Executive Chef $80,000-$132,000/annually

Grand Casino Mille Lacs; Onamia (MN); On-site; USD 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

401k

Tuition reimbursement

Birthday gifts

Anniversary gifts

Job summary

Grand Casino Mille Lacs is seeking an Executive Chef to provide leadership and direction for the kitchen, guiding culinary operations to deliver exceptional guest experiences while meeting profitability goals.

You will manage menus, food quality, and cost controls, supervise staff, and ensure compliance with health and safety standards in a fast-paced casino environment.

Qualifications

• Minimum 3 years’ experience as an Executive Chef in a full-service or events venue.
• 2-year culinary degree or 3-year A.C.F. apprenticeship required.
• Experience in volume feeding, ala carte, fine dining, catering, baking and pastry.
• Strong cost control, budgeting, and purchasing knowledge.
• Proficient in MS Word/Excel/Outlook and kitchen software.
• Ability to obtain tribal/state licenses and comply with gaming regs.

Responsibilities

• Ensure budgeted food percentages are achieved via controls and inventory.
• Control kitchen labor costs through scheduling and development.
• Develop menus maintaining quality, style, and consistency.
• Provide accurate costing for menu items across all areas.
• Supervise line setup, prep, and breakdown activities.
• Coordinate storage, maintenance, and repair of kitchen equipment.
• Meet with suppliers to monitor market changes.
• Lead staff training, performance reviews, and coaching.
• Maintain positive associate relations and morale.
• Ensure health, sanitation, safety, and regulatory compliance.

Skills

Culinary leadership

Menu development

Cost control

Team management

Food quality standards

Vendor relations

Health & safety compliance

Education

2-year culinary degree

3-year ACF apprenticeship

Tools

MS Word/Excel/Outlook

Attendance Enterprise

MICROS/AGILYSYS POS

Stratton Warren (warehousing)

Job description

It's fun to work in a company where people truly BELIEVE in what they're doing!

We're committed to bringing passion and customer focus to the business.

For current employees of Mille Lacs Corporate Venture and its subsidiaries, please login to Workday and visit the Jobs Hub for internal career opportunities.

The Opportunity

The Executive Chef provides management to all levels of the business operation within the kitchen and oversees the direction of the culinary team's daily activities in accordance with Casino Resort policies and objectives to ensure Guest satisfaction, profitability and a positive, productive and compliant work environment.

What You Get To Do

• Ensure budgeted food percentages are achieved through effective control measures including portion controls, kitchen timings, food inventory rotation measures, receiving and food storage procedures, inventory controls, effective purchasing procedures, kitchen security procedures and waste control.
• Control labor costs through effective scheduling of kitchen staff, cross-training and development of team members.
• Ensure that the purchasing and preparation of all food products meet company standards of quality and consistency. Responsible for the development of menus, ensuring quality, consistency and style of concept are maintained. Monitors production of food preparation ensuring recipe specifications, portion controls and kitchen timings are met. Monitors all food served relative to appearance, temperature, sanitary and quality standards.
• Provide accurate costing on all menu items for all food areas.
• Supervises all line set-up, prep and breakdown activities. Responsible for in-service delegation of tasks to line personnel.
• Ensure the coordination of the storage, maintenance and repair of all kitchen equipment to ensure operational readiness.
• Meet with suppliers to keep abreast of changes taking place in the market.
• Responsible for kitchen staff skills training and development, including departmental orientation of new team members. Conducts subordinate performance review and counseling sessions. Provides leadership and support to the entire team; builds morale and encourages empowerment of staff.
• Maintain a positive and compliant Associate relations climate. Responsible for the staffing, training, evaluation and counseling of the culinary team. Promote support and communication. Positively interacts with front of house team. Rapidly solves problems.
• Ensure compliance with health, sanitation, safety and employment regulations by clearly communicating and reinforcing standards and procedures to kitchen team.
• Responsible for fulfilling kitchen record keeping and administrative requirements including food inventories and invoicing of food products. Responsible for organizing team members' work schedules, ensuring appropriate coverage for all kitchen areas.
• Promote teamwork among staff through effective communication, follow-through and goal setting. Leads by example and thorough instruction to effectively obtain quality management of product, service and philosophy of concept.
• Perform other departmental duties assigned to contribute to the overall success and efficiency of the team.

