Executive Chef, Hunters Creek Club – Metamora, MI

DZA Associates; Hunters Creek (FL); On-site; USD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance with dependent coverage

Performance bonus

Relocation assistance

Job summary

DZA Associates in Hunters Creek, Florida, seeks a dedicated Executive Chef to lead the culinary operations of their private club. The role demands creativity in menu design, a focus on quality, and strong communication skills. The Executive Chef will foster a positive kitchen environment while mentoring young culinary talent. The club offers a competitive base salary, performance bonuses, and health benefits. This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced chef committed to delivering a top-notch dining experience for club members.

Qualifications

• Proven experience as Executive Chef or similar role.
• Ability to maintain quality and consistency in food presentation.
• Experience in managing kitchen staff and mentoring young talent.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement menus with a focus on seasonal ingredients.
• Enhance the dining experience through creativity and quality.
• Manage food costs and budgeting effectively.

Skills

Culinary expertise

Strong communication skills

Menu diversity

Training ability

Farm to Table focus

Team building

Education

Culinary degree or equivalent experience

Tools

Kitchen management systems

Job description

About the Club

Hunters Creek Club spends more time providing a quality upland hunting experience than any other hunting club in Michigan. We feature daily field hunts from August 15 through April 30 each year. Since 1958, we have offered guided hunts for members and their accompanied guests with our dogs or yours for Guided Bird Hunting with Professional Guides and Experienced Dogs. Pheasant, Chukar Partridge, Hungarian Partridge, & Quail. Field hunts behind our trained pointers or flushers or bring your own dog. European driven bird shooting, matched only on the British Isles. We also offer unguided hunts, where members can use their own dogs in our fields. We lease or own over 1,400 acres of prime Midwest fields and fallows for your hunting excursions.

Position Specific

The Club is looking for a talented professional to maintain and continue to improve the culinary operation. The Chef should be creative and enthusiastic (it is not about food cost but more about quality). The Executive Chef must have a positive attitude and is open to members’ requests. The number one goal is to produce a consistent quality product and to ensure that the members dining at the Club enjoy their experience. Equally important is the candidate’s character; the innate ability to build a professional and friendly kitchen environment that is respectful of other staff and membership. The Club’s culture is one that values honesty, hard work, and professionalism.

Candidate Qualifications

• This is a hands‑on working position managing daily production and consistency, presentation, and quality.
• The Executive Chef is a skilled communicator, a professional with a personable demeanor and approachable manner – All are important prerequisite qualities for the position.
• The role demands strong menu diversity and expanded evening service along with a la carte consistency.
• Equally important is proven ability to find time to work with young local students and to train servers on the salesmanship of specials, soups, and desserts.
• The Executive Chef is passionate about all things culinary and committed to staying current with food trends, techniques, and equipment. Has a keen focus on “Farm to Table” and working with local products.
• The ideal candidate will be member‑focused, responsive to feedback, collaborative with club leadership, and adaptable in a fast‑paced private club environment.
• The Executive Chef helps to create the annual operating budget by costing out menus and having heavy involvement in pricing. Monitors labor costs in conjunction with ownership and the finance director.
• The Executive Chef is expected to be visible and personable with members. Dining Room presence is a MUST including casual member and guest conversation. The Chef walks the dining room, provides cooking classes and an occasional email blog.
• Ensure that the highest standards of sanitation, cleanliness, and safety are always maintained throughout all food service areas.
• The Executive Chef must be a good fit for the culture of the Club. He or she must demonstrate values, conduct, and integrity consistent with the Club’s mission.

Initial Focus

• Menu Design & Implementation – Leverage culinary expertise and develop menus with an emphasis on farm to table options, variety, seasonality and high‑quality ingredients. Respect for the Club classic four favorites and be able to serve them on a consistent basis.
• The Dining Experience – The new Executive Chef should work daily to enhance the member dining experience, for quality presentation, creativity and value delivered on a consistent basis. Incorporate wild game offerings in both the lunch and dinner menus. Focus on daily specials and new and exciting theme dinners for up to 45 diners.
• Cost Control – The new Executive Chef is expected to evaluate current operations for enhanced systems. Organize the ordering and inventory processes.
• Mentoring and Team Building – With this appointment the Club is looking for the Chef to cultivate young students with culinary interest to be part of your team.

Additional Information

• Annual F&B Sales is $350,000.
• The Club currently has a 38% food cost with the food cost budget at 38% and a sales mix of 65% A La Carte and 35% Banquet.
• There are four culinary employees and one steward supported by a $225,000 labor budget.
• There is one Sous Chef position open and one Admin. to assist the Chef with purchasing and events.
• The Club has two kitchens (Main Club house is the main kitchen and Fox Hollow is used eight times per year). The kitchen is small with expansion constrained by septic regulations. Management rates the condition as a 3 out of 5.
• The Club has one 5,000 sq. ft. Clubhouse with 500 members whose average age is 48.
• The Club operates for twelve months annually. The Club is closed on Mondays, July 4th, Christmas and Easter Sunday. The busy months are October‑December, February and March.
• The Executive Chef reports to the President and works closely with the Dining Room Manager, Finance Director, and Hunting Operations Manager.
• The previous Chef was with the Club for 22 years.
• Main Dining Room – Casual with 70 seats, serving breakfast, lunch and Tuesday – Sunday.
• Boar’s Nest – Casual with 20 seats, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, Tuesday – Sunday.
• Fox Hollow – Casual with 80 seats, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, 8‑10 days annually.
• The Event Tent – Casual serving 70‑300 for lunch or dinner, 15 days annually.
• Private Member & Club Events – The Club has one private room seating from 4 to 30. The largest sit‑down event the Club can accommodate is 300 members/guests.
• Overnight Guest Rooms – The Club has twelve overnight guest rooms.

The Club offers a competitive base salary, performance bonus and benefits package including health insurance with dependent coverage, ACF dues and conference and dining allowance. Relocation is available. Interested individuals should send resumes, a well‑conceived cover letter, and supporting information.