Executive Chef

Crescent Hotels & Resorts; Santa Monica (CA); On-site; USD 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Highly competitive wages

Benefits plan for you & family

401K matching program

Discounts with Crescent properties

Parking and/or Commuter Benefit

Dry Cleaning

Job summary

Crescent Hotels & Resorts in Santa Monica seeks an experienced kitchen leader to manage the culinary team and ensure high quality menu items.

You will supervise staff, control food and labor costs, develop menus, coordinate purchasing, and uphold health and safety standards across all kitchen operations at the hotel. You will also review banquet orders, train new hires, and drive exceptional guest satisfaction through consistent prep and plating.

Qualifications

• Experience managing kitchen staff and ensuring quality preparation.
• Ability to control food and labor costs.
• Knowledge of inventory, requisition, and receiving procedures.
• Ability to develop menus and test recipes.
• Excellent communication and leadership skills.

Responsibilities

• Manage kitchen and kitchen staff.
• Ensure quality preparation of all menu items.
• Coordinate purchasing of all food and develop menus.
• Maintain knowledge of policies and procedures.
• Interview, hire, train, evaluate, and discipline staff.
• Plan daily priorities and assign tasks.
• Review menu specials and provide feedback.
• Review banquet event orders and note changes.
• Ensure proper storage and handling of all food items.
• Maintain inventory and liaise with Purchasing.
• Schedule and payroll responsibilities.
• Ensure attendance and on-time staff.
• Develop new menu items and test recipes.
• Oversee training of new hires.
• Health/safety and sanitation compliance.
• Assist Catering with special menus.
• Monitor guest satisfaction.

Skills

Kitchen management

Menu development

Food cost control

Staff training

Leadership

Communication

Job description

Responsible for all aspects of managing the kitchen and kitchen staff, ensuring the quality preparation of all menu items and proper handling/storage of all food items in accordance with standards. Coordinate the purchase of all food and develop menus, maintaining approved food costs and labor costs.

• Maintain complete knowledge of and ensure associate compliance with all departmental/hotel policies and procedures.
• Interview, hire, train, recommend performance evaluations, resolve problems, provide open communication and recommend discipline and/or termination when appropriate.
• Establish the day's priorities and assign production and preparation tasks for staff to execute.
• Review daily menu specials and offer feedback to Sous Chefs.
• Review banquet event orders and make note of any changes.
• Communicate both verbally and in writing to provide clear direction to staff.
• Take physical inventory of specified food items for daily inventory.
• Requisition the day's supplies and ensure that they are received and stored correctly. Communicate needs with Purchasing and Storeroom personnel. Ensure quality of products received.
• Meet with the Executive Steward to review equipment needs, banquet plate up assistance, cleaning schedule/project status, health/safety and sanitation follow up.
• Ensure that staff report to work as scheduled; document any late or absent employees.
• Ensure that each kitchen work area is stocked with specified tools, supplies and equipment to meet the business demand.
• Ensure that recipe cards, production schedules, plating guides, photographs are current and posted.
• Ensure that all staff prepares menu items following recipes and yield guides, according to department standards.
• Monitor performance of staff and ensure all procedures are completed to the department standards; rectify deficiencies with respective personnel.
• Observe guest reactions and confer with service staff to ensure guest satisfaction.
• Conduct frequent walk throughs of each kitchen area and direct respective personnel to correct any deficiencies. Ensure that quality and details are being maintained.
• Develop new menu items, test and write recipes.
• Assist Catering department with developing special menus for functions; meet with clients as requested.
• Review sales and food cost daily; resolve any discrepancies with the Controller.
• Ensure that excess items are utilized efficiently.
• Oversee and direct training of new hires in specified phases of the kitchen operation. Maintain an on-going training program for existing staff. Reevaluate positions in the kitchen and make changes wherever necessary.
• Interview and hire new personnel according to hotel policies and standards.
• Prepare weekly work schedules for all kitchen personnel in accordance with staffing guidelines and forecasted labor costs. Adjust schedules throughout the week to meet business demands. Prepare daily/weekly payroll reports.
• Comply with attendance rules and be available to work on a regular basis.
• Perform any other job-related duties as assigned.

Benefits

We are looking for our next great team member to join us on our Culinary team. We are committed to providing you with:

• Highly competitive wages
• An exceptional benefit plan for eligible associates & your family members
• 401K matching program for eligible associates
• Discounts with our Crescent managed properties in North America for you & your family members
• Parking and/or Commuter Benefit
• Dry Cleaning

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities

This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws.

For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.