Executive Chef

David Meyers Associates; Wayne (PA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

St. Davids Golf Club in Wayne, PA seeks an Executive Chef to lead culinary operations at a premier private club. The candidate will balance private club dining expectations with creative menu development, while maintaining high standards of food quality, service, and cost control.

Strong leadership, hiring, training, and cross-functional collaboration with front-of-house are essential. Responsibilities include managing menu engineering, banquet and event execution, budgeting, purchasing,

Qualifications

• Experience in a private, members-owned club or luxury hotel/resort setting.
• Strong leadership and people-management skills.
• Proven track record with menu development and culinary creativity.

Responsibilities

• Lead culinary direction for the club, balancing creativity with member preferences.
• Oversee menu engineering, banquet and special-event execution, and food/labor cost management.
• Manage purchasing, inventory controls, kitchen organization, and sanitation.

Skills

Private club experience

Culinary leadership

Menu development

Food cost control

Labor cost management

Staff development

Kitchen operations

Budgeting

Sanitation & safety

Communication with FOH

Job description

About the Club

St. Davids Golf Club is a family-oriented club founded in 1897 in Wayne, PA. The Donald Ross-designed golf course dates to 1927 and has hosted many regional tournaments and qualifiers. The Club offers a warm and inviting atmosphere to our members, their families, and guests. The location, in the heart of Wayne, is an ideal spot for golf outings, weddings and other special events. St. Davids has a long and colorful history on the Main Line. In 2022, they celebrated our 125th anniversary with the publication of a book filled with stories and photos, from its founding to the present day.

St. Davids is a club that allows members to enjoy both golf and social events in a relaxed and comfortable atmosphere with a newly renovated golf course, attentive service, casual and formal dining in one of our dining rooms or on the expanded patio. The new clubhouse opened in November 2006 with over five hundred members attending a grand opening cocktail party. In 2014 the Club extended the patio next to the Grill Room overlooking the golf course. A recent renovation was successfully completed in the Spring of 2026.

Position Specifics:

St. Davids Golf Club is looking for a talented culinary professional who is also a strong leader and effective department head. The successful candidate should be organized, accountable, collaborative, emotionally mature and approachable. They should have high standards without being ego-driven, be comfortable receiving feedback, and understand that success in a private club requires balancing culinary creativity with member preferences. We want someone who develops people, communicates well with management and staff, takes ownership of their operation, and is genuinely interested in becoming part of the St. Davids community.

The new Executive Chef is known for strong a la carte culinary execution; menu development and engineering; banquet and special-event execution; food and labor cost management; purchasing and inventory controls; kitchen organization and sanitation; scheduling and staffing; recruitment, training and development of culinary employees; effective communication with front-of-house leadership; and the ability to manage multiple dining experiences and events simultaneously. The Chef must also be comfortable using financial and operating information to manage the department and make informed decisions.

Candidate Expectations:

Summary:

Members increasingly expect restaurant-quality food and presentation while still wanting the comfort, familiarity, and personalization of their Club. The Club sees demand for healthier and lighter options alongside traditional club favorites, greater menu variety, fresh and seasonal offerings, and flexibility around dietary preferences. Members also increasingly value casual dining and social experiences rather than exclusively traditional formal dining. Consistency, speed of service and value remain important, particularly as expectations for private club dining continue to rise.

• Current or previous experience working in a private, members-owned club or luxury, multi-unit hotel/resort operation (level of Ritz Carlton or Four Seasons).
• The St. Davids Golf Club has made meaningful progress in its culinary operation over the past several years, and they are looking for the next Executive Chef to build upon that foundation. His/her primary focus should be to improve consistency in a la carte execution, continue to elevate menu variety and creativity while remaining approachable for the membership.
• The Executive Chef should be well versed on strengthening kitchen systems and organization and maintaining appropriate food and labor cost controls.
• The Club needs a strong leader who will develop the culinary team, establish accountability and standards, and work collaboratively with the front-of-house operation. Communication, planning and consistent execution across both everyday dining and larger Club events are particularly important.
• Exceptional management and administrative skills with the ability to communicate effectively with staff and the department head team.
• Highly organized, with the ability to meet deadlines related to menu planning, event execution, weekly features, and operational deliverables.
• Passionate about all aspects of the culinary profession and committed to staying current with food trends, techniques, and equipment.
• The Executive Chef is an active participant in developing and managing the annual culinary operating and capital budgets. The Chef is responsible for developing departmental assumptions and needs related to food cost, culinary labor, operating expenses, equipment, and capital requirements in collaboration with the General Manager/COO and Controller. Throughout the year, the Chef is expected to review financial performance, understand variances to budget and take appropriate action while maintaining the quality and service standards expected by the Club.
• Ability to create house-made items, creative buffet presentations, and evolving menus appropriate for a private club environment.
• The Executive Chef is visible at events and in the dining room, responds to email questions/feedback from members and is actively engaged.