Corporate Task Force Chef

The Westin Chicago North Shore; Schaumburg (IL); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

The Westin Chicago North Shore in Schaumburg, IL is seeking an Executive Chef to coordinate and direct all aspects of food production, maintain quality, train staff, and manage food and labor costs in a fast-paced hotel banquet and catering environment. You will lead menu development, supervise staff, ensure sanitation, and exceed guest expectations.

Strong leadership, organization, and communication are essential for this culinary team in Illinois.

Qualifications

• Strong leadership and staff development skills in a hotel culinary setting.
• Experience in menu development and cost controls to maximize profitability.
• Ability to manage budgeting and payroll within a high-volume kitchen.

Responsibilities

• Oversee all kitchen operations, including menu planning and staffing.
• Train staff and ensure adherence to quality standards and sanitation.
• Monitor food and labor costs; maximize guest satisfaction.
• Lead and schedule kitchen teams; ensure timely shift execution.
• Develop and implement systems for a fast-paced banquet and catering environment.

Skills

Leadership

Menu planning

Staffing

Training

Cost control

Sanitation

Budgeting

Forecasting

Payroll

Culinary knowledge

Job description

Description

JOB SUMMARY
Responsible for coordinating, supervising and directing all aspects of the hotel’s food production, while maintaining profitable F&B operations and high quality products and service levels. Provide training for all staff, meet corporate quality standards, establish and enforce food specifications, portion control, recipes and sanitation. The position involves management of all aspects of the kitchen operations, including menu planning, staffing, and scheduling, training, and shift execution. This individual will also exude pride in culinary excellence, demonstrate bold and innovative food skills, and be capable of sound, profitable management techniques. Strong leadership and ability to coach and develop employees as well as develop and implement systems in a fast paced restaurant/ hotel banquet & catering environment, excellent organization skills, communication skills, time management skills, an eye for detail and a strong commitment to total guest satisfaction. The Chef is also responsible for controlling food and labor costs while maximizing guest satisfaction.

Essential Functions

• Responsible for enhancing the food product that is presented to guests. Make changes that respond to the marketplace and to guests’ needs, both present and anticipated. Recommend changes to the food product. Use market research to develop new products
• Responsible for maintaining quality of food product and ensuring consistency in food delivery and standards.
• Provide support of a specialist nature to the Executive Committee, particularly to the Sales and the Food & Beverage Manager. Work in support of team goals and measures effectiveness through the Food & Beverage profit and service performance of the hotel.
• Responsible for the selection, training and development of the personnel within the department. Able to exercise hire and fire discretion within hotel’s policies. Oversee divisional matters as they relate to federal, state and local employment and civil rights laws.
• Control the elements that determine profit and loss. Responsible for all major operating expenses. Set margins and manage the business against projections. Make decisions that relate to profit and loss. Responsible for the financial management of the operation.
• Give direction and be responsible for the implementation of plans. Monitor effectiveness and introduce changes in response to the marketplace. Set targets, plan and schedule work and performance indicators that are typically productivity and efficiency measures.

Supportive Functions

In addition to performance of the essential functions, this position may be required to perform a combination of the following supportive functions, with the percentage of time performing each function to be solely determined by the manager based upon the particular requirements of the hotel:

• Consult with the Catering/Convention Services and Outlet Manager on a weekly basis as well as with other departments as necessary.
• Participate in long range planning.
• Participate, support and make recommendations for ongoing hotel programs with continuous improvement in networking.
• Additional tasks as assigned.

Requirements

SPECIFIC JOB KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

THE individual must possess the following knowledge, skills and abilities and be able to explain and demonstrate that he or she can perform the essential functions of the job, with or without reasonable accommodation, using some other combination of knowledge, skills, and abilities:

• Must be able to speak, read, write and understand the primary language(s) used in the workplace.
• Must be able to read and write to facilitate the communication process.
• Requires good communication skills, both verbal and written.
• Most tasks are performed in a team environment with the employee acting as a team leader. There is minimal direct supervision.
• Must possess basic computational ability.
• Must possess basic computer skills.
• Knowledge of computer accounting programs, math skills as well as budgetary analysis capabilities required.
• Extensive knowledge of menu development, insight into marketing, cost and wage control.
• Thorough knowledge of food products, standard recipes and proper preparation.
• Ability to analyze, forecast data, and make judgments to ensure proper payroll and production control.
• Ability to supervise large staff and accomplish goals on a timely basis.
• Ability to conduct meetings, menu briefings and maintain communication lines between line staff and Food & Beverage management.
• Ability to effectively deal with internal and external customers some of whom will require high levels of patience, tact and diplomacy and collect accurate information to resolve conflicts.
• Ability to create recipes and support material, i.e., recipe cards, descriptions, and pictures, and to read and visualize same.
• Artistic ability to create theme menus, ideas for ice carvings, decorations, etc.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

• Most work tasks are performed indoors. Temperature generally is moderate and controlled by hotel environmental systems; however, must be able to work in extreme temperatures like freezers (-10°F) and kitchens (+110°F), possibly for one hour or more.
• Must be able to sit at a desk for up to 5 hours per day. Walking and standing are required the rest of the working day. Length of time of these tasks may vary from day to day and task to task.
• Ability to physically handle knives, pots, mirrors, or other display items as well as grasp, lift and carry same from shelves and otherwise transport up to 50 pounds to every area of the kitchen. Ability to perform cutting skills on work surfaces, topped with cutting boards, 3 to 4 feet in height (banquet kitchen, prep kitchen, bake shop, etc.). Proper usage and handling of various kitchen machinery to include slicers, buffalo chopper, grinders, mixers, and other kitchen related equipment.
• Ability to physically self-demonstrate culinary techniques, i.e., cutting, cooking principles, plate presentation, safety and sanitation practices.
• Ability to create, build, handle, and dismantle displays up to 8 feet high, including ice carvings.
• The worker is subject to noise. There is sufficient noise to cause the worker to shout in order to be heard above the ambient noise level.
• Must be able to exert well-paced ability in limited space and to reach other departments of the hotel on a timely basis.
• Must be able to lift up to 30 lbs. on a regular and continuing basis.
• Must be able to push and pull carts and equipment weighing up to 250 lbs. occasionally.
• Must be able to bend, stoop, squat and stretch to fulfill cleaning tasks occasionally.
• Requires grasping, writing, standing, sitting, walking, repetitive motions, bending, climbing, listening and hearing ability and visual acuity.
• Talking and hearing occur continuously in the process of communicating with guests, supervisors and subordinates.
• Vision occurs continuously with the most common visual functions being those of near and color vision and depth perception.
• Requires manual dexterity to use and operate all necessary equipment.
• Must have finger dexterity to be able to operate office equipment such as computers, printers, 10-key adding machine, electric typewriter, multi-line touch tone phone, filing cabinets, FAX machines, photocopiers, dolly and other office equipment as needed.

AVAILABILITY

This company operates seven days a week, 24 hours a day. At times it may be necessary to move you from your accustomed work day, to include Saturdays and Sundays, or time of work if business or task assignments demand. In addition, it should be understood that business needs determines the amount of hours that you work.