Chef de Cuisine

Weekender Hotels; Killington (VT); On-site; USD 85,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Weekender Hotels is seeking a Chef de Cuisine at Killington, Vermont. This hands-on leader will oversee daily culinary operations, menu development, and food quality while guiding a kitchen team in a fast-paced, seasonal hospitality setting.

The role emphasizes strong leadership, organizational skills, and a commitment to hospitality excellence, with accountability for operational efficiency and financial targets.

Qualifications

• Strong leadership, organizational, communication, and problem-solving skills.
• Hands-on culinary leader with creativity and passion for hospitality.
• Experience overseeing kitchen operations, menu development, and quality.
• Capability to manage food safety and seasonal, high-volume operations.

Responsibilities

• Oversee daily kitchen operations, including food preparation, cooking, presentation, and service.
• Develop and maintain seasonal menus, recipes, portion standards, and procedures.
• Ensure consistent food quality, presentation, and timely execution across dining services.
• Maintain proper food handling, sanitation, and kitchen safety standards per regulations.
• Lead kitchen team, recruit, train, schedule, and supervise staff; manage staffing levels.
• Monitor food costs, inventory, waste, and labor to meet budgets; assist with budgeting and pricing.
• Coordinate with events and front-of-house for group dining and banquets; support cross-departmental initiatives.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Problem-solving

Organizational

Banquet operations

Education

ServSafe Manager certification

Job description

What you’ll be responsible for:

The Chef de Cuisine is responsible for overseeing daily culinary operations, menu development, food quality, and kitchen team performance at Weekender’s Killington, Vermont property. Reporting to the Area General Manager, this position ensures an exceptional dining experience while maintaining operational efficiency, food safety standards, and financial accountability.

The ideal candidate is a hands-on culinary leader who brings creativity, organization, and a passion for hospitality. This role requires someone comfortable leading a team, managing kitchen operations, and delivering consistent food quality in a fast-paced, seasonal hospitality environment.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

The essential functions include, but are not limited to the following:

Culinary Operations & Menu Development

• Oversee daily kitchen operations, including food preparation, cooking, presentation, and service.
• Develop and maintain seasonal menus, recipes, portion standards, and food preparation procedures.
• Ensure consistent food quality, presentation, and timely execution across all dining services.
• Maintain proper food handling, sanitation, and kitchen safety standards in accordance with applicable regulations.
• Oversee kitchen cleanliness, equipment maintenance, and inventory organization.

Team Leadership & Development

• Recruit, train, schedule, and supervise kitchen employees in collaboration with property leadership.
• Foster a positive, accountable, and collaborative kitchen environment aligned with Weekender’s core values.
• Provide ongoing coaching, performance feedback, and development opportunities for culinary team members.
• Maintain appropriate staffing levels based on business volume, seasonal demand, and labor budgets.

Financial & Inventory Management

• Manage food purchasing, inventory, vendor relationships, and ordering to maintain cost efficiency.
• Monitor food costs, labor expenses, portion control, and waste to achieve established financial targets.
• Assist with budget preparation, menu pricing, and financial performance reporting.
• Conduct regular inventory counts and identify opportunities to improve kitchen profitability.

Events & Cross-Departmental Collaboration

• Coordinate with property leadership on special events, group dining, and banquet services, as applicable.
• Assist with event menu planning, food preparation schedules, staffing, and culinary execution.
• Collaborate with front-of-house employees to ensure seamless service and guest satisfaction.
• Participate in property meetings, operational planning, and continuous improvement initiatives.

Minimum Qualifications

• 3+ years of professional culinary experience, including 2+ years in a kitchen leadership or supervisory capacity.
• Strong culinary skills, including scratch cooking, menu development, food preparation, and presentation.
• Experience with food costing, inventory management, purchasing, and labor budgeting.
• Knowledge of food safety, sanitation standards, and applicable health regulations; ServSafe Manager certification preferred.
• Strong leadership, organizational, communication, and problem-solving skills.
• Experience with banquet operations, special events, or seasonal hospitality environments preferred.
• Ability to work a flexible schedule, including evenings, weekends, and holidays.

Success Measures

• Food Quality & Guest Satisfaction: Consistently deliver high-quality dining experiences and meet established guest satisfaction targets.
• Financial Performance: Maintain food and labor costs within approved budgets while minimizing waste.
• Operational Excellence: Ensure timely service, accurate inventory management, and compliance with food safety standards.
• Team Development: Build and retain a well-trained, engaged, and accountable culinary team.
• Collaboration: Support successful events, seasonal operations, and property-wide initiatives.

Physical Demands and Work Environment

The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee may encounter while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations will be provided in accordance with applicable laws, including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Vermont Fair Employment Practices Act, to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform essential job functions.

While performing the duties of this position, the employee is regularly required to stand and walk for extended periods, use hands and fingers to handle kitchen equipment and utensils, and frequently bend, reach, push, and pull. The employee may occasionally lift and move up to 50 pounds. The position involves exposure to hot surfaces, sharp equipment, slippery floors, and varying temperatures, including hot kitchen environments and walk-in coolers or freezers. Noise levels may be moderate to high during service.