Executive Chef - Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden

Executive Chef - Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden

Salary Range $60,000.00 Salary/year Level Management Position Type Full Time Job Shift Any

Description

Proof of the Pudding is a chef-led hospitality company delivering food and beverage experiences at some of North America's most complex sports, entertainment, cultural, and live-event venues. Founded in Atlanta in 1979, Proof has built a national reputation for doing hospitality differently from-scratch cooking at scale, hyper-local sourcing, and a partnership-first approach that treats clients as collaborators, not contracts. The company serves professional and collegiate sports venues, convention centers, cultural institutions, and large-scale destination events across the United States and Internationally.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Lead the production, preparation, and execution ensuring dishes reflect Proof of the Pudding's culinary standards.
• Lead to ensure proper safety and sanitation of all kitchen/food service areas.
• Creating and maintaining the overall moral of the kitchen and culinary team.
• Practicing proper food safety procedures while preparing hot and cold foods.
• Ensuring proper cleaning and sanitizing of food contact surfaces such as/but not limited to dishes, small wares, equipment, and food prep surfaces.
• Demonstrate professional customer service skills while communicating with guests.
• Maintaining the highest level of service, safety, and food quality for each event.
• Monitor food quality and safety standards, ensuring compliance with health regulations and maintaining waste to maintain cost control.
• Support the off-premise events team with culinary production, setup, and execution for high-volume or special events as needed.
• Assist the Executive Chef in achieving financial and food cost goals, maintaining budget controls, and tracking culinary expenses.
• Oversee all purchasing, ordering, and inventory management to ensure proper product levels, cost efficiency, and alignment with culinary standards.
• Lead and manage the culinary team through effective scheduling, hiring, onboarding, training, and ongoing coaching to support operational excellence.
• Maintain a strong front of house presence, partnering with service teams to deliver a polished dining experience and exceptional guest service for both diners and tea guests.

Performs other related duties as required

Qualifications

Education and/or Experience

• 2+ years of experience working in restaurant, or similar role.
• ServSafe certified or is available to receive training.
• Must have knowledge and comfortability with Microsoft Office applications.
• Must live near the Dallas, TX area.

Specialized Qualifications:

• Excellent listening and communication skills
• Renowned time management and organization skills
• Working knowledge of a variety of cooking equipment.
• Strong Customer Service skills with the desire to go above and beyond a client's needs.
• The ability to work alone and as a team.
• Strong attention to detail and the ability to learn and adapt quickly.
• Must have a firm understanding of all food safety practices including, but not limited to, TCS, TILT, temperature logs, and cleaning/sanitizing.
• Must have knowledge of food preparation/food service with a strong understanding of the execution of BEOs, reading production sheets, and completing tasks.
• Ability to multi-task
• Capable of producing a consistent product in high volume.
• Ability to maintain exceptional, upscale guest experiences while successfully managing fast paced, high volume service environments.

Work Environment

The Restaurant Chef works in a fast-paced, dynamic dining environment with moderate noise from guests and kitchen activity. The role requires frequent movement throughout the dining and service areas, standing for long periods, and occasional lifting of supplies. The manager interacts closely with guests and all staff members, ensuring smooth operations, team collaboration, and a consistently elevated dining experience.

Uniform Requirements

Adherence to Company Uniform Requirements outlined in the Associate Handbook, uniform requirements outlined in your orientation guidelines.

Non-slip shoes are necessary.

Physical Demands:

• Prolonged periods of remaining in a fixed spot, moving through a kitchen or event space, and traveling to different venues across greater Atlanta
• Bending, lifting, scooping, and carrying miscellaneous equipment and food items
• Manual dexterity able to operate cutting tools and kitchen utensils.
• Ability to perform physical tasks, such as but not limited to, lifting approx. 40 lbs.

Company Core Value and Competency Requirements

• Business Acumen - Demonstrate comprehension of the job, including policies, practices, and relationships. Possess the expertise and skill levels required of the job and perform with quality.
• Dedication - Dependable, reliable and follows through on projects from inception to completion. Willing to put in as much time as necessary to complete tasks. Demonstrate a win-win attitude: "see it, own it, solve it."
• Ethics and Integrity - Acts with integrity, honesty and knowledge that promote the company's culture, values and beliefs while maintaining the highest standards of professional conduct.
• Safety & Security - Observe safety and security standards. Use equipment and materials properly. Comply with safety standards and personal protective equipment requirements. Report potential unsafe conditions or practices to appropriate person immediately. Promote restaurant safety, cleanliness and security compliance at all times.
• Teamwork - Cooperate and be willing to work as a team player to achieve goals and tasks accurately, efficiently and timely.
• Communication - Communicate clearly and effectively with mutual respect, understanding and trust to fellow associates, managers, supervisors and guests. Listen carefully to opinions and views of others; state understanding of what has been heard.
• Initiative - Contribute new ideas and suggestions to enhance productivity and efficiency. Be proactive in troubleshooting problems or issues and take action to mitigate potential problems.
• Adaptability & Planning - Possess the ability to learn new tasks and adjusts well to new situations. Perform well under tight time schedules and pressures to change direction quickly.
• Service Orientation - Demonstrates a sense of urgency. Is welcoming, friendly and smiles when visible to guests.

Position Salary & Benefits:

• Competitive pay based on experience.
• Proof is pleased to provide all full-time eligible employees with Basic Life and AD&D as well as long term disability at no cost to employees.
• Full-time eligible employees may choose to enroll in optional benefits, including Medical, Dental, Vision, and Voluntary Life and AD&D, Short Term Disability, Voluntary Accident, Voluntary Critical Illness, and Voluntary Hospitality Indemnity

Proof of the Pudding and its affiliates are an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to inclusion and employing a diverse workforce. All applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, veteran status, disability, or other legally protected characteristics.