Executive Chef

Royal Caribbean International; Miami (FL); On-site; USD 90,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Royal Caribbean International seeks an experienced Executive Chef to lead shipboard culinary operations. You will oversee menus, training, budgeting, and staffing, ensuring top-quality guest dining across all venues.

The role emphasizes compliance with USPH standards, HACCP, and continuous improvement in service delivery. Candidate must hold a Chef apprenticeship or equivalent, with 8–10 years of kitchen leadership at high-end venues.

Qualifications

• Proof of Chef Apprenticeship completion or equivalency.
• Eight to ten years experience cooking and preparing food with a managerial background in 4-5 star hotels, restaurants or high-volume facilities.
• Written references from former employers are required.
• Ability to read, interpret and demonstrate recipes including advanced cooking methods.
• Extensive knowledge of food handling procedures and public health standards.
• Knowledge of USPH codes and regulations preferred.
• Ability to manage headcount and financial aspects of a food operation.
• Ability to communicate with department heads and staff to resolve problems.

Responsibilities

• Directs the culinary function onboard; optimizes scheduling and staffing.
• Oversees training and development; mentors staff for advancement.
• Maintains food cost within budget while preserving quality.
• Ensures compliance with Culinary Standards and audits.
• Monitors kitchen hygiene and safety; enforces sanitation programs.
• Plans itineraries and coordinates with other departments for guest experiences.
• Resolves culinary quality and service issues promptly.
• Leads special culinary events and production planning.
• Reviews daily requirements and adjusts schedules to meet guest needs.

Skills

Executive leadership

Food cost control

Staff management

Cost reduction

Communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree in hospitality management or related field

Apprenticeship certification option

Tools

Excel

Word

PowerPoint

Job description

Directs all the culinary and associated activities throughout the vessel by performing the duties described below either personally or through subordinate managers and supervisors.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

All duties and responsibilities are to be performed in accordance with Royal Caribbean International’s The Royal Way, SQM standards, USPH and HACCP guidelines, environmental, and work place safety policies and procedures.

Each shipboard employee may be required to perform all functions in various food service venues and galleys throughout the ship.

In accordance with Royal Caribbean International’s philosophy of Anchored in Excellence, each employee conducts oneself in a professional and courteous manner at all times. This consists of physical and verbal interactions with guests or fellow shipboard employeesand/or in the presence of guest contact and crewareas.

1. Each culinary shipboard employee reports to their workstation assignment on time and properly groomed and dressed according to Royal Caribbean International’s The Royal Way.

2. Directs the overall culinary function onboard the vessel. Oversees and maximize the assignment of schedules, duties, responsibilities and workstations to employees. Observes and evaluates employees and work procedures to ensure quality standards and service is met. Initiate personnel actions including selecting new employees from internal candidates, conducting performance evaluations, recommending salary increases, providing counseling on disciplinary problems and recommending corrective actions in order to maintain effective staffing and production level.

3. Directs the overall Culinary Training and Development onboard the vessel. Takes initiative to mentor, share hands on expertise, develop and provide on-the-job training which will strengthen the current performance of the whole team and to prepare his/her subordinates for future advancement. Build a mutually respectful environment between front & back of the house operations, leading to improve productivity and culinary staff longevity.

4. Maintains food cost at reasonable levels without affecting quality of set culinary standards in all outlets, including crew dining. Reviews and monitors budget to ensure efficient operation, and to ensure that expenditures stay within budget limitations. Assess current plan and operating procedures for revenue-enhancement opportunities, through shipboard marketing efforts, up-selling programs, and special promotions, etc. Review and approve requisition and plan for product replacements, supply purchases by working closely with Inventory Management onboard.

5. Enforce overall compliance of Corporate Culinary Standard for all Culinary Team members. Follows set Culinary Standards and oversees all culinary functions onboard. Reviews audit comments, discusses with subordinate management, and implements audit recommendations. Follows through and document of all required continuous training, USPH, HACCP, ACF, AIRTS and more.

6. Monitor all culinary presentations, activities and quality in all venues. Observes preparation to ensure quality standards are met. Leads and assigns all special Culinary events conducted onboard that requires culinary staffing.

