Executive Chef

The Mint Gaming Hall Kentucky Downs; Franklin (KY); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

The Mint Gaming Hall Kentucky Downs is seeking an Executive Chef to provide strategic leadership and oversee all culinary operations across the property, including restaurant outlets, fine dining, banquet services, and catering.

You will manage menu development, food costs, budgeting, staffing, and food safety programs, while partnering with leadership to deliver exceptional guest experiences and drive financial performance. Experience in gaming or hospitality is preferred.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or its equivalent is required.
• Culinary-focused degree, bachelor’s in hospitality management, business administration, or related field preferred; equivalent combination of education and progressive culinary leadership experience may be considered.
• Minimum of five (5) years of progressive culinary leadership experience, including at least three (3) years in an Executive Chef or senior Room Chef role.
• Must be 21 years of age or older.
• Experience overseeing multiple restaurant concepts (fine and casual dining), banquet operations, catering services, and high-volume food production environments.
• Experience managing culinary operations within gaming, hospitality, resort, hotel, entertainment, or destination venues preferred.
• Extensive knowledge of food safety, sanitation, HACCP principles, and health department regulations.
• Proven track record of menu development, culinary innovation, recipe standardization, and implementation of new food concepts.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills with ability to make sound business decisions in a fast-paced environment.
• Proficiency with food and beverage management systems, inventory management software, labor management tools, and Microsoft Office applications.
• Must pass all required pre-screening and background checks.

Responsibilities

• Interact with property leaders and VP of Food & Beverage to understand culinary expectations.
• Develop, implement, and maintain culinary standards, recipes, procedures, presentation guidelines, and quality assurance measures.
• Lead, coach, mentor, and develop culinary leaders and team members for engagement and growth.
• Participate in the financial review process and reporting results.
• Monitor food quality, preparation techniques, portion controls, and presentation standards.
• Research trends and develop seasonal menu items.
• Use systems to analyze menu sales, food costs, and guest behaviors for adjustments.
• Maintain product knowledge across all food and beverage categories.
• Ensure compliance with health regulations, sanitation requirements, and company policies.
• Monitor staffing, food purchasing, preparation, and inventory to control costs and waste.
• Hold daily and weekly meetings with the culinary team.
• Oversee stewarding and sanitation to maintain cleanliness and safety standards.
• Support new outlets openings, renovations, events, and catering initiatives.
• Drive accountability, collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement across culinary operations.
• Safely use all kitchen equipment and cleaning products per SDS sheets and standards.
• Maintain BIG Service presence and provide excellent guest service.

Skills

Leadership

Budgeting

Menu development

Food safety

Team development

Education

Culinary degree

Hospitality management degree

Tools

Food and beverage management systems

Inventory management software

Microsoft Office

Job description

JOB SUMMARY: The Executive Chef is responsible for providing strategic leadership and operational oversight for all culinary operations across the property, including restaurant outlets, fine dining, banquet services, stewarding functions, food safety programs, and regulatory compliance. This position directs all aspects of menu development, food production, labor and cost management, quality assurance, and team development to ensure exceptional guest experiences and operational excellence.

JOB SCOPE: The Executive Chef is accountable for maintaining departmental budgets, establishing service standards, and culinary innovation while ensuring compliance with all health department regulations, food safety requirements, and company policies. The Executive Chef partners closely with property leadership and the Vice President of Food & Beverage to develop and execute culinary strategies that support organizational goals, including current and future food outlets, enhance the guest experience, and drive financial performance.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Interact on a reoccurring basis with property leaders and the Vice President of Food & Beverage to understand their culinary expectations.
• Develop, implement, and maintain culinary standards, recipes, preparation procedures, presentation guidelines, and quality assurance measures to ensure consistency across all food and beverage outlets.
• Lead, coach, mentor, and develop culinary leaders and team members to foster engagement, professional growth, succession planning, and operational excellence.
• Participate in the financial review process for response to inquiries and reporting results.
• Monitor food quality, preparation techniques, portion controls, and presentation standards through regular kitchen inspections, tastings, and operational reviews.
• Understands the competitive landscape and constantly researches and develops seasonal menu items as well as follows trends.
• Ability to use systems and analyze menu sales, food costs, and guest behaviors to make appropriate adjustments, as needed.
• Maintain product knowledge across all food and beverage categories.
• Ensure compliance with all federal, state, and local food safety regulations, health department standards, sanitation requirements, and company policies and procedures.
• Efficiently monitor departmental staffing, food purchasing, food preparation, and food inventory to control food and labor costs and waste.
• Holds daily and weekly meetings with culinary team to support effective communication and consistency on all shifts and in all outlets.
• Oversee stewarding and sanitation operations to ensure kitchens, food preparation areas, storage facilities, equipment, and service areas maintain the highest standards of cleanliness and safety.
• Support new outlet openings, renovations, special events, and catering initiatives through menu development, operational planning, staffing strategies, and execution.
• Drive a culture of accountability, collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement throughout all culinary operations.
• Safely use all kitchen equipment, cleaning, and sanitizing products in accordance with all SDS sheets and departmental standards.
• Consistently deleadership presence throughout the property, promote service excellence, maintain a positive attitude, and apply the BIG Service standards.
• To provide BIG Service to internal guests and ensure their complete satisfaction, inclusive of greeting and interacting with guests in a friendly and enthusiastic manner, anticipating and meeting guest needs and preferences, remaining calm and professional when dealing with guests that are difficult or upset.
• The ability and willingness to ensure that work activities are completed accurately, efficiently, and in a timely manner.
• Maintain regular attendance at scheduled shift and staff meetings.

EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE, AND QUALIFICATIONS:

• High school diploma or its equivalent required.
• Culinary-focused degree, bachelor’s degree in hospitality management, Business Administration, or a related field preferred; equivalent combination of education and progressive culinary leadership experience may be considered.
• Minimum of five (5) years of progressive culinary leadership experience, including at least three (3) years in an Executive Chef or senior Room Chef role.
• Must be 21 years of age or older.
• Demonstrated experience overseeing multiple restaurant concepts (fine dining and casual dining), banquet operations, catering services, and high-volume food production environments.
• Experience managing culinary operations within gaming, hospitality, resort, hotel, entertainment, or destination venues preferred.
• Extensive knowledge of food safety, sanitation, HACCP principles, and federal, state, and local health department regulations.
• Proven track record of menu development, culinary innovation, recipe standardization, and successful implementation of new food concepts.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills with the ability to make sound business decisions in a fast-paced environment.
• Proficiency with food and beverage management systems, inventory management software, labor management tools, and Microsoft Office applications.
• Must pass all required pre-screening and background checks.
• Must be able to obtain required work cards, and non-gaming registration as required by the local jurisdiction
• Internal candidates must meet the eligibility requirements outlined in the Transfer and Promotion Policy.
• Ability to work a variety of shifts, this includes day, swing, late-night, weekend, and holiday shifts as scheduled.
• Must obtain S.T.A.R. and Serve Safe Certification upon start of employment.
• Must be able to obtain all required work cards, horse/gaming license, as required by local and state jurisdiction.

The Mint Gaming Hall is an equal opportunity employer (EOE). Qualified applicants are considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by state or federal law.