Chef de Partie - Lodge

CW Talent; Rockville (VA); On-site; USD 25,000 - 37,000; Full time

Job summary

Colonial Williamsburg Foundation in Virginia seeks a Chef de Partie to support menu execution and deliver high-quality cuisine for dining rooms and banquets. This role drives guest satisfaction, maintains consistent standards, and contributes to revenue growth through efficient kitchen operations.

The position emphasizes production, sanitation, safety, financial responsibility, and teamwork, requiring strong leadership of cooks and adherence to culinary procedures.

Qualifications

• Minimum 3 years culinary experience, preferably in a supervisory role.
• Culinary Degree and/or accompanying professional managerial experience with the hotel and restaurant industries.
• Thorough knowledge of all cooking aspects of Kitchen operations and possess knowledge of American regional cuisine, and menu development.

Responsibilities

• Ensure cooks produce food items to established standards and quality.
• Prepare foods according to standards and dish-specific requirements.
• Forecast and manage quantities to control food cost.
• Prepare all foods according to POS or BEO while handling special requests.
• Create breakfast, lunch and dinner specials aligned with unit direction.
• Model and enforce kitchen standards and supervise daily tasks.
• Expedite lines during shifts and manage large parties with FOH cooperation.
• Order food for the area of operations and ensure proper stock.

Education

Culinary Degree

Job description

Who We Are

Founded in 1926, the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation is a private, not-for-profit educational, historic, and cultural institution that owns and operates one of the largest and best-known museum complexes in the world. Our mission is “that the future may learn from the past” through preserving and restoring 18th-century Williamsburg, Virginia’s colonial capital. We engage, inform, and inspire people to learn about this historic capital, the events that occurred here, and the diverse peoples who helped shape a new nation.

Today, Colonial Williamsburg is the largest living history museum in the U.S. The Historic Area is the 301-acre restored colonial capital with 89 original buildings and 525 buildings reconstructed to how they appeared in the 18th century through extensive archaeological, architectural, and documentary research. The Historic Area is staffed by highly trained, historically dressed interpreters and expert tradespeople who bring the 18th century to life. The Foundation also owns and operates two world-class museums, the DeWitt Wallace Decorative Arts Museum, and the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum, The Bob and Marion Wilson Teacher Institute, and a renowned research library, the John D Rockefeller Jr Library.

Additionally, Colonial Williamsburg is home to five world class accommodations at the Williamsburg Inn, Williamsburg Lodge Autograph Collection, the Griffin Hotel, the Williamsburg Woodlands Hotels and Suites and the unique Colonial Houses in the Historical Area. Visitors may also indulge in food and drink at our many on site restaurants and taverns that blend a historically inspired dining experience with today’s evolved tastes. Each year over 5 million people visit Williamsburg and another 20 million engage with us digitally.

About the Position

Chef de Partie is responsible for assisting with the implementation of menus, the consistent preparation of innovative and creative cuisine of the highest quality, presentation, and flavors for the dining rooms or banquet functions, resulting in outstanding guest satisfaction and improved consistency which, in return, increases covers and revenues in the food service outlets.

Essential Functions:

1) Production:

• a. Insure that the Cooks are producing food items to the established standards, to produce a quality product.
• b. Food Preparation: Prepare foods correctly for service according to the standards of the specific dish, and the specific meal periods they have been assigned to.
• c. Insure that the Culinary Staff prepare accurate quantities of product through use of station checklists and forecasting to take an active role in food cost saving initiatives.
• d. Food Service: Prepare all foods according to the POS system print out or BEO, while producing and executing the special request items to meet guest expectations. The established pace of service is to be maintained in order to sustain a steady flow of service.
• e. Creation of breakfast, lunch and dinner specials with the knowledge of the concept of the unit’s direction as pertaining to food and style.
• f. Set the example and ensure follow through with positive and professional carrying out of the kitchen standards.
• g. Ensure that the Cooks are following through with the noted daily tasks by following checklists and your demonstrations of proper technique and guidance.
• h. Effectively expedite a breakfast, lunch or bunch line and dinner shifts.
• i. Demonstrate a proactive approach to managing large parties in cooperation with the front of house management
• j. Ensure that food is properly ordered for the area of operations you are managing.

2) Sanitation

• a. Maintain a working knowledge of the Temperature Danger Zone (41˚-135˚F)
• b. Thoroughly sanitize station, equipment and hands after handling potentially hazardous foods.
• c. Prevent potential cross-contamination through hand washing and awareness of surroundings.
• d. Read and follow the standards of the Appearance Policy provided by CW.
• e. Clean as you go, maintain a clean and orderly work station at all times.
• f. Keep jackets, pants, aprons, shoe and hats as clean as possible.
• g. Were protective gloves when handling ready to eat foods.
• h. Obtain certification of an accredited sanitation course, utilize and train the materials.

3) Safety:

• a. Insure that your direct reports have successfully completed on line Safety orientation.
• b. Insure that your direct reports have successfully completed on line Fire Training
• c. Successfully complete Driver Safety Training before operating a company truck.
• d. Fill out an incident report for all accidents that happen on your shift.
• e. Complete the incident follow-up form for each accident
• f. Wear slip resistant shoe to prevent slips, trips and falls.
• g. Practice safety in the work place at all times, understand and identify hazards in the work place so proper actions may take place in order to reduce injury.
• h. Maintain a sharp knife while safely handling as to not obtain injury.
• i. Have a working knowledge of safely prepping, using and cleaning of all equipment in the kitchen.
• j. Lift with your legs and always ask for assistance when necessary.
• k. Utilize a pushcart whenever transporting products over a distance.
• l. Take action to secure a hazard through the supervisor by reporting issues immediately.
• m. Ensure that others are practicing safety procedures at all times.

4) Financial Responsibility:

• a. Insure that the culinary Staff under your direction are clocking in and out accurately and according to the CW attendance policy.
• b. Be financially aware of the cost of food and cost of labor and effectively contribute to the control of both.
• c. Be aware and understand overtime and maintain practices to avoid accruing any pertaining to yourself and other staff members.

5) Communication

• a. Effectively communicate with co-workers and managers to maintain an efficient work space.
• b. Hold daily line-ups to inform the crew of the daily duties and tasks at hand.
• c. Effectively communicate to Cooks, Stewards and front of the house employees.

6) Teamwork:

• a. Demonstrates teamwork within your direct work group as well and surrounding departments.
• b. Identify and act when assistance is needed under any circumstance.
• c. Assist in strategies to develop efficiencies with the work group to streamline production and labor.
• d. Take the initiative to step in and direct other to assist others in a collaborative effort.

Qualifications:

Experience:

Minimum 3 years culinary experience, preferably in a supervisory role. Progressive track record with hotel, resort and restaurant organizations. Proven record of culinary accomplishments by recognitions personally achieved with on current recognitions for the cuisine of the affiliated resort, hotel or restaurant. Functional experience in guest service, dining room, catering and back of the house management.

Education:

Culinary Degree and or accompanying professional managerial experience with the hotel and restaurant industries.

Knowledge:

Thorough knowledge of all cooking aspects of Kitchen operations and possess knowledge of American regional cuisine, and menu development.

This is a non-exempt position, eligible to receive overtime in accordance with the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). This position may be subject to overtime during high peak times, etc. as directed and approved by the supervisor.

Compensation Disclaimer:

The compensation listed below for this position represents the anticipated hiring range and is provided in accordance with Virginia pay transparency requirements. Actual compensation will be determined based on factors such as the selected candidate’s skills, qualifications, experience, education, certifications, internal equity, and the specific requirements of the role.

Range: $18.13 to $27.16