Executive Chef

Role The Executive Chef is responsible for the overall culinary operation of the property, including restaurants, banquets, catering, special events, and other food-service outlets. This position leads the culinary team, maintains high standards for food quality and presentation, manages food costs and labor, develops menus, and ensures an exceptional guest dining experience. The Executive Chef works closely with the Onwers, General Manager, Restaurant Management, Sales & Catering, and other department leaders to ensure the culinary operation supports the property's financial and service goals. Key Responsibilities Culinary Operations Oversee all kitchen and culinary operations for restaurants, banquets, catering, and special events. Maintain consistent food quality, taste, presentation, portion control, and freshness. Develop and update menus based on guest preferences, seasonality, food costs, and current culinary trends. Create recipes, standardized preparation procedures, and plating specifications. Ensure food is prepared and served according to established standards and timelines. Participate in daily kitchen operations and lead by example during busy service periods. Coordinate food production between multiple kitchens, outlets, and events. Leadership & Staffing Recruit, interview, hire, train, schedule, and supervise culinary staff. Develop cooks and kitchen employees through ongoing training and coaching. Establish clear performance expectations and hold employees accountable. Maintain a professional, respectful, and productive kitchen environment. Prepare staffing schedules based on business volume, events, and labor budgets. Conduct employee evaluations and address performance issues when necessary. Food Cost & Financial Management Establish and maintain food-cost targets. Monitor food usage, waste, portion sizes, and inventory levels. Review food costs and make adjustments when necessary. Assist with menu pricing and profitability analysis. Control labor costs while maintaining appropriate staffing levels. Work with management and vendors to identify cost-saving opportunities without compromising quality. Conduct regular inventory counts and maintain accurate food inventories. Purchasing & Inventory Order food, supplies, and kitchen products based on projected business needs. Work with approved vendors to maintain quality and competitive pricing. Inspect deliveries for quality, quantity, freshness, and proper storage. Maintain appropriate inventory levels and minimize waste and spoilage. Establish proper storage, labeling, rotation, and receiving procedures. Food Safety & Sanitation Ensure compliance with all local, state, and federal food-safety regulations. Maintain proper food-handling, storage, cooking, cooling, and reheating procedures. Monitor kitchen cleanliness and sanitation standards. Ensure employees follow proper personal hygiene and food-safety procedures. Maintain required food-safety certifications. Prepare the kitchen for health inspections and address any deficiencies promptly. Banquets & Catering Work closely with Sales & Catering to plan menus and production for weddings, corporate events, meetings, and other functions. Review banquet event orders and ensure all culinary requirements are understood and executed. Develop menus that meet client expectations while maintaining appropriate food costs. Coordinate production schedules and staffing for large events. Ensure food is prepared, transported, displayed, and replenished properly. Assist with special-event menu development and custom client requests. Guest Experience Maintain a high standard of food quality and presentation. Respond professionally to guest feedback and culinary concerns. Work with restaurant management to resolve food-related guest issues. Monitor consistency across all shifts and outlets. Maintain a culinary experience that reflects the property's brand and standards. Work Experience Minimum of 5–7 years of progressive culinary experience , preferably in a hotel, resort, restaurant, banquet, or high-volume food-service environment. Previous experience as an Executive Chef, Executive Sous Chef, Chef de Cuisine, or Sous Chef preferred. Demonstrated experience managing and developing culinary teams. Experience with high-volume banquet and catering operations strongly preferred. Experience with menu development, recipe costing, purchasing, inventory, and food-cost management. Experience managing multiple food outlets or kitchens is a plus. Strong understanding of food-safety regulations and sanitation procedures. Education Culinary degree or diploma from an accredited culinary school preferred. Equivalent professional culinary experience may be considered in place of formal education. Current food-safety certification, such as ServSafe or an equivalent program, preferred or required depending on local regulations. Required Skills Culinary Skills Strong knowledge of culinary techniques and food preparation. Excellent understanding of flavor profiles, menu development, and food presentation. Ability to maintain consistent quality in a high-volume environment. Strong knowledge of meats, seafood, sauces, vegetables, baking, and various cooking techniques. Management Skills Strong leadership and team-building abilities. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills. Ability to train, motivate, and hold employees accountable. Strong organizational and time-management skills. Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment. Ability to remain calm and professional under pressure. Business Skills Understanding of food cost, labor cost, inventory, purchasing, and profitability. Ability to read and understand financial and operational reports. Strong vendor negotiation and purchasing skills. Experience with recipe costing and menu engineering. Ability to operate within established budgets. Personal Qualities Passion for food and hospitality. Strong attention to detail. Professional appearance and demeanor. Dependable and accountable. Creative and innovative. Team-oriented. Guest-focused. Willingness to work evenings, weekends, holidays, and special events as required. Physical Requirements Ability to stand and walk for extended periods. Ability to work in a hot, busy kitchen environment. Ability to lift and carry food products, equipment, and supplies. Ability to bend, reach, stoop, and move throughout the kitchen and food-service areas. Ability to work extended hours during high-volume periods and special events. Overall Performance Expectations The Executive Chef is expected to deliver consistent food quality, excellent guest experiences, strong culinary leadership, effective cost control, and a clean and safe kitchen operation . Success in this position is measured by food quality, guest satisfaction, employee performance and retention, food and labor costs, sanitation standards, and the overall profitability of the culinary operation. Welcome to the Afton House Inn, a historic botique hotel and restaurant. No two rooms are alike, each showcasing its own antique-inspired aesthetic while providing guests with the convenience of private bathrooms and in-room entertainment. Deluxe rooms feature whirlpool tubs and outdoor balconies overlooking the St. Croix River. St. Croix River Cruises depart from your balcony view. Treat yourself to an evening or weekend away. Whether you are planning a honeymoon night, a winter ski weekend, summer getaway or looking for a special gift certificate…The Historic Afton House Inn is worth remembering! Enjoy the elegant setting of the Wheel Room, where intimate dinners by candlelight enliven the senses and take away your cares. Tableside cooking and exceptional service promise to make your evening perfect. The Pennington Room offers a more private setting for weddings, rehearsal dinners or corporate/client entertaining. High standards are our trademark, and our famous Sunday Gourmet Brunch is no exception. CURRENT’s menu is fresh, lively, and healthy…along with a few items for splurging! We strive to support independent, locally owned farms and businesses. Our culinary team has a passion for scratch cooking using 100% natural or free range products and we believe that meals prepared with the highest quality fresh, local + organic ingredients are the building blocks for a healthy + happy life. CURRENT cares about its community and footprint and gives back a portion of proceeds to others in need throughout our community and around the world. Swirl Wine Bar Unlike any other in the area, we’ve brought together everything that you’ve been asking for: enjoy a glass of wine while you shop, sit back and relax for dinner or just hang out for awhile; amazing and hard to find wines at a great value; a wine bar that offers 6 or more wines by the glass that change weekly and a menu that changes seasonally offering small plates, entrees, dessert and truffles; great outdoor patio, your wine club with benefits and more; exclusive tastings, multi-course dinners and special events; wine education; and of course, fun! Swirl means a new experience every time you visit. Come see for yourself. #J-18808-Ljbffr Afton House Inn