Executive Chef - Cleveland Zoo

Aramark; Cleveland (OH); On-site; USD 50,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking an Executive Chef to lead a dynamic culinary team at a renowned zoo. This full-time position involves overseeing culinary operations, ensuring high standards of food quality and safety, and managing a talented group of chefs and kitchen staff. The role emphasizes creativity in culinary solutions and effective team management to enhance guest experiences. If you possess a culinary degree and have a passion for culinary excellence in a high-volume environment, this opportunity offers a rewarding career path with comprehensive benefits and a chance to make a significant impact in a vibrant setting.

Qualifications

• Culinary degree or equivalent experience in management required.
• Strong knowledge of food principles and practices essential.

Responsibilities

• Oversee culinary staff and ensure quality food presentation.
• Manage culinary production and maintain food safety standards.

Skills

Leadership Skills

Multitasking

Communication Skills

Organizational Skills

Culinary Techniques

Education

Culinary Degree

4+ Years Culinary Experience

Job description

Aramark is currently seeking an Executive Chef to support the Cleveland Zoo! The Executive Chef oversees all chef managers and hourly culinary staff and is responsible for developing and executing culinary solutions to meet production, presentation, and service standards. Applies culinary techniques to food preparation and manages the final presentation and service of food.

This Salaried Full-Time position offers a wide array of comprehensive benefit programs and services. We designed our benefits to promote a culture of health and wellbeing. Additional information below or click here to learn more.

Job Responsibilities

• Ensures culinary production appropriately connects to the Executional Framework
• Ensures proper culinary standards and techniques are in place for preparation of food items, including production, presentation, and service standards
• Manages a culinary team, including chef managers and hourly staff, to ensure quality in final presentation of food
• Train and manage culinary and kitchen employees to use best practice food production techniques
• Coach employees by creating a shared understanding about what needs to be achieved and how it is to be achieved
• Reward and recognize employees
• Plan and execute team meetings and daily huddles
• Complete and maintain all staff records including training records, shift opening/closing checklists and performance data
• Develop and maintain effective client and guest rapport for mutually beneficial business relationships
• Interact directly with guests daily
• Aggregate and communicate regional culinary and ingredient trends
• Responsible for delivering food and labor targets
• Consistent focus on margin improvement; understanding performance metrics, data, order, and inventory trends
• Ensure efficient execution and delivery of all culinary products in line with the daily menu
• Maintain integrity of the standard Aramark food offer; responsible for always maintaining food quality and safety of items
• Full compliance with Operational Excellence fundamentals: managing waste, standard menus, recipes and ingredients through managing customer driven menus and labor standards
• Understand end to end supply chain and procurement process and systems, ensuring only authorized suppliers are used
• Full knowledge and implementation of the Food Framework
• Ensure accuracy of estimated food consumption for appropriate requisitions and/or food purchase
• Ensure proper equipment operation and maintenance
• Ensure compliance with Aramark SAFE food and Quality Assurance standards, occupational and environmental safety policies in all culinary and kitchen operations
• Comply with all applicable policies, rules and regulations, including but not limited to those relating to safety, health, wage and hour

Qualifications

• Requires a culinary degree or equivalent 4+ years of culinary experience in a management role
• Previous experience in high volume special events culinary operations strongly preferred
• Requires advanced knowledge of the principles and practices within the food profession
• Ability to maintain effective client and customer rapport for mutually beneficial business relationships required
• Requires strong multitasking, organizational, communication, and leadership skills
• Requires occasional lifting, carrying, pushing, and pulling up to 50 lbs. and ability to stand for extended periods of time
• Must have availability to work event-based hours including evening, weekend, and potentially holiday hours