Chef de Cuisine (Hotel Swexan)

Hôtel Swexan; Dallas (TX); On-site; USD 65,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

Harwood Hospitality Group's Hotel Swexan seeks an experienced culinary leader to oversee back-of-house and kitchen operations for a fine dining concept in Dallas. The role emphasizes strong leadership, guest satisfaction, and cost-conscious management across labor, food, and procurement.

The candidate will supervise cooks, design menus, ensure sanitation, and lead day-to-day kitchen activities while driving high standards of food quality and presentation.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 5 years culinary experience in an upscale or luxury hotel property.
• Minimum of 2 years restaurant management experience.
• Ability to work well under pressure in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Willing to work a flexible schedule.
• Experience with delegating tasks and maintaining fast-speed service.

Responsibilities

• Schedules and coordinates kitchen staff to ensure economical labor costs.
• Supervises cooking operations, portions and garnishing.
• Plans meals and develops cost menus.
• Ensures sanitation and safety standards are maintained.
• Manages procurement and deliveries with suppliers.
• Controls labor and operating expenses across all outlets.
• Meets guest expectations and supports guest relations and service standards.
• Trains and develops kitchen staff and leads operational excellence.

Skills

Culinary leadership

Staff management

Communication skills

Under pressure

Flexible scheduling

Inventory management

Job description

Harwood Hospitality Group, Dallas’ premier Hospitality owner-operator, introduces its most complete expression of a multi‑generational vision in Harwood District’s first hotel, Hotel Swexan.

Summary

Responsible for the overall operations in the back‑of‑house and kitchen area for one of Hotel Swexan's fine dining establishments. Strong leaders with excellent customer‑service skills are required to ensure each guest has an excellent experience.

Operations

• Schedules and coordinates the work of the chef, cooks and other kitchen employees to ensure food preparation is economical and accurate while staying within the labor‑cost budget.
• Supervises all cooking operations, including methods, portions and garnishing.
• Plans meals and develops cost menus.
• Approves requisitions of products and other necessary food supplies.
• Ensures high standards of sanitation, cleanliness and safety are maintained throughout the kitchen.
• Establishes control to minimize food and supply waste.
• Ensures attractive presentation of all food and dishes.
• Trains and educates kitchen staff on new techniques and develop existing skills.
• Designs menus and directs food preparation, production and control for all dinner, private events, off‑site events, etc.; personally performs day‑to‑day tasks while leading the staff.
• Ensures exceptional quality of all ingredients, preparation and plating.
• Controls labor and operating expenses through effective planning, budgeting, purchasing decisions and inventory control while focusing on creative cost control and revenue‑generation solutions.
• Coordinates the selection, training, coaching, development, motivation and evaluation of kitchen employees to ensure exceptional food quality and presentation.
• Maintains visibility in the restaurant, provides recognition to guests, promotes positive public relations, handles special requests, and ensures the cleanliness and organization of the kitchen and its equipment.
• Monitors and maintains safe food‑handling procedures and a safe working environment.
• Oversees kitchen activities and staff.
• Manages the operations of a kitchen, including food supplies and procurement.

Guest Relations

• Ensures each guest is given a warm welcome and a fond farewell.
• Encourages the service team to memorize guest names and use them in every interaction.
• Meeting guests, building strong relationships, constantly inquiring about satisfaction.
• Ensures the service team records guest preferences and birthdays in the database.
• Interacts with VIPs, ownership and guests on behalf of the HH, greeting VIPs and handling special requests.
• Regularly reviews and evaluates the level of customer satisfaction for the restaurant.
• Constantly updates the guest database and maintains it as an effective marketing and PR tool.
• Empowers the team to resolve guest concerns in a timely manner and handle any issues beyond the direct reports.
• Learns from defects and incidents, implements resolutions, records issues and reports to the DOO.
• Monitors guest comments on social media (Facebook, TripAdvisor, etc.) and provides appropriate feedback.

Employee Management, Engagement & Training

• Leads by example and takes accountability for problems.
• Schedules work hours for FOH associates.
• Delegates and follows up effectively.
• Energizes the HH Division mission statement and core values among the team.
• Ensures all associates are properly groomed and behave according to HH codes of practice and core values.
• Provides overall leadership, recognizes and motivates team members, coaches and trains for operational excellence, focusing on upselling and service standards.
• Schedules periodic food and beverage service staff meetings to discuss policies and gather feedback.
• Participates in hiring and firing processes for associates.
• Participates in orientation of new associates.
• Participates in annual performance assessments and goal setting for direct reports.
• Conducts training and development programs across all levels, permitting advancement for qualified individuals.
• Conducts regular performance appraisals, identifies development areas and ensures training is implemented.
• Ensures fair discipline and compliance with statutory requirements.
• Stays aware of industry trends and suggests improvements to the operation.
• Carries out regular on‑the‑job training to agreed standards.
• Empowers direct reports and provides room for skill development.

Procurement and Deliveries

• Identifies and estimates food and beverage supply requirements and places orders with suppliers (together with Head Chef).
• Orders non‑food supplies and schedules deliveries.
• Ensures consumable and non‑consumable goods are ordered, stored correctly and inventoried.
• Checks quality of deliveries and documentation.
• Ensures all contract terms with approved vendors/suppliers are executed and followed; reports breaches to the Restaurant GM.
• Ensures correct storage of supplies.

Finance, Cost Control & Budgeting

• Monitors restaurant sales and revenue, ensuring daily receipts match sales and deposits.
• Ensures accurate cash management procedures.
• Reviews daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual reports, analyzes variances, proposes corrective actions and implements when approved.
• Responsible for unit food & beverage costs within the budget.
• Controls food, beverage and labor costs across all outlets.
• Achieves predetermined profit objectives while maintaining quality of food, service, cleanliness and promotion.
• Reviews shift schedules to balance guest service and labor costs.
• Implements effective control of beverage and labor costs across sub‑departments.

Meetings & Communication

• Prepares and analyses management reports for the unit.
• Attends weekly meetings with the Restaurant GM and DOO.
• Attends monthly meetings with the HH Executive team.
• Reports immediately on major product defects or guest issues and takes corrective actions.
• Ensures smooth communication with direct reports and other Restaurants/Units GM’s.
• Monitors HH Division social‑media activities and F&B unit websites; provides updates to the HH Marketing Manager.
• Identifies and evaluates competitors.
• Stays current with industry trends.

Attire, Language and Behavior

• Always neatly dressed, groomed, and speaks in accordance with HH Division and Harwood International standards of excellence and image.
• Treats all associates, in public and in private, with respect and consideration, regardless of position or tasks.

Physical Demand

• Represents the physical demands required for the essential functions of this job; reasonable accommodations may be made.
• able to bend, stoop, reach and lift up to 50 lbs.
• able to stand for prolonged periods of time.

Required Education & Experience

• Minimum of 5 years culinary experience in an upscale or luxury hotel property.
• Minimum of 2 years restaurant management experience.
• Ability to work well under pressure in a fast‑paced environment.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Capable of conducting and assessing restaurant inventory.
• Willing to work a flexible schedule.
• Experience with delegating tasks and maintaining fast‑speed service.