Executive Chef- TCLC

Valencia Group; Irving (TX); On-site; USD 85,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Texican Court Irving, part of Valencia Hotel Group, seeks an Executive Chef to lead culinary operations across hotel outlets, ensuring exceptional food quality and guest experience.

You will recruit, train, and develop kitchen teams, manage food cost and scheduling, and ensure health and safety standards while collaborating with F&B leadership on menus and events.

Qualifications

• Executive Chef or senior culinary leadership experience in a hotel, upscale restaurant, or multi-outlet environment.
• Strong knowledge of culinary techniques, menu development, food cost, labor management, purchasing, and sanitation.
• Proven ability to lead, develop, and hold culinary teams accountable.
• Strong communication, organization, financial, and computer skills.
• Ability to work varied schedules based on business levels and events.

Responsibilities

• Lead culinary operations across outlets ensuring quality and timing.
• Recruit, onboard, train, coach, and develop culinary staff.
• Create and maintain recipes, specifications, prep standards, and production systems.
• Maintain a visible leadership presence during peak meal periods and events.
• Partner with Food & Beverage leadership on menus, events, promotions, and guest experience initiatives.

Skills

Executive Chef experience

Culinary leadership

Menu development

Food cost management

Staff coaching

Communication skills

Job description

Job Details

Job Location: Texican Court - Irving, TX 75039, Our hotels are unique, and we are looking for outstanding talent to provide exceptional customer service to our team. Valencia Hotel Group is a collection of hotels created for today’s passionate traveler, each of our hotels is intentionally built to showcase modern design and classic character. We are looking for team members who are ready to be empowered to go above and beyond.

Status: Exempt

Reports to: General Manager / Director of Food & Beverage

The Executive Chef is the senior culinary leader responsible for the strategic direction, food quality, financial performance, sanitation, and operational excellence of all culinary operations at Texican Court. This role leads culinary execution across restaurant, breakfast, room service, amenities, banquets, catering, and special events while developing the culinary team and protecting established cost and quality standards.

Operational Responsibilities

• Maintain a well groomed, professional appearance and demeanor consistent with Texican Court and Valencia Hotel Group standards.
• Prepare for guest requests, anticipated business levels, VIPs, groups, and special events with appropriate urgency and attention to detail.
• Maintain regular attendance and punctuality in compliance with Valencia Hotel Group standards.
• Comply with Valencia Hotel Group (and its affiliates) standards and regulations to encourage safe and efficient hotel operations.
• Complete other duties as assigned by Supervisor or department leadership.

Culinary Leadership & Operations

• Lead all culinary operations and maintain consistent food quality, presentation, recipe execution, and service timing.
• Recruit, onboard, train, schedule, coach, and develop culinary and stewarding employees.
• Create and maintain recipes, specifications, prep standards, station expectations, and production systems.
• Maintain a visible leadership presence during peak meal periods, VIP events, and large scale functions.
• Partner with Food & Beverage leadership on menus, events, promotions, and guest experience initiatives.

Financial & Administrative Responsibilities

• Manage food cost, purchasing, inventory, waste, yields, labor, productivity, and departmental expenses.
• Maintain adequate inventory and par levels while protecting product quality and controlling waste.
• Support forecasting, budgeting, variance explanations, and financial reporting as assigned.
• Build effective vendor relationships and ensure purchasing decisions support quality and cost objectives.

Food Safety & Compliance

• Ensure all culinary operations comply with health department requirements, food safety standards, and Valencia Hotel Group policies.
• Maintain sanitation standards throughout kitchens, storage areas, coolers, freezers, and stewarding spaces.
• Ensure proper receiving, labeling, dating, rotation, temperature control, and storage procedures.
• Maintain required documentation and corrective actions related to food safety and sanitation.

Guest Experience & Service Standards

• Create genuine, personalized guest interactions while maintaining professional language, posture, grooming, and composure.
• Anticipate guest needs whenever possible and take ownership of requests rather than simply directing the guest elsewhere.
• Recognize and appropriately respond to VIPs, repeat guests, celebrations, preferences, allergies, accessibility needs, and special requests when communicated.
• Protect guest privacy and exercise discretion when handling guest information, incidents, complaints, or sensitive situations.
• Resolve routine concerns with urgency and sound judgment and involve leadership promptly when additional service recovery is appropriate.
• Maintain awareness of the entire guest experience, including cleanliness, music, lighting, temperature, presentation, pacing, and other details that may affect satisfaction.

