Job Description

Crescent Hotels & Resorts is honored to announce an exciting opportunity for a talented Chef de Cuisine for the Simon Restaurant at JW Marriott Reston Station!

Experience a new level of luxury at JW Marriott Reston Station, a stunning 28-story landmark that overlooks Reston Row, a lively urban hub filled with top-notch dining and entertainment options. The hotel features 247 rooms spread across 12 floors, setting a new standard for luxury accommodations in the DMV area. With the largest luxury meeting space in Northern Virginia, totaling 35,000 sq ft, it includes two ballrooms with 20-foot ceilings and plenty of natural light from floor-to-ceiling windows and a large skylight. The JW Residences occupy the remaining 16 floors. This impressive architectural gem is conveniently located along the Silver Line Metro, perfectly positioned between Dulles International and Reagan National airports, providing travelers with exceptional access to the capital region and beyond.

We understand what it takes to be a part of something great. We will encourage you to bring your true self to work every day, we will celebrate you and we will cheer you on as you shine bright in your career journey. Whether it be our health & wellness programs, best in class learning and development or our travel discounts that ‘feed your inner explorer’, we work hard to create and deliver on what YOU need. We are ready for you to start your journey with us where You Belong. We Care. Shine Bright.

We are looking for our next exceptional team member to join us on our amazing Team. We are committed to providing you with:

• Generous compensation package
• An exceptional benefit plan for eligible associates & your family members
• 401K matching program for eligible associates
• Discounts with our Crescent managed properties in North America for you & your family members

What will you be doing?

The Chef de Cuisine at SIMON is responsible for leading daily culinary operations while bringing the restaurant’s vision to life through inspired cuisine, exceptional quality, and thoughtful execution. This role balances creativity with discipline—upholding JW Marriott brand standards, driving consistency, and fostering a collaborative, high-performing kitchen culture. The Chef de Cuisine serves as a hands-on leader, mentor, and steward of both the guest experience and the culinary team.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

Culinary Leadership & Execution

• Lead all kitchen operations for SIMON, ensuring consistent delivery of high-quality, thoughtfully prepared dishes.
• Execute and evolve menus in collaboration with the Executive Chef, reflecting seasonality, creativity, and the SIMON culinary identity.
• Maintain exceptional standards of taste, presentation, portioning, and plate consistency.
• Oversee daily prep, service execution, and timing to ensure an elevated guest experience.

Team Leadership & Development

• Train, coach, and mentor kitchen associates to build technical skill, confidence, and pride in their craft.
• Foster a culture of accountability, respect, and collaboration aligned with JW Marriott values.
• Lead by example with a calm, professional, and hands-on leadership style.
• Support recruitment, onboarding, scheduling, and performance management of culinary staff.

Operational Excellence

• Ensure compliance with all food safety, sanitation, and health department regulations.
• Manage food and labor costs effectively while maintaining quality standards.
• Oversee inventory, ordering, and proper storage to minimize waste and control costs.
• Collaborate with Stewarding to maintain a clean, organized, and efficient kitchen environment.

Brand & Guest Experience

• Uphold JW Marriott brand standards and the elevated expectations of a luxury hotel dining experience.
• Partner with Front of House leadership to ensure seamless service and strong communication.
• Participate in menu tastings, special events, and guest-facing culinary experiences as needed.
• Respond professionally to guest feedback and support service recovery when necessary.

Qualifications

• Minimum 3–5 years of progressive culinary leadership experience, preferably in upscale, fine-dining, or luxury hotel environments.
• Proven ability to lead, inspire, and develop culinary teams.
• Strong understanding of classic and modern cooking techniques, plating, and flavor profiles.
• Solid financial acumen including food cost control, labor management, and inventory oversight.
• Working knowledge of food safety, sanitation standards, and local health regulations.
• Culinary degree or equivalent professional experience preferred.

Physical & Scheduling Requirements

• Ability to stand for extended periods and work in a fast-paced kitchen environment.
• Flexibility to work mornings, evenings, weekends, and holidays as required by business needs.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

Must have the ability to communicate in English. Self-starting personality with an even disposition. Maintain a professional appearance and manner at all times. Can communicate well with guests. Must be willing to “pitch-in” and help co-workers with their job duties and be a team player. Ability to transport cases of received goods to the work stations; pots and pans of food from storage/prep areas to the serving line. Ability to work with all products and food ingredients involved. Ability to operate, clean and maintain all equipment required in job functions. Ability to plan and develop menus and recipes. Ability to apply basic supervisory skills to plan, organize, direct, coach, train and discipline, as necessary. Ability to ensure security of kitchen access, products and hotel property. Ability to operate with stress, time constraints, physical activity and continuous walking. Finger/hand dexterity in order to operate food machinery. Ability to grasp, lift and/or carry, or otherwise, move goods weighing a maximum of 100 lbs. on a continuous schedule.

PERFORMANCE STANDARDS

Customer Satisfaction:

Our customers are what we are about. One of the keys to a positive guest experience is positive interaction with Crescent staff. It is essential that you remain professional at all times, and that you treat all guests and associates with courtesy and respect, under all circumstances. Every Crescent associate is a guest relations ambassador, every working minute of every day.

Work Habits:

In order to maintain a positive guest and associate experience, your work habits should always meet and strive to exceed hotel standards for work procedures, dress, grooming, punctuality and attendance. You should be adaptable to change in your work area and in hotel procedures with a willingness to learn new skills and/or improve existing ones, have the ability to solve routine problems that occur on the job and ask for help whenever you are not sure how to do something.

Safety & Security:

The safety and security of our guests and associates is of utmost importance to Crescent. Every Crescent associate should adhere to the hotel security policies and procedures, particularly regarding key controls, lifting heavy objects, using chemicals, and effectively reporting safety hazards and safety concerns.