Brand Executive Chef

Brand Executive Chef

Our client, located at a resort in Las Vegas, is a vibrant and refined Latin American restaurant created by a well-known hospitality group. Since opening in 2017, our client has delivered bold, authentic Latin flavors through a modern lens, combining culinary tradition with elevated technique and a dynamic guest experience. The menu draws inspiration from across Latin Americaincluding Venezuela, Peru, Brazil, Mexico, and Argentinapaired with a robust beverage program and high-energy service environment. Our client operates across breakfast, lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch, positioning it as a high-volume, all-day dining destination within a luxury setting.

We are also becoming more interested in chefs who come from hospitality-driven organizations versus traditional chain environments. We can help support systems and infrastructure around the individual, but the culinary foundation and point of view really need to already exist.

Role: Brand Executive Chef

Reporting to: Chief Executive Officer / Vice President, Culinary Operations

The Brand Executive Chef at our client is a senior culinary leadership role responsible for safeguarding, evolving, and executing the brand's culinary identity while driving operational performance at the highest level. This is a hands-on, kitchen-facing leadership positionnot an office-based role. The Brand Executive Chef must operate with a "chef's chef" mentality, combining refined technical skill, deep knowledge of Latin cuisine, and the ability to lead within a high-volume, performance-driven environment. The role requires full ownership of culinary execution, talent development, financial performance, and brand consistency, ensuring our client remains a premier dining destination in the Las Vegas market.

Core Responsibilities

Duties include, but are not limited to the following:

Culinary Leadership & Execution

• Team Oversight: Lead, train, and manage a kitchen team, ensuring consistency in quality and adherence to recipe standards during all meal periods. Maintain direct, hands-on involvement in daily kitchen operations.
• Training and Development: Implement training programs focused on recipe adherence, food safety, and culinary excellence. Foster continuous learning and encourage team growth.
• Shift Coordination: Develop efficient shift schedules to meet kitchen demands and optimize staffing to ensure smooth operations during peak times.

Culinary Leadership

• Recipe and Menu Development: Craft innovative, high-quality recipes and menus that align with the brand standards and positioning. Integrate fine-dining techniques into high-volume execution.
• Food Quality Assurance: Establish and enforce food quality standards, conducting regular audits to ensure consistency and excellence across all locations.
• Process Optimization: Implement efficient kitchen procedures for food preparation, cooking, and presentation to maximize speed and quality.

Operational Oversight

• High-Volume Execution: Manage kitchen operations to maintain quality under high-capacity conditions, ensuring that all culinary processes are streamlined for efficiency.
• Health & Safety Compliance: Oversee health and safety practices to ensure compliance with all regulatory standards, including cleanliness and proper food-handling protocols.
• Inventory Management: Monitor and manage inventory levels, working with procurement to source high-quality ingredients while controlling costs.

Financial Management

• Budget and Cost Control: Manage the culinary budget to maximize cost-efficiency without compromising quality.
• Revenue Enhancement: Identify opportunities to enhance total costs through effective menu pricing, ingredient sourcing, and inventory control.
• Financial Reporting: Prepare regular financial reports, analyzing data to inform menu adjustments and operational decisions.

Guest Experience & Feedback

• Guest Engagement: Actively interact with guests to gather feedback, ensuring that menus and service meet or exceed their expectations.
• VIP and Special Events: Collaborate with event teams to create unique menus and culinary experiences for VIPs and special occasions that align with brand standards.
• Service Excellence: Work closely with staff to ensure that every guest receives exceptional service and memorable culinary experiences.

Job Requirements

• Culinary Leadership: Minimum of 10 years of progressive culinary leadership experience, preferably in high-volume, high-level culinary settings with fine dining, elevated execution restaurant, or group.
• High-Volume Management Expertise: Proven success in managing large-scale culinary operations, with a focus on maintaining quality in high-capacity environments. Multi-unit brand leadership experience, luxury hospitality background.
• Innovation and Vision: Demonstrated ability to develop unique recipes and menus that align with brand standards and cater to diverse guest preferences.
• Financial Acumen: Skilled in budget management, cost analysis, and inventory control, with a focus on maximizing profitability.
• Team Development: Experience building and leading high-performance teams, with a commitment to training and developing culinary talent.
• Exceptional Communication: Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to engage effectively with team members, stakeholders, and guests.

Work Requirements

Flexible Schedule: Willingness to work nights, weekends, and holidays to accommodate the demands of the restaurant.

Physical and Other Requirements

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk and hear. The employee frequently is required to stand; bend; walk; use hands or fingers, handle or feel; talk; hear; see, and reach with hands and arms, and requires the ability to occasionally lift office products and supplies up to 50 pounds. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential function.