Head Chef

Millman Search; Charlottesville (VA); On-site; USD 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Millman Search in Charlottesville seeks a Head Chef to lead the restaurant and Club food operations, ensuring food quality, consistency, kitchen performance, and a culture of culinary excellence.

The Head Chef protects and refines our American comfort cuisine with Southern influence, inviting seasonal creativity within that framework for a clear, consistent guest experience.

Success is measured by what the kitchen produces as a team, not only by what one person can cook.

Responsibilities

• Lead culinary operations for the restaurant and Club food outlets.
• Maintain the established concept and guest expectations.
• Write seasonal menus that add variety without leaving the core identity.
• Keep complete recipes, specs, plating, and portion standards.
• Deliver consistent taste, prep, presentation, and quality at every service.
• Review menu performance using guest feedback, sales mix, food cost, and execution.
• Run specials that add interest without creating excess inventory or line complexity.
• Recruit, train, schedule, and retain the culinary team.
• Develop Sous Chefs and cooks who can run the kitchen in the Head Chef’s absence.
• Cross-train stations and set a clear onboarding path for new hires.
• Coach technique, organization, sanitation, timing, and professional habits.
• Set expectations, give regular feedback, and identify people ready to advance.
• Keep a respectful, accountable kitchen.
• Build recipes, prep lists, and communication so standards hold on every shift.
• Own staffing, prep, station readiness, purchasing, receiving, and inventory.
• Control recipes, portions, storage, rotation, and waste.
• Maintain sanitation, food safety, organization, and equipment care.
• Set opening and closing standards and shift-to-shift communication.
• Put systems in place so the kitchen does not run on last-minute firefighting.
• Hold food cost to Club targets.
• Manage BOH labor against volume and the forecast.
• Participate in the annual Food & Beverage budget.
• Cost recipes and understand pricing, contribution, and mix.
• Work vendors for quality and price.
• Flag cost or labor issues early to Club leadership.
• Align on menus, pricing, specials, events, and service standards.
• Give the front of house what they need to speak to ingredients, prep, allergens, and selling points.
• Communicate product availability, timing, capacity, and menu changes.
• Plan banquet menus, guarantees, timelines, and special requests with Events.
• Share F&B planning and problem-solving. One team, not front versus back.
• Design event menus that balance quality, value, execution, and profit.
• Staff and prep for weddings, tournaments, member events, and outings.
• Serve what was sold.
• Support golf, social, holiday, and Club programming with food that fits the occasion.
• Review events after service when it will improve the next one.

Job description

The Head Chef is the culinary leader for the restaurant and the Club’s food operations. The role is responsible for food quality, consistency, kitchen performance, and the culture of the culinary team.

The restaurant serves approachable American comfort food with a Southern influence. The Head Chef is expected to protect and refine that identity. Seasonal creativity is welcome within that framework so members and guests have a clear, consistent experience.

Success is measured by what the kitchen produces as a team—not only by what the Head Chef can cook personally.

Culinary Leadership

• Lead culinary operations for the restaurant and Club food outlets.
• Maintain the established concept and guest expectations.
• Write seasonal menus that add variety without leaving the core identity.
• Keep complete recipes, specs, plating, and portion standards.
• Deliver consistent taste, prep, presentation, and quality at every service.
• Review menu performance using guest feedback, sales mix, food cost, and execution.
• Run specials that add interest without creating excess inventory or line complexity.

Team and Kitchen Culture

• Recruit, train, schedule, and retain the culinary team.
• Develop Sous Chefs and cooks who can run the kitchen in the Head Chef’s absence.
• Cross-train stations and set a clear onboarding path for new hires.
• Coach technique, organization, sanitation, timing, and professional habits.
• Set expectations, give regular feedback, and identify people ready to advance.
• Keep a respectful, accountable kitchen.
• Build recipes, prep lists, and communication so standards hold on every shift.

Back-of-House Operations

• Own staffing, prep, station readiness, purchasing, receiving, and inventory.
• Control recipes, portions, storage, rotation, and waste.
• Maintain sanitation, food safety, organization, and equipment care.
• Set opening and closing standards and shift-to-shift communication.
• Put systems in place so the kitchen does not run on last-minute firefighting.
• Hold food cost to Club targets.
• Manage BOH labor against volume and the forecast.
• Participate in the annual Food & Beverage budget.
• Cost recipes and understand pricing, contribution, and mix.
• Work vendors for quality and price.
• Flag cost or labor issues early to Club leadership.

Partnership with Restaurant and Events Leadership

• Align on menus, pricing, specials, events, and service standards.
• Give the front of house what they need to speak to ingredients, prep, allergens, and selling points.
• Communicate product availability, timing, capacity, and menu changes.
• Plan banquet menus, guarantees, timelines, and special requests with Events.
• Share F&B planning and problem-solving. One team, not front versus back.

Banquets, Tournaments, and Club Events

• Design event menus that balance quality, value, execution, and profit.
• Staff and prep for weddings, tournaments, member events, and outings.
• Serve what was sold.
• Support golf, social, holiday, and Club programming with food that fits the occasion.
• Review events after service when it will improve the next one.

This description is for a confidential search. Please do not circulate beyond the hiring process.