What We Look for in a Person

• Serves and develops others by building relationships.
• Fosters an inclusive workplace where inclusion and individual differences are valued.
• Collaborates across boundaries to achieve common goals.
• Aligns organizational objectives and practices with Mille Lacs Band traditions or interests as appropriate.
• Sets direction and influences others to translate vision into action.
• Demonstrates drive for continued personal and professional growth.

What We Offer You

• We have a fun, energetic personality and are adventurous, creative, and open minded.
• We strive to lead through our seven (7) values in all that we do. (Wisdom, Love, Respect, Truth, Humility, Bravery, and Honesty)
• Our foundation of Servant Leadership is a philosophy that embodies and fosters empowerment, decision-making and engagement across all levels of the organization.
• We are a career accelerant, which means developing our Associates is one of our main priorities.
• We provide a space for Associates and others to bring who they are to work and impart a sense of purpose.
• A variety of competitively priced health benefits and supplemental insurances, parental leave, 401k, tuition reimbursement, birthday, and anniversary gifts.

What Qualifies You

• Minimum of 3 years’ experience as an Executive Chef and/or related experience in a full-service restaurant or events venue.
• 2-year culinary degree or a 3-year A.C.F. apprenticeship
• Must have various experience levels in volume feeding, ala carte, fine dining, catering, baking and pastry, and purchasing storage and handling.
• Demonstrated and verifiable track record of meeting projected costs.
• Working knowledge of team member scheduling in a hospitality environment.
• Professional appearance and presentation required.
• Knowledge of and skill in using computer software, including MS Word/Excel/Outlook, Attendance Enterprise, MICROS/ AGILYSYS POS and Stratton Warren (or similar warehousing software).
• Must acquire and maintain a valid Tribal and or State Environmental Health Food Handlers Card, Blood-Borne Pathogens (BBP), Alcohol Awareness, and other required compliance training courses.
• Ability to obtain and maintain certification in a nationally recognized sanitation program.
• Must obtain and maintain a valid gaming license from the State Gaming Agency and Tribal Gaming Office prior to beginning work and must renew annually.
• Must be able to secure a license from Gaming Regulatory Authority (GRA).
• Responsible for following all relevant Detailed Gaming Regulations (DGR’s).
• Mille Lacs Band Member and American Indian preference will be exercised in the hiring process.

Must Have Skills and Knowledge

• Demonstrates exceptional culinary creativity in menu development, presentation, and execution, aligning with the casino's brand and diverse clientele.
• Has a deep understanding of current and emerging culinary trends—locally, nationally, and globally.
• Will be expected to continually research, anticipate, and integrate innovative food concepts that enhance Guest experiences and maintain the property’s competitive edge in the market.
• Demonstrated technical proficiency and verifiable knowledge of food preparation methods.
• Strong interpersonal skills with the capacity to positively engage with diverse personalities, including co‑workers, subordinates, Guests, and vendors across various work situations.
• Active listening and effective communication skills.
• Proven experience in building results‑oriented teams through training, evaluation, motivation, coaching, and counseling; supports others in developing skills for job success.
• Skilled in delegating responsibilities to achieve goals and drive results.
• Resourceful and solution‑oriented, with the capability to identify problems and implement creative, timely resolutions.
• Highly organized, detail‑focused, and able to prioritize multiple tasks in a dynamic environment.
• Self‑motivated and dependable, with a strong sense of teamwork.
• Flexible schedule with a willingness to work nights, weekends, and extended hours as needed.

Physical Requirements and Work Environment

• This role requires frequent and prolonged standing, walking, bending, reaching, and repetitive movements. Must be able to lift, carry, and place items weighing up to 50 pounds without assistance, and safely operate kitchen equipment with appropriate dexterity.
• Work is performed in a fast‑paced, high‑energy environment, often under pressure and in busy public areas. The noise level may range from loud to very loud.
• A flexible schedule is essential, including the availability to work nights, weekends, and holidays as needed based on business demands.
• Adherence to all safety and health regulations is required to ensure a safe working environment at all times.
• Vision requirements include close vision, peripheral vision, and the ability to adjust focus.
• The work environment is consistent with a casino setting and may include exposure to loud noise and secondhand smoke.

Note: The statements herein are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by Associates assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of personnel so classified.

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Source: Hospitality Online