7. Maintains highest hygiene & safety standard in the workplace. Take charge of regular inspection to ensure that sanitation & cleanliness is maintained & followed every seven days a week along with documented training. Ensure awareness and compliance of Company Outbreak Prevention Plan (OPP).

8. Ensure Clean as we Go program is supported by team members. Follows through with all equipment maintenance, resolves issues and involves other department as required.

9. On a regular basis, meets with subordinate managers and staff, to review the requirements of the day’s culinary schedule, international guest requirements and disseminates any other company related correspondence, notices, policies, procedures, etc. Reviews schedule to estimate time requirements to ensure speed and efficiency. Meets with function managers and/or staff to review guest comments to implement revisions and improvements.

10. Confers with ship management and culinary support team to plan itinerary changes, special functions and integrate all departments and product offerings to enhance the guest experience through food, beverage, shore excursions, gift shops, etc.

11. Capitalized on all opportunities that will enhance guests’ satisfaction. Investigates and resolves culinary quality and service complaints in a timely fashion, and always with a view to exceeding the expectations of our guests.

12. Attends meetings, training activities, courses and all other work-related activities as required. Where appropriate, initiates meetings to address and resolve quality concerns and to continuously identify improvement opportunities.

13. Performs related duties as required. This position description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the shipboard employee occupying this position. Shipboard employees will be required to perform any other job-related duties assigned by their supervisor or management.

QUALIFICATIONS

Minimum hiring, language and physical requirements to perform the job.

Hiring Requirements:

• Proof of Chef Apprenticeship completion or equivalency.
• Eight to ten years experience cooking and preparing food together with a managerial background in 4 or 5 star hotels, restaurants or high volume food service facilities.
• Written references from former employers are required.
• Ability to read, interpret and demonstrate the preparation of recipes for all basic meat, fish, sauce and side dishes according to Royal Caribbean International’s The Royal Way. The demonstration includes advanced cooking methods such as braise, sauté, broil and grill and the use of a variety knifes to slice, dice, chop, julienne, etc.
• Demonstrate 'quantity cooking' ability, and knowledge of the proper utilization of technologically advanced kitchen equipment.
• Extensive knowledge of food handling procedures with regard to public health standards.
• Extensive knowledge of USPH codes and regulations preferred.
• Ability to work positively and cooperatively in a diverse team environment to meet overall established timeframes for the entire food service operation.
• Ability to communicate tactfully with, department heads, coworkers and other shipboard employees to resolve problems and negotiate resolutions.
• Demonstrated aptitude for the financial aspects of a food operation, including the successful identification of expense reduction through cost control.
• Demonstrated aptitude for the management of headcount within assigned area, as it relates to and supports the business needs of the vessel.
• Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal service including needs assessment, problem resolution and achievement of quality service standards.
• Knowledge of policies and practices involved in the human resources function.
• Ability to manage the international staff in a positive and productive manner by motivating, developing and managing employees as they work. Ability to utilize and administer the disciplinary action process through coaching and counseling to improve performance or terminate employment.
• Working knowledge of computers, internet access, and the ability to navigate within a variety software packages such as Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.
• Bachelor’s degree in hospitality management, business administration or related field from an accredited college or university or the international equivalent, and/or three or more years of verifiable certification of apprenticeship or completion of an approved certification or degree-granting culinary program, required.

Certification:

American Culinary Federation - Certified Executive Chef (CEC) Certification, preferred. Food Service Handler's Certification, preferred. HACCP (Hazard Analysis of Critical Control Points) Course Completion, preferred.

Internal Candidate Requirements:

• Demonstrate a high standard of leadership, communication, organizational skills and a well balance managerial style
• Exemplary onboard product knowledge, Culinary training, Culinary Audit, Cost control, crew development
• Understanding Guest satisfaction and inspire to improve food product for internal and external guest onboard
• Understanding of food safety protocols HACCP and USPH requirements –attendance to shore side training is a plus
• Culinary certified onboard or shore side
• Current experience internally as an Executive Sous Chef with a performance rating of satisfactory or above.

Language Requirements:

• Ability to speak English clearly, distinctly and cordially with guests.
• Ability to read and write English in order to understand and interpret written procedures. This includes the ability to give and receive instructions in written and verbal forms and to effectively present information and respond to questions from guests, supervisors and co-workers.