Executive Chef

The Hospitality Tribune; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

Life and disability insurance

401(k) with company match

Paid time off (PTO) with rollover

DailyPay

Job summary

White Lodging is seeking an Executive Chef to lead the culinary program at The Westin Austin Downtown, a premier hotel in downtown Austin, TX. You will shape the menu identity, drive financial profitability, and mentor a high-performing kitchen team in a fast-paced hospitality setting.

This role requires a strong background in coastal seafood cuisine, hotel restaurant operations, and a track record of elevating guest dining experiences.

Qualifications

• Proven Executive Chef or senior culinary leadership experience in a fine dining, upscale seafood, or hotel restaurant environment.
• Ability to lead, develop, and inspire a high-performing kitchen team in a fast-paced downtown setting.
• Strong financial acumen with menu creation and cost control responsibilities.

Responsibilities

• Own all culinary operations for the Westin Austin Downtown, including all outlets and in-room dining, ensuring profitability and adherence to SOPs.
• Serve as a hands-on culinary expert, setting standards for food handling, preparation, and presentation.
• Lead, coach, and develop culinary staff to maintain high engagement and low turnover.

Skills

Executive Chef experience

Team leadership

Financial management

Menu development

Coastal cuisine

Hotel restaurant operations

Strong communication

Job description

Description

Who We Are

White Lodging develops and operates a portfolio of award-winning premium hotels, rooftop bars, and restaurants in some of the country’s most dynamic cities. We know that the hospitality business, like life, is about how you make people feel. That’s where you come in.

We are seeking a visionary Executive Chef to lead the culinary program at The Westin Austin Downtown. This is a rare opportunity in Austin, Texas — your chance to lead the kitchen team, shape the menu identity, and set the culinary standard for the entire hotel. If you’re an Executive Chef or senior Sous Chef ready to step up — with a passion for coastal cuisine, seafood-forward menus, and hotel restaurant leadership in a downtown Austin, TX environment — we want to hear from you.

What You’ll Do

• Own all culinary operations for the Westin Austin Downtown, including Skipjack Oyster, Azul Rooftop, Banquets and In-Room Dining — including recipe execution, menu development, financial profitability, staffing, and compliance with White Lodging SOPs and all local and federal guidelines
• Serve as a hands-on culinary Subject Matter Expert, setting the standard for safe, high-quality food handling, preparation, and presentation across the entire hotel kitchen team
• Lead, coach, mentor, and develop all culinary associates to drive high engagement, a strong internal promotion rate, and low turnover — executing the White Lodging Way FOH & BOH Systems
• Foster productive relationships with Sales & Marketing, Event Management, front-of-house leadership, hotel departments, owners, business partners, and vendors at this Marriott Autograph Collection Austin property
• Oversee all ordering, preparation, marketing, and execution of recipes and USE Records, managing all costs associated with culinary department profitability at a high-volume Austin restaurant
• Actively participate in property-specific month-end and year-end processes and reporting

What You’ll Bring

• Proven Executive Chef or senior culinary leadership experience in a fine dining, upscale seafood, or hotel restaurant environment — experience in the Austin, Texas market a plus
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills with a demonstrated ability to lead, develop, and inspire a high-performing kitchen team in a fast-paced downtown Austin restaurant setting
• A natural inclination to problem-solve complex operational challenges and arrive at creative, guest-focused culinary solutions
• High proficiency in culinary financial management, menu creation, and attention to detail — with a hands-on approach to all kitchen systems and processes
• Sharp observational and walk-through skills — consistently gauging food quality and quantity, service readiness, inventory levels, cleanliness, safety, and sanitation standards
• Pre-opening restaurant or hotel culinary experience strongly preferred — this is a ground-up launch of one of Austin’s most anticipated new seafood restaurants
• Background in le seafood, coastal cuisine, or Marriott-brand hotel culinary operations strongly preferred

What You Can Look Forward To

• Benefits — starting day 1
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Life and disability insurance
• Paid parental leave
• DailyPay — get paid when you need it
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• 401(k) with company match
• Paid time off (PTO) with rollover
• Complimentary wellness tools
• Unlimited employee referral bonuses
• Leadership development & tuition reimbursement
• Discounts on hotel rooms, dining, and travel
• Growth opportunities across multiple hotel properties

#TX100

Additional Information: This hotel is owned and operated by an independent franchisee. The franchisee is a separate company and a separate employer from Marriott International, Inc. and its subsidiary companies (collectively, “Marriott”). The franchisee solely controls all aspects of the hotel’s employment policies and practices, including hiring, termination, discipline, staffing, compensation, benefits, and all other terms and conditions of employment. If you apply for this position, Marriott will have no involvement in the selection process. Your application information will not be provided to or accessible by Marriott. If you accept a position at this hotel, you will be employed by a franchisee, not Marriott.

White Lodging