Executive Chef - Cardinal's Nation

Live! Hospitality & Entertainment; St. Louis (MO); On-site; USD 55,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

Live! Hospitality & Entertainment seeks an experienced Chef to lead daily culinary operations at our Missouri venue. You will maintain costs, inventories, and sanitation while guiding a high-volume kitchen team.

You will recruit, train, and mentor staff, ensure top-quality dishes, and resolve conflicts with guests and team members. Evenings, weekends, and holidays are required.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED required; culinary arts courses/certifications or related degree preferred.
• 2–4 years experience supervising kitchen staff in a high-volume kitchen.
• Exude confidence in cooking skills and abilities.
• Attention to detail; good people management and communication skills.
• Flexible to work evenings, weekends and holidays.

Responsibilities

• Control the day-to-day culinary operations within company policies and staffing guidelines.
• Maintain kitchen cleanliness, proper uniforms and appearance standards.
• Maintain updated costing and documentation of all dishes served.
• Establish inventory procedures and determine minimum and maximum stocks.
• Ensure security and proper storage of food, inventory and equipment; minimize waste.
• Ensure kitchen equipment is maintained and sanitation standards are met; coordinate with maintenance.
• Resolve staff conflicts and guest service issues with timely solutions.
• Lead and motivate staff; schedule and train employees; mentor new hires.
• Interact with guests in a friendly manner to address service concerns.
• Ensure consistent product and service quality from the kitchen.
• Control BOH food costs through ordering, inventory and regular financial review.
• Communicate standards and cooking methods clearly to staff; take clear orders.
• Maintain safe working environment to reduce injuries; ensure cleanliness per Health Dept standards.
• Create and manage work schedules, shipments and cleaning calendars.
• Recruit, interview, hire supervisory and hourly staff; discipline when necessary.
• Train employees on an ongoing basis; lead by example.
• Mentor new staff and lead by example.

Skills

Staff supervision

Inventory management

Food cost control

Team leadership

Guest interaction

Time management

Food safety

Education

High school diploma or GED

Culinary courses/certifications

Job description

Chef Responsibilities Include, But Are Not Limited To

• Control the day-to-day culinary operations of the venue within the policies and guidelines set forth by the company, including the ensurance of appropriate levels of staffing.
• Maintain a professional company image, including kitchen cleanliness, proper uniforms and appearance standards.
• Maintain updated and accurate costing and documentation of all dishes prepared and sold in the food and beverage operations.
• Establish procedures and timeframes for conducting inventory. Determine minimum and maximum stocks for all food, material, and kitchen equipment.
• Maintain procedures to (1) ensure the security and proper storage of food and beverage products, kitchen inventory and equipment, (2) replenish supplies, inventory, uniforms, etc. in a timely and efficient manner, and (3) to minimize waste and pilferage.
• Ensure that all kitchen equipment, including but not limited to sinks, stoves, grills, hoods, coolers, freezers, etc., are in proper operational condition and are cleaned on a regular basis. Ensure that all kitchen areas and related storerooms are cleaned, mopped, and properly stocked according to anticipated business volume and in accordance with sanitation and health department requirements. Notify Maintenance Manager immediately of any maintenance and repair needs.
• Resolve issues of employee conflict, irate customers and wrong stock orders with a quick solution.
• Rally staff during heavy shifts, resolving conflicts and getting the job done.
• Interact with guests, being friendly and courteous, to resolve service issues or concerns.
• Ensure the kitchen staff provides consistent product and service standards of the highest quality.
• Control BOH food costs through appropriate ordering, maintaining weekly inventory, reviewing financial reports and taking appropriate actions.
• Accurately and easily communicate standards and cooking methods to staff, give orders and speak with customers clearly.
• Ensure a safe working environment to reduce the risk of injury and accidents.
• Maintain kitchen organization and cleanliness in compliance with Company and Health Department standards.
• Create, organize and keep work schedules, shipments, cleaning schedules and more.
• Recruit, interview and hire supervisory and hourly team members; supervise and motivate; take disciplinary action and recommend terminating hourly team members when necessary.
• Train employees, as assigned, in an ongoing basis.
• Lead by example to other team members and mentor new staff.

Chef Qualifications

• A high school diploma or GED equivalent required. Culinary arts courses/certifications or related degree preferred.
• Two (2) to four (4) years experience of supervising and/or managing kitchen staff and working with inventory and food ordering, in a high-volume kitchen.
• Exude confidence in cooking skills and abilities.
• Attention to detail
• Good people management skills, communication and listening skills.
• Proven ability to lead a team and communicate efficiently, both verbally and in writing.
• Must be flexible and adaptable to change.
• Demonstrated time management and organizational skills.
• Must be internally motivated and detail oriented and have a passion for teaching others.
• Exceptional time management and organization skills.
• Ability to work evenings, weekends and holidays.

• The Chef position requires the ability to perform the following:
• Carrying or lifting items weighing up to 75 pounds.
• Moving about the kitchen in a safe and secure manner.
• Handling food, objects, products and utensils effectively and safely.
• Bending, stooping, standing and kneeling.
• Withstand potential climate temperature changes in assigned work area.