Job Description

SUMMARY

The Executive Chef at the Grand Traverse Resort and Spa is accountable for the overall success of the daily kitchen operations. This position will exhibit culinary talents by personally performing tasks while leading the staff and managing all food related functions. Working Closely with the Director of Food and Beverage as well as the Director of Conference and Food Service to continually improve guest and employee satisfaction while maximizing the financial performance in all areas of responsibility. He or she will supervise all kitchen areas ensuring a consistent, high-quality product is produced. The Resort prides itself on being a place where employees feel appreciated and this position will be responsible for guiding and developing staff including direct reports. Areas of accountability and responsibility will be compromised of overseeing all food preparation areas (e.g., banquets, room service, restaurants, bar/lounge and employee cafe) and the support area of stewarding (dish room). The control of food, supplies and labor expenses to meet or exceed budget is the responsibility of this position.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Kitchen Operations

• Leads kitchen management team; providing direction for all day-to-day operations.
• Understands employee positions well enough to perform duties in employees' absence or determine appropriate replacement to fill gaps.
• Provides guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.
• Utilizes interpersonal and communication skills to lead, influence, and encourage others; advocates sound financial/business decision making; demonstrates honesty/integrity; leads by example.
• Encourages and builds mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
• Serves as a role model to demonstrate appropriate behaviors, leads by example, and sets the example for proper grooming and dress standards set forth by the employee handbook and departmental policy.
• Ensures company and operational policies are administered fairly and consistently, documents timely and as needed
• Reviews staffing levels to ensure that guest service, operational needs and financial objectives are met.
• Establishes and maintains open, collaborative relationships with employees and ensures employees do the same within the team.
• Solicits employee feedback, utilizes an "open door" policy and reviews employee satisfaction results to identify and address employee problems or concerns.
• Supervises and coordinates activities of cooks, culinary staff and stewards involved engaged in food preparation at all locations
• Demonstrate new cooking techniques and equipment to staff.
• Sets and maintains goals for culinary functions, events and activities
• Establish goals including performance goals, budget goals, team goals, etc.
• Communicates the importance of safety procedures, detailing procedure codes, ensuring employee understanding of safety codes, monitoring processes and procedures related to safety.
• Manages department controllable expenses including food cost, supplies, uniforms and equipment.
• Participates in the budgeting process for areas of responsibility.
• Knows and implements the brand's safety standards.
• Establish and maintain a strong, positive and collaborative working relationship with vendors, other departments, frontline staff and executive leadership.

Culinary Standards and Responsibility

• Provides direction for menu development; ensures utilization of food surpluses and leftovers, taking into account probable number of guests, marketing conditions, popularity of various dishes, vegetarian, gluten, and newness of menu.
• Reviews menus, analyzes recipes, determines food, labor, and overhead costs, and assigns prices to menu items.
• Monitors the quality of raw and cooked food products to ensure that standards are achieved
• Determines how food should be presented, creates decorative food displays.
• Recognizes superior quality products, presentations and flavor.
• Ensures compliance with food handling and sanitation standards, follows proper handling and right temperature of all food products, and ensures employees maintain required food handling, storage and sanitation certifications in compliance with the Health Department, FDA Food Code, etc.
• Oversee the departmental SOP for employee injury and accident reporting procedures; ensure employees and managers report timely and additional training is provided, as needed, to ensure unnecessary injuries and/or MIOSHA violations are present.
• Keep waste and spoilage to a minimum by ensuring proper rotation, storage, and usage of all food items; maintain all par levels.
• Prepares and cooks foods of all types, based upon team needs and/or event needs, or for special guests or functions.

Exceptional Customer Service Expectations

• Provides, supports, and exhibits service expectations that are above and beyond for customer satisfaction and retention.
• Improves service by communicating and assisting individuals to understand guest needs, providing guidance, feedback, and individual coaching when needed.
• Manages day-to-day operations, ensuring quality standards while meeting and at times exceeding the expectations of the customers on a daily basis.
• Displays leadership in guest hospitality, exemplifies excellent customer service and creates a positive atmosphere for guest relations.
• Interacts with guests during events and/or the dining experience to obtain feedback on product quality and service levels.
• Responds to and handles guest problems and complaints.
• Empowers employees to provide excellent customer service. Establishes guidelines and understanding for employees on service expectations and parameters. Ensures employees receive on-going training to understand guest expectations.
• Reviews comment cards, guest revies, guest satisfaction results and other data to identify areas of improvement. Corrects and modifies those areas timely and ensures staff understanding and follow through.

