check and coordinate details of each banquet function according to banquet event order
• Assist the Executive chef with any scheduling, time and attendance and ordering, and departmental compliance needs
• Assist the Executive chef and chef teams with any areas of the kitchen necessary outside of banquet responsibilities
• Operate, maintain and properly clean kitchen equipment. Work with property maintenance and third party vendors on any needed upkeep and repairs
• Date food containers and rotate as per policies, making sure that all perishables are kept at proper temperatures.
• Check pars for shift use, out of-stock items or possible shortages. Assist in inventories and product ordering.
• Ensure sanitation standards that are set forth by the hotel, local, state and federal regulations are in compliance
• Anticipate all materials and supplies needed and assure their availability
• Control usage of all food and beverage items and appropriate usage of equipment, tools and service equipment
• Constantly recommend service and product improvement to better the operation
• Ability to effectively communicate with internal and external customers to collect accurate information and resolve conflicts
• Demonstrate attention to detail in all aspects of work
• Demonstrate a high degree of drive and determination
• Constantly recommend service and product improvement to better the operation
• Maintain complete knowledge of and comply with all departmental policies/service procedures/standards
• Lead by example and foster mentoring relationships
• Assist with responsibilities and duties in other departments and as assigned by management

HOW YOU LEAD

• Offer direct support for your team through coaching, counseling, gentle correction, and constructive feedback
• Collaborate effectively with all hotel departments including Sales, Banquets & Catering, Food & Beverage, and Hotel Operations to provide an exemplary guest experience
• Be respectful in your daily interactions with your managers, direct reports, and peers, exemplifying the utmost level of professionalism and being a pillar within your community
• Be a subject matter expert in food and culinary techniques related to executing B+C events at a high level; understand the history of the cuisine most closely related to the hotel food and beverage concept(s), effectively guiding others in their personal search with a gentle hand, never admonishing their lack of knowledge

WHAT YOU WILL NEED

• Reading, writing and oral proficiency in the English language
• The ability to communicate orally in Spanish is a plus
• 3-5 years previous experience in culinary/food and beverage department head positions, with experience in event and banquet food production
• Thorough understanding of excellent service, labor control, maintenance, presentation and accounting
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications and vendor ordering software
• Ability to appropriately cost out recipes
• Outstanding verbal and multi-tasking skills
• Excellent knowledge of food, with experience in event production and execution
• Ability to work alone without direct supervision
• Ability to work varying schedules to reflect the business needs of the hotel, including evenings, weekends and holidays
• Ability to continuously stand and walk for the majority of a workday
• Ability to lift and carry up to 30 pounds frequently
• Ability to push and pull up to 100 pounds frequently
• Ability to negotiate varied floor surfaces continuously
• Ability to carry over the shoulder occasionally

As an Equal Opportunity Employer, Aparium Hospitality Services celebrates diversity and is committed to creating an equitable and inclusive environment, and a sense of belonging for all associates. We do not discriminate and believe every individual should be proud of who they are, and where they come from and take pride in who we serve. Aparium is an E-Verify employer.

A complete list of benefits, will be shared during the employment process.