Executive Chef

ExplorUS; Lake Oswego (OR); On-site; USD 95,000 - 135,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Onsite employee housing

Meal plan during peak season

Offsite housing in off-season

Job summary

Explor Crater Lake, LLC is seeking an Executive Chef to lead multiple food and beverage venues at Crater Lake, America's deepest lake, in the Cascade Mountains. You will oversee back-of-house operations and culinary teams to deliver exceptional guest experiences.

The role demands 5+ years of executive kitchen leadership, a culinary degree or equivalent, and expertise in menu execution, inventory management, and safety standards.

Qualifications

• 5+ years proven executive or senior chef experience overseeing high-volume, seasonal operations.
• Experience managing multiple outlets (e.g., full-service restaurant and café) preferred.
• Culinary degree or formal education from an accredited institution, or equivalent professional experience.
• Strong leadership capable of training, mentoring, and retaining diverse culinary teams in remote or seasonal environments.
• Expertise in menu execution, food quality, consistency, and cost control.
• Solid knowledge of inventory management, purchasing, and food and labor cost controls.
• Thorough understanding of food safety, sanitation, and regulatory compliance standards.
• Ability to adapt to seasonal fluctuations, limited resources, and the logistical challenges of a national park setting.
• Drug and background screening required upon offer of employment; drug-free workplace.

Responsibilities

• Provide overall culinary and operational leadership for back-of-house operations across multiple venues.
• Ensure menus as established by leadership are executed consistently and to high quality standards.
• Ensure culinary staff adhere to recipes, prep methods, and plating standards for exceptional guest experiences.
• Hire, train, supervise, and mentor culinary staff including kitchen managers.
• Manage performance, scheduling, and problem-solving within the kitchen leadership team.
• Conduct weekly/monthly inventory counts for food, beverage, and kitchen supplies to control costs.
• Place daily, weekly, and monthly orders based on inventory, forecasted demand, and needs.
• Meet with vendors, negotiate pricing, and order supplies.
• Oversee kitchen equipment purchases, maintenance, and sanitation supplies.
• Ensure kitchens maintain a clean, organized, hygienic work environment per food safety standards.
• Monitor guest satisfaction and collaborate with front-of-house leadership to enhance dining experience.
• Develop and manage budgets, controlling food and labor costs within financial guidelines.

Skills

Leadership

Menu execution

Inventory management

Food safety & compliance

Education

Culinary degree or equivalent education

Job description

Imagine leading a culinary program in one of the most breathtaking places on Earth. As Chef at Crater Lake—America’s deepest and most pristine lake—you’ll work high in the Cascade Mountains, surrounded by unforgettable views every day.

Explor Crater Lake, LLC is seeking a passionate, driven Executive Chef to lead multiple restaurants and F&B outlets while delivering exceptional food and guest experiences. We offer competitive pay, strong benefits, and real opportunities for career growth. Onsite employee housing and a meal plan are provided during peak season, with offsite housing available in the off season. Turn an extraordinary destination into the next defining chapter of your culinary career.

Position Overview

The Executive Chef provides operational leadership and culinary excellence across multiple food and beverage venues. This role oversees all back-of-house operations and directly supervises our kitchen leadership teams.

Typical responsibilities include:

• Provide overall culinary and operational leadership for back-of-house operations across multiple venues.
• Ensure all menus, as established by the Corporate Director of Food & Beverage, are executed consistently, accurately, and to the highest quality standards.
• Ensure culinary staff strictly adhere to company recipes, preparation methods, and plate presentation standards to deliver consistently exceptional guest experiences.
• Hire, train, supervise, and mentor culinary staff, including kitchen managers.
• Manage performance, scheduling, & problem-solving within the kitchen leadership team.
• Conduct weekly and monthly inventory counts for all food, beverage, and kitchen supplies to ensure accuracy and cost control.
• Place daily, weekly, and monthly food and beverage orders based on inventory levels, forecasted demand, and operational needs.
• Perform administrative duties such as meeting with vendors, negotiating pricing, and ordering supplies.
• Oversee kitchen equipment purchases, maintenance, and repairs, as well as ordering cleaning and sanitation supplies.
• Ensure all kitchens maintain a clean, organized, and hygienic work environment in compliance with food safety standards.
• Monitor guest satisfaction and collaborating with front-of-house leadership to enhance the overall dining experience.
• Develop and managing budgets, controlling food and labor costs, and operating within established financial guidelines.

Requirements

• 5+ years proven executive or senior chef experience overseeing high-volume, seasonal food and beverage operations
• Experience managing multiple outlets preferred (e.g., full-service restaurant and café)
• Culinary degree or formal culinary education from an accredited institution, or equivalent professional experience
• Strong leadership skills with the ability to train, mentor, and retain diverse culinary teams in remote or seasonal environments
• Expertise in menu execution, food quality, consistency, and cost control
• Solid knowledge of inventory management, purchasing, and food and labor cost controls
• Thorough understanding of food safety, sanitation, and regulatory compliance standards
• Ability to adapt to seasonal fluctuations, limited resources, and the logistical challenges of a national park setting
• Successful completion of drug and background screening required upon offer of employment
• We maintain a drug-free workplace to ensure the safety and well-being of all employees.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, Veteran status and all other status protected by law.