Executive Chef

Sonesta International Hotels; New Orleans (LA); On-site; USD 95,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental & Vision Insurance

401(k) Retirement Plan with Company 2%

Paid Vacation & Sick Time

Parental Leave

Company-Paid Life Insurance

Disability Insurance

Hotel Discounts

Educational Assistance

Employee Discounts

Job summary

Sonesta International Hotels in New Orleans is seeking an Executive Chef to lead the culinary vision of the property, overseeing restaurant, banquet, catering, and room service while driving creativity, cost control, and guest satisfaction.

You will mentor a high-performing kitchen team, partner with F&B and hotel leadership, ensure HACCP compliance, and deliver memorable dining experiences that reflect Sonesta’s People People culture.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of progressive culinary leadership experience in hotels or high-volume hospitality.
• Executive Chef or senior kitchen leadership experience preferred.
• Culinary degree or formal training preferred.
• Strong knowledge of banquet operations, inventory, budgeting and menu development.
• Proven ability to lead teams, manage costs, and drive guest satisfaction.

Responsibilities

• Lead all culinary operations across hotel restaurants, banquets, catering, room service, and events.
• Develop innovative menus and concepts aligned with brand standards and guest needs.
• Oversee food prep, quality, sanitation, and kitchen operations.
• Recruit, train, coach, and develop culinary staff while fostering a positive culture.
• Manage food and labor costs, inventory, purchasing, and menus to optimize profitability.
• Ensure HACCP compliance and health department standards.
• Collaborate with F&B, Banquets, Sales, and hotel leadership to deliver events.
• Monitor trends, guest feedback, and performance to improve offerings.
• Maintain consistency in quality, portioning, and service across all kitchens.

Skills

Culinary leadership

Menu development

Cost control

Food safety HACCP

Team development

Operations management

Communication skills

Education

Culinary degree

Job description

We’re People People. Are you? We’re Sonesta International Hotels—the 8th largest hotel company in the U.S. (and growing fast ).

We’re People People. Are you? We’re Sonesta International Hotels—the 8th largest hotel company in the U.S. (and growing fast ). With a dynamic mix of full-service and focused hotels across major cities, our diverse portfolio of owned, managed, and franchised properties means we’re everywhere our guests need us to be. But here’s the thing—we’re not just in the business of hotels, we’re in the business of people. We bring service with passion, loyalty with purpose, and create experiences that genuinely connect—delivering quality, value, and memorable stays across 1,000+ properties in eight countries (and counting).

What This Role Is All About

Food is more than just part of the guest experience — it’s part of the story we create. As the Executive Chef, you’ll lead the culinary vision for the hotel, creating exceptional dining experiences that bring people together while driving creativity, operational excellence, and guest satisfaction. This role is perfect for someone who thrives in a fast-paced hospitality environment and loves blending culinary creativity with strong leadership and business strategy. You’ll oversee all kitchen operations including restaurant dining, banquets, catering, room service, and special events while leading and inspiring a high-performing culinary team. You’ll partner closely with Food & Beverage, Banquets, Sales, and Operations leaders to deliver memorable guest experiences, maintain quality standards, optimize costs, and drive culinary innovation across the property. If you’re passionate about food, leadership, hospitality, and creating experiences guests remember long after checkout — we’d love to meet you.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Lead all culinary operations across hotel restaurants, banquets, catering, room service, bars, and special events.
• Develop innovative menus, seasonal offerings, catering packages, and food concepts that align with brand standards and guest preferences.
• Oversee food preparation, presentation, quality assurance, sanitation, and kitchen operations to ensure exceptional dining experiences.
• Recruit, train, coach, schedule, and develop culinary team members while fostering a positive, collaborative kitchen culture.
• Manage food costs, labor costs, inventory control, purchasing, menu pricing, and kitchen budgets to drive profitability and operational efficiency.
• Ensure compliance with food safety regulations, sanitation standards, HACCP guidelines, and health department requirements.
• Partner closely with Banquets, Catering Sales, Food & Beverage, and hotel leadership teams to execute meetings, weddings, conferences, and special events successfully.
• Monitor guest feedback, dining trends, and operational performance to continuously improve culinary offerings and guest satisfaction.
• Oversee vendor relationships, food ordering, inventory management, and product quality standards.
• Support employee engagement, culinary training, and succession planning initiatives within the kitchen team.
• Maintain consistency in food quality, presentation, portioning, and service standards across all culinary operations.
• Drive innovation and creativity while delivering memorable hospitality experiences that reflect Sonesta’s People People culture.
• Any other duties as assigned.

What Great Looks Like

• Culinary degree or formal culinary training preferred.
• 5+ years of progressive culinary leadership experience in hotels, restaurants, resorts, banquets, or high-volume hospitality environments.
• Previous Executive Chef, Sous Chef, or senior culinary leadership experience preferred.
• Strong knowledge of food preparation, banquet operations, catering, menu development, inventory management, and kitchen operations.
• Experience managing food costs, labor management, budgeting, purchasing, and operational performance metrics.
• Strong leadership, coaching, and team development skills with the ability to motivate and inspire culinary teams.
• Knowledge of food safety regulations, HACCP standards, sanitation practices, and health department compliance.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced hospitality environment while managing multiple priorities and operational demands.
• Creative mindset with a passion for culinary innovation, guest experience, and hospitality excellence.
• Excellent communication, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
• A passion for hospitality, food, teamwork, and creating memorable dining experiences for guests and events alike.

Anticipated Pay Range & Additional Job Information

How we reward you

• Medical, Dental & Vision Insurance
• Health Savings Account (HSA) with Company Match
• 401(k) Retirement Plan with Company Match
• Paid Vacation & Sick TimePaid Parental Leave
• Company-Paid Life Insurance
• Company-Paid Short-Term & Long-Term Disability
• Hospital Indemnity, Critical Illness & Accident Insurance
• Educational Assistance
• Sonesta Hotel Discounts (yes, you’ll want to use these )
• Additional Perks & Employee Discounts

Our Commitment to You

Sonesta is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.