Banquet Chef: Master of Large-Scale Event Dining

The Meritage Resort and Spa, Napa; Napa (CA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

The Meritage Resort and Spa in Napa seeks a Banquet Chef to lead a high-volume culinary operation for weddings, conferences, and resort events, directing a team of about 40 culinary professionals.

Reporting to the Executive Chef, you will own production planning, quality, menu development, and collaboration across Events, Banquets, Stewarding, Purchasing, and Food & Beverage teams. You will foster a culture of excellence and flawless execution.

Qualifications

• Five+ years of progressive culinary leadership in high-volume settings.
• Experience leading a large culinary team (30+).
• Proven ability to manage multiple simultaneous events (weddings, conferences, plated dinners).
• Strong knowledge of banquet production, timing, and kitchen logistics.
• Experience with labor, costs, purchasing, inventory, and waste management.
• Understanding of menu development, recipe costing, and profitability.
• Excellent leadership, organization, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to prioritize events while remaining calm under pressure.
• Strong interpersonal skills and cross-team collaboration.
• Culinary degree or formal education preferred; certifications welcomed.

Responsibilities

• Lead daily culinary operation for all banquet, catering, and event functions.
• Direct and develop a banquet team of ~40 staff, including sous chefs and cooks.
• Partner with the Executive Chef to execute culinary vision and financial goals.
• Oversee large-scale production with quality, presentation, and timeliness.
• Review event orders, diagrams, menus, timelines, and guest counts for planning.
• Lead production and pre-shift meetings to communicate priorities and service standards.
• Develop production plans, prep lists, station assignments, and timelines.
• Coordinate across multiple kitchens and venues for seamless execution.
• Maintain standardized recipes, plating guides, and portion-control standards.
• Manage food cost through forecasting, purchasing, inventory, and waste reduction.

Skills

Culinary leadership

Team leadership

Event execution

Banquet production

Food safety

Budgeting

Education

Culinary degree

Tools

MS Office

Scheduling systems

Purchasing platforms

Event management systems

Culinary costing tools

Job description

The Meritage Resort and Spa in Napa seeks a Banquet Chef to lead a high-volume culinary operation for weddings, conferences, and resort events, directing a team of about 40 culinary professionals.

Reporting to the Executive Chef, you will own production planning, quality, menu development, and collaboration across Events, Banquets, Stewarding, Purchasing, and Food & Beverage teams. You will foster a culture of excellence and flawless execution.