Executive Chef

ExplorUS; Port Angeles (WA); On-site; USD 95,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Onsite employee housing

Meal plan

Job summary

Explor Olympic, LLC is seeking an Executive Chef to lead two restaurants within Olympic National Park, delivering exceptional food and guest experiences.

You will provide operational leadership across back-of-house teams, ensure menu execution to the highest standards, and manage budgets, inventory, and costs while maintaining safety and compliance in a remote park setting.

Qualifications

• 5+ years executive or senior chef experience
• Experience overseeing high-volume, seasonal operations
• Culinary degree or equivalent experience
• Leadership skills to train and mentor diverse teams
• Expertise in menu execution, quality, and cost control
• Knowledge of inventory management, purchasing, and labor cost control
• Understanding of food safety, sanitation, and compliance
• Ability to adapt to remote or seasonal environments
• Background check required upon offer of employment

Responsibilities

• Provide culinary and operational leadership for back-of-house across multiple venues
• Ensure menus are executed to the highest standards
• Maintain consistency in recipes, prep methods, and plate presentation
• Hire, train, supervise, and mentor culinary staff including kitchen managers
• Manage performance, scheduling, and problem-solving within the kitchen leadership
• Conduct inventory counts and manage food, beverage, and supplies costs
• Place orders based on inventory, forecast, and needs
• Negotiate with vendors and manage purchasing
• Oversee kitchen equipment maintenance and sanitation supplies
• Ensure a clean, compliant, and hygienic work environment
• Monitor guest satisfaction and work with FOH to enhance dining experience
• Develop and manage budgets, control food and labor costs

Skills

Executive leadership

Menu execution

Food safety

Cost control

Staff training

Inventory management

Vendor relations

Budget management

Education

Culinary degree

Job description

Imagine leading a culinary program in one of the most breathtaking places on Earth. As the Executive Chef at Explor Olympic, you will work nestled amidst the dramatic peaks, pristine coastlines, and termperate rainforests of Olympic National Park.

Explor Olympic, LLC is seeking a passionate, driven Executive Chef to lead two restaurants 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

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.