People Management Responsibility

• Communicate with Human Resources on staff needs, opens position requisitions, reviews resumes/applicants daily, conducts interviews and selects candidates based upon required KSA’s of the positions.
• Ensures employees are treated fairly, equitably and consistently; creates a workplace culture of open communication and respect while ensuring employee retention
• Identifies the developmental needs of others and coaches, mentors, or otherwise helps others to improve their knowledge or skills.
• Trains culinary team members and kitchen staff on the fundamentals of good cooking and excellent plate presentations; oversee the J1 Trainees and ensures rotational program compliance
• Provides staff needs to human resources and Director of Food and Beverage including any required H@B and J1 visa staffing needs.
• Build schedules; maintains appropriate staffing to budget levels, approves time away requests and timecards, ensures direct reports are managing call in, call off and/or tardy documentation SOP
• Administers performance reviews for direct reports, J1 Trainees, stewarding, etc.
• Interacts with the Banquet Chef, Restaurant Chef, etc. on training regarding food knowledge and menu composition.
• Observes service behaviors of employees and provides feedback to individuals and/or managers.
• Manages the employee progressive discipline procedures for areas of responsibility; holds team accountability for addressing employee behaviors, policy violations, performance expectations and guest experience
• Ensures disciplinary procedures and documentation are completed according to expected process, company policy/procedure including timely handling of coaching and counseling, disciplinary action and/or terminations.
• Provides information to executive team members, GM, CFO, managers and supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
• Maintains Outlook calendar, responds timely to email and meeting invitations; attends all required meetings and provides necessary communication and/or documentation.

Executive Leadership Team Interactions

• Works directly for the Director of Food and Beverage as well as has an indirect reporting accountability to the Director of Conference and Food Service
• Analyzes information, evaluates results, establishes solutions and provides best solutions to problems to members of the Executive Leadership team.

EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE

• 6 years’ experience in the culinary, food and beverage, or related professional area; or
• 2-year degree from an accredited university in Culinary Arts, Hotel and Restaurant Management, or related major with 4 years’ experience in the culinary, food and beverage, or related professional
• 3 years’ experience preferred at the Executive Sous Chef level in a resort/large hotel with accountability over multiple food outlets operations.
• Experience with large scale banquet planning and management required.
• Strong computer skills and experience with Microsoft and POS programs.
• Must be able to pass a background investigation and drug screen as a condition of employment

OTHER SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• Willingness and ability to work long hours, weekends and holidays as needed.
• Must have a sense for timing and urgency.
• Must be able to complete talks and projects in a timely manner by prioritizing obligations and time.
• Must have excellent customer service skills, both written and verbal.
• Must be highly motivated with a positive attitude and have the ability to multi-task.
• Must possess the ability to work with various personalities while maintaining impartiality.
• Must accept constructive criticism as a means of growth, must be a working chef and have the ability to work on the line when needed.

TYPICAL PHYSICAL & MENTAL DEMANDS

• Must be able to lift more than 50 lbs., push heavy carts, bend, stoop, and reach high shelving
• Requires the ability to interact with people beyond giving and receiving instructions.
• Must be adaptable to performing under stress when confronted with challenges.
• Must be able to effectively handle stressful and compromising situations while remaining focused and professional.
• Must be able to deal with difficult people without losing perspective.
• Must be able to work productively under strict time restraints with variable deadlines.

WORKING CONDITIONS

• Fast-paced, occasionally crowded, loud, warm, or humid environment
• Long hours and a varying schedule

Employee parking proximity to resort entrance varies season to season due to business volume

Native American Preference will apply. Must be able to pass a background investigation and drug screen as a condition of employment. This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive. An employee will also perform other reasonable related job responsibilities as assigned by their supervisor and/or other management of the Resort to meet the current needs of the department or business.