Executive Chef

ASM Global-SMG; Grand Rapids (MI); On-site; USD 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Life and disability insurance

Paid vacation

401k plan

Job summary

Legends Global is seeking an Executive Chef to lead culinary operations across concessions, catering and events, ensuring exceptional food quality, sanitation, and guest satisfaction in a fast-paced live events setting.

The role partners with the General Manager, Director of Culinary, Finance, and Facility Maintenance to deliver memorable guest experiences while driving financial performance and staff development.

Qualifications

• Must have strong leadership and kitchen management skills.
• Experience in high-volume event catering and concessions.
• Ability to maintain food safety and sanitation HACCP.

Responsibilities

• Research and develop menu items for industry trends and seasonal ingredients.
• Inspect recipe compliance and quality throughout production.
• Create production schedules to meet business demands.
• Manage department budget to control labor and cost of goods.
• Operate at peak efficiency and monitor labor costs and supplies.
• Maintain kitchen equipment cleanliness and schedule maintenance.
• Hire and train kitchen and stewarding staff, ensuring Serve Safe compliance.
• Order, receive, and prepare all food items.
• Develop proposals for potential clients and tastings for larger events.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Initiative

Customer focus

Professionalism

Organization

Work under pressure

Education

High School Diploma or GED

7+ years culinary experience

Culinary leadership experience preferred

Tools

Serve-Safe Manager Certified

Food Handlers Certificate

Job description

POSITION: Executive Chef

DEPARTMENT: Food & Beverage

REPORTS TO: Director of Culinary

FLSA STATUS: Exempt

Legends Global is the premier partner to the world's greatest live events, venues, and brands. We deliver a fully integrated solution of premium services that keeps our partners front and center through our white-label approach. Our network of 450 venues worldwide, hosting 20,000 events and entertaining 165 million guests each year, is powered by our depth of expertise and level of execution across every component — feasibility & consulting, owner’s representation, sales, partnerships, hospitality, merchandise, venue management, and content & booking — of world-class live events and venues. The Legends Global culture is one of respect, ambitious thinking, collaboration, and bold action. We are committed to building an inclusive workplace where everyone can be authentic, make an impact, and grow their career. Winning is an everyday thing at Legends Global. We have the best team members who understand every win is earned when we come together as one unified team. Sound like a winning formula for you? Join us!

THE ROLE

The Executive Chef is a culinary leader responsible for the strategic and day-to-day execution of all culinary operations, including concessions, catering/banquets, premium/VIP services and special events. This role drives culinary vision, operational excellence, financial performance, and talent development while ensuring exceptional food quality, consistency, sanitation, and guest satisfaction in a fast-paced, high-volume live events environment. The Executive Chef partners closely with the General Manager, Director of Culinary, Finance, and Facility Maintenance to deliver memorable guest experiences, exceed client expectations, and operate at peak efficiency.

• Research and develop menu items to keep pace with industry trends, local and seasonal ingredients to support restaurant and concession business.
• Inspect recipe compliance and quality control are met throughout the production process.
• Create the production schedule to meet business demands.
• Manage department budget to meet and exceed labor and cost of good expenditures.
• Responsibility to operate at peak efficiencies maximizing labor cost of goods and supplies.
• Maintaining all kitchen equipment cleanliness and annual maintenance.
• Continually manage, monitor, and seek labor efficiencies to reduce costs, improve product output and enhance overall guess experience.
• Hiring and Training of all kitchen and stewarding staff to in clued “Serve safe” and any Health department regulations.
• Maintain and manage culinary and stewarding personnel to meet labor and production objectives.
• Ordering, receiving, and preparing all food items.
• Maintaining food costs and budget goals.
• Produce required product according to Banquet Event Orders for each event.
• Develop proposals for potential clients, to include tastings on larger plated events.
• Entertain prospective clients through Chef’s tables.
• Maintains an active role in local hospitality community and professional associations.
• Develop creative menus with food presentations and maintain a quality product.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Carries out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with all Legends policies and applicable laws.
• Responsibilities include, but are not limited to, interviewing, hiring, and training employees; planning, assigning, and directing work; appraising performance; rewarding and disciplining employees; addressing complaints and resolving problems with supervision from Director of Culinary.

QUALIFICATIONS

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty with energy and enthusiasm. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

• Must have a High School Diploma or GED.
• Minimum of 7 years of culinary experience in high volume facility producing meals for large events.
• Previous culinary leadership experience preferred.

SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• Must maintain local Health Codes and sanitation HACCP.
• Strong leadership skills with the ability to motivate, develop, and manage a team.
• Ability to communicate in a clear, professional, and courteous manner, which foster a positive, enthusiastic and cooperative work environment.
• High level of initiative, accountability, and work ethic.
• Customer-focused mindset with a commitment to delivering exceptional guest experiences.
• Professional demeanor and appearance.
• Ability to organize and prioritize work to meet deadlines while multitasking between job functions.
• Work effectively under pressure and/or stringent schedule to produce accurate results and meet deadlines.
• Ability to be creative with food presentations and maintain a quality product.
• Ability to work extended and flexible hours due to business requirements including late nights, early mornings, weekends, and holidays.

LICENSES & CERTIFICATIONS

• Serve-Safe Manager Certified/Food Handlers Certificate

COMPENSATION

Compensation commensurate with experience, and a generous benefits package that includes medical, dental, vision, life and disability insurance, paid vacation, and 401k plan.

WORKING CONDITIONS

Location: On Site at Grand Rapids Venues – Van Andel Arena, Acrisure Amphitheater, Amway Stadium

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

Must have sufficient mobility to perform assigned tasks including constant reaching, bending, stooping, wiping, pushing and pulling for extended periods of time. Must have the ability to lift, push and pull 50+lbs. Must be able to stand or walk for long periods of time. Ability to work in a noisy, fast-paced environment. The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Legends Global is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer, and encourages Women, Minorities, Individuals with Disabilities, and protected Veterans to apply.

VEVRAA Federal Contractor.

Our Work Experience is the combination of everything that's unique about us: our culture, our core values, our company meetings, our commitment to sustainability, our recognition programs, but most importantly, it's our people. Our employees are self-disciplined, hard working, curious, trustworthy, humble, and truthful. They make choices according to what is best for the team, they live for opportunities to collaborate and make a difference, and they make us the #1 Top Workplace in the area.