Restaurant Chef

Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts; Brookside (DE); On-site; USD 70,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Training & development

Employee travel program

Dry cleaning for uniforms

Employee meals

Job summary

Four Seasons Resort and Residences Dominican Republic at Tropicalia seeks a Restaurant Chef to lead the culinary operation of an assigned outlet as part of the pre-opening team. Reporting to the Executive Sous Chef, you will develop menus, train staff, and ensure exceptional quality and dining experiences.

You will translate concepts into distinctive menus using seasonal, local ingredients while managing food costs and safety compliance. Strong leadership and fluency in Spanish are required.

Qualifications

• Culinary degree, professional culinary certification or equivalent combination of education and extensive industry experience.
• A minimum of five years of progressive culinary experience, including at least two years in a leadership role.
• Experience in a luxury hotel, resort or high-end restaurant with relevant culinary expertise.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage the daily operation of the restaurant kitchen with exceptional quality and consistency.
• Translate the concept into distinctive menus and dining experiences reflecting seasonality and local ingredients.
• Develop standardized recipes, portions, allergen info and food-cost calculations.
• Recruit, train and develop the culinary team, fostering creativity and accountability.
• Maintain food safety, HACCP compliance and high sanitation standards.
• Collaborate with Restaurant Manager to ensure seamless kitchen-service coordination.

Skills

Culinary leadership

Menu development

Food cost control

Kitchen operations

Team leadership

Spanish fluency

English proficiency

Education

Culinary degree

Job description

About Four Seasons:

Four Seasons is powered by our people. We are a collective of individuals who crave to become better, to push ourselves to new heights and to treat each other as we wish to be treated in return. Our team members around the world create amazing experiences for our guests, residents, and partners through a commitment to luxury with genuine heart. We know that the best way to enable our people to deliver these exceptional guest experiences is through a world-class employee experience and company culture.

At Four Seasons, we believe in recognizing a familiar face, welcoming a new one and treating everyone we meet the way we would want to be treated ourselves. Whether you work with us, stay with us, live with us or discover with us, we believe our purpose is to create impressions that will stay with you for a lifetime. It comes from our belief that life is richer when we truly connect to the people and the world around us.

About the location:

Four Seasons Resort and Residences Dominican Republic at Tropicalia will feature 95 keys and 25 branded residential homes, 8 distinct F&B outlets, all thoughtfully designed to reflect a contemporary interpretation of the Dominican Republic’s natural beauty. Wellness will be a defining pillar of the property, delivering a holistic experience that harmonizes with the natural environment while enhancing overall wellbeing through the restorative power of nature. The sustainable luxury destination is located on a 60-acre (24 hectare) site along the pristine beachfront of Playa Esmeralda in northeastern Dominican Republic, along the southern shores of Samaná Bay. A site of breathtaking natural beauty, Tropicalia is home to a diverse ecosystem of white-sand beaches; crystalline, aquamarine water and coral reefs; mountains, forests, mangroves, lagoons and rivers; a working coconut plantation; and an organic farm.

About the Role

Four Seasons Resort and Residences Dominican Republic at Tropicalia is seeking a Restaurant Chef to join our pre-opening team. Reporting to the Executive Sous Chef, this position will lead the culinary operation of an assigned restaurant, bringing its concept to life through creative menus, exceptional ingredients, consistent execution and inspiring leadership.

What You Will Do

• Lead and manage the daily operation of the restaurant kitchen, ensuring exceptional food quality, taste, presentation and consistency.


• Participate in pre-opening activities, including kitchen inspections, equipment testing and commissioning, menu development, recipe testing and operational simulations.


• Translate the restaurant’s culinary concept into distinctive menus and dining experiences that reflect seasonality, local ingredients and guest preferences.


• Develop and maintain standardized recipes, preparation methods, photographs, plating guides, yields, portion controls, allergen information and food-cost calculations.


• Recruit, onboard, train, schedule, coach and develop the restaurant’s culinary team, fostering creativity, teamwork, accountability and the Golden Rule.


• Supervise daily mise en place, preparation, production and service to ensure that all dishes are executed according to established standards.


• Conduct daily briefings, menu tastings and pre-service meetings to ensure the culinary and restaurant-service teams understand each dish, ingredient and preparation method.


• Maintain strict compliance with food-safety, sanitation, hygiene, allergen-management, occupational health and safety, and HACCP requirements.


• Monitor food costs, labor productivity, purchasing, inventory levels, portioning and waste while maintaining exceptional culinary quality.


• Work closely with Purchasing to establish product specifications, evaluate suppliers and ensure the consistent availability and quality of ingredients.


• Collaborate with the Restaurant Manager to ensure seamless coordination between the kitchen and service teams and an exceptional overall dining experience.


• Engage with guests when appropriate, respond thoughtfully to feedback and accommodate dietary restrictions, allergies and special requests.


• Conduct regular inspections of kitchen equipment, refrigeration, storage and production areas and coordinate maintenance needs with Engineering.


• Develop seasonal menus, promotions, special dinners and other culinary experiences that strengthen the restaurant’s identity and commercial success.


• Support other culinary outlets, VIP experiences, banquets and special resort events when required.

What You Bring

• Culinary degree, professional culinary certification or equivalent combination of education and extensive industry experience.


• A minimum of five years of progressive culinary experience, including at least two years as a Restaurant Chef, Chef de Cuisine, Senior Sous Chef or comparable leadership position.


• Demonstrated experience in a luxury hotel, resort or high‑end restaurant, with strong expertise relevant to the culinary concept of the assigned outlet.


• Strong knowledge of menu development, recipe standardization, food costing, inventory control, food safety and kitchen productivity.


• Inspiring, hands‑on leadership style with creativity, strong communication skills and exceptional attention to detail. Fluency in Spanish and working proficiency in English are required.

What We Offer

• Competitive salary and a comprehensive benefits package.


• Excellent training and professional‑development opportunities.


• Opportunities for career growth within Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts.


• Employee travel program, including complimentary and discounted stays at Four Seasons properties worldwide, subject to program eligibility.


• Complimentary dry cleaning for employee uniforms.


• Complimentary employee meals while on duty.


• A supportive and inclusive work environment built on mutual respect, collaboration and the Golden Rule.

Schedule & Hours

• This is a full‑time position.


• The successful candidate must be flexible to work early mornings, days, evenings, late nights, weekends and public holidays based on the restaurant’s hours and operational needs.


• As the resort operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, scheduled days and hours may vary.

Work Authorization

Candidates must be legally eligible to work in the Dominican Republic or able to meet the applicable immigration and work‑permit requirements.

Four Seasons Resort and Residences Dominican Republic at Tropicalia is committed to providing an inclusive workplace in which all individuals are treated with dignity and respect. Employment decisions are based on qualifications, experience and business requirements, without discrimination on any basis protected by applicable law.