Communication & Team Collaboration

• Communicate clearly, respectfully, and proactively with fellow employees and leadership before, during, and after service.
• Participate in pre shift meetings, training, tastings, service-standard rehearsals, and departmental communication as assigned.
• Provide accurate shift handoffs and communicate outstanding guest requests, operational concerns, product shortages, maintenance issues, or follow-up needs.
• Support other outlets and team members when business needs require while maintaining the standards of the assigned position.
• Contribute to a professional work environment free from gossip, hostility, or conduct that negatively affects guests or fellow employees.

Operational Excellence & Asset Care

• Complete assigned opening, closing, side work, cleaning, stocking, and checklist responsibilities thoroughly and on time.
• Maintain work areas in a clean, organized, fully stocked, and inspection-ready condition throughout the shift.
• Use hotel equipment, supplies, products, and systems responsibly and report damage, malfunction, loss, or unusual conditions immediately.
• Protect hotel assets by following established controls for inventory, keys, point-of-sale access, equipment, product, and supplies as applicable.
• Demonstrate urgency without sacrificing accuracy, safety, presentation, or guest engagement.

Safety & Compliance

• Comply with Valencia Hotel Group standards, departmental procedures, and all applicable local, state, and federal requirements.
• Follow food safety, sanitation, chemical handling, responsible alcohol service, emergency, and workplace safety procedures applicable to the role.
• Wear required uniform, name tag, grooming standards, and non-slip footwear where applicable.
• Immediately address or report spills, broken glass, blocked walkways, equipment concerns, unsafe conditions, or other hazards.
• Maintain required certifications and complete assigned safety or compliance training within established timeframes.

Leadership & Talent Development

• Set clear expectations and model the service, professionalism, accountability, and urgency expected from the team.
• Recruit, interview, onboard, train, coach, recognize, and develop employees in partnership with department leadership and Human Resources.
• Provide timely, specific feedback and document performance, attendance, conduct, or policy concerns according to company procedures.
• Identify high potential employees and create opportunities for cross training, skill development, and increased responsibility.
• Build schedules and deployment plans that align staffing with forecasted business while protecting service standards and labor productivity.
• Create a culture in which employees understand not only what the standard is, but why it matters to the guest and the business.

Financial Responsibility

• Understand the department’s primary revenue and expense drivers and make daily decisions with both guest experience and profitability in mind.
• Monitor labor, overtime, product usage, waste, breakage, discounts, complimentary items, supplies, and other controllable expenses applicable to the operation.
• Support forecasts, budgets, inventories, purchasing, variance explanations, and financial reporting as assigned.
• Identify opportunities to improve revenue, average check, capture, productivity, cost control, and operational efficiency without compromising quality.
• Maintain accurate records and complete administrative responsibilities by established deadlines.

Qualifications

• Previous Executive Chef or senior culinary leadership experience in a hotel, upscale restaurant, or multi outlet environment preferred.
• Strong knowledge of culinary techniques, menu development, food cost, labor management, purchasing, and sanitation.
• Proven ability to lead, develop, and hold culinary teams accountable.
• Strong communication, organization, financial, and computer skills.
• Ability to work varied schedules based on business levels and events.

Certifications

• Valid Food Manager Certification.
• Additional food safety certifications as required by local regulations.
• Ability to perform the physical requirements of the position, including standing or walking for extended periods and lifting/carrying items appropriate to the role.

Certifications

• Valid Food Handler or Food Manager Certification as required for the position.

Work Environment

• Commercial kitchens, banquet production areas, storage areas, restaurant outlets, and outdoor event spaces.
• Exposure to heat, open flames, refrigeration, wet floors, sharp utensils, and mechanical equipment.
• Constant interaction with employees, guests, vendors, and hotel leadership.
• May work in indoor and outdoor areas and may be exposed to varying temperatures, noise levels, food-service equipment, cleaning products, and other conditions typical of hotel Food & Beverage operations.