Executive Chef

Job Description

Job Description:\n\nDescription:\nWHY VIEWHOUSE\nViewhouse is a vibrant restaurant, bar, and entertainment destination where exceptional hospitality, scratch-made food, handcrafted beverages, live entertainment, and unforgettable experiences come together. Whether guests are joining us for a casual lunch, happy hour, game day, private event, or a night out with friends and family, our team is committed to creating an energetic, welcoming, and memorable atmosphere every day. We value genuine hospitality, professionalism, accountability, teamwork, integrity, and a relentless commitment to operational excellence. Every interaction is an opportunity to exceed expectations, build lasting relationships with our guests, and create experiences that inspire them to return again and again.\n\nJOB OVERVIEW\nThe Executive Chef is the senior culinary leader responsible for the overall management, leadership, and performance of the kitchen operations at VIEWHOUSE. Reporting to restaurant leadership, the Executive Chef oversees all aspects of culinary execution, including food quality, recipe consistency, employee development, food safety, sanitation, inventory management, labor performance, purchasing, and financial stewardship. This position is responsible for building and leading a high-performing culinary team while ensuring every menu item consistently reflects the Company's culinary standards and guest expectations. The Executive Chef establishes a culture of accountability, professionalism, teamwork, and continuous improvement while driving operational excellence, regulatory compliance, and long-term business success. The Executive Chef is expected to lead by example through integrity, sound judgment, strategic leadership, and an unwavering commitment to delivering exceptional guest experiences.\n \nESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES\n\n Provide overall leadership and direction for all kitchen operations while maintaining exceptional standards for food quality, consistency, cleanliness, safety, and operational excellence.\n Recruit, interview, hire, onboard, train, coach, develop, evaluate, and retain high-performing culinary team members in partnership with restaurant leadership and Human Resources.\n Direct, supervise, and develop Sous Chefs, Lead Line Cooks, Line Cooks, Prep Cooks, Dishwashers, and other culinary team members while fostering a culture of accountability, professionalism, teamwork, and continuous improvement.\n Establish daily operational priorities, assign responsibilities, monitor productivity, and ensure efficient kitchen execution during all service periods.\n Ensure all menu items are consistently prepared according to approved Company recipes, portion specifications, presentation standards, cooking techniques, and quality expectations.\n Maintain overall responsibility for food quality by regularly evaluating flavor, appearance, consistency, portioning, temperatures, and presentation while implementing corrective action when necessary.\n Oversee food safety, sanitation, allergen awareness, workplace safety, HACCP principles, and compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local health regulations.\n Develop, implement, and maintain systems that promote consistency, organization, cleanliness, operational efficiency, and exceptional culinary execution throughout the kitchen.\n Manage inventory levels, purchasing, receiving, storage, product rotation, production planning, vendor relationships, and food ordering to support operational needs while minimizing waste.\n Monitor and manage food cost, labor cost, inventory variances, waste, and overall kitchen financial performance while identifying opportunities to improve profitability and operational efficiency.\n Develop employee schedules, deploy labor effectively, and manage staffing levels in alignment with forecasted business volumes and Company labor objectives.\n Conduct regular coaching conversations, performance evaluations, corrective action, recognition, and employee development discussions while maintaining appropriate documentation.\n Collaborate with restaurant leadership to establish and achieve operational goals, financial objectives, guest satisfaction metrics, and Company initiatives.\n Support menu implementation, recipe development, recipe updates, seasonal features, product testing, and culinary innovation in accordance with Company standards and brand direction.\n Ensure all kitchen equipment is properly maintained, repaired, inspected, and operated safely while coordinating preventive maintenance and capital equipment needs.\n Review operational reports, inventory records, labor reports, food cost reports, sanitation logs, temperature logs, production records, and other performance metrics to identify opportunities for continuous improvement.\n Investigate guest concerns related to food quality or kitchen operations and implement corrective action as appropriate to maintain guest satisfaction and Company standards.\n Conduct regular kitchen inspections to ensure compliance with Company policies, cleanliness standards, organization expectations, food safety procedures, and workplace safety requirements.\n Attend management meetings, leadership meetings, culinary development sessions, and Company training while effectively communicating organizational priorities to the culinary team.\n Protect Company confidential information, including recipes, financial information, purchasing strategies, employee information, operational procedures, vendor relationships, and other proprietary business information.\n Present a professional appearance while demonstrating integrity, accountability, professionalism, and leadership in every interaction with guests, employees, vendors, and Company leadership.\n Perform other leadership responsibilities as assigned based on business needs.\n\nVIEWHOUSE SERVICE STANDARDS\nSTANDARD EXPECTED BEHAVIOR\nProfessionalism Demonstrate integrity, accountability, professionalism, and respect in every interaction.\nSafety Follow all food safety, sanitation, chemical handling, and workplace safety procedures.\nQuality Complete work accurately, consistently, and according to Company standards.\nOwnership Take responsibility for assigned duties, equipment, and maintaining a clean and organized work environment.\nTeamwork Communicate respectfully and support fellow team members across all departments.\nReliability Report to work prepared, maintain punctual attendance, and perform duties with urgency and consistency.\nRequirements:\nQUALIFICATIONS\nEducation / Certifications\n\n High school diploma or equivalent required; associate's or bachelor's degree in Culinary Arts, Hospitality Management, Business Management, or a related field is preferred.\n Current ServSafe® Manager Certification or the ability to obtain and maintain certification within the timeframe established by the Company.\n Minimum of two (2) years of progressively responsible restaurant or culinary leadership experience preferred.\n Demonstrated ability to lead, coach, motivate, and develop high-performing culinary teams.\n Strong understanding of food safety, sanitation, allergen awareness, and workplace safety standards.\n Ability to effectively prioritize multiple responsibilities and make sound operational decisions in a fast-paced, high-volume environment.\n Strong communication, organizational, leadership, and problem-solving skills.\n Proficiency with restaurant technology, including point-of-sale systems, inventory systems, scheduling software, and Microsoft Office or similar business applications.\n Ability to work a flexible schedule, including mornings, evenings, weekends, holidays, extended shifts, and other hours as business needs require.\n Must obtain and maintain all licenses, permits, certifications, and training required by applicable law or Company policy. \n\nEXPERIENCE\n\n Minimum of two (2) years of progressive restaurant or culinary leadership experience preferred.\n Experience supervising, coaching, developing, and motivating culinary team members in a high-volume restaurant environment.\n Experience maintaining consistent recipe execution, food quality, presentation standards, and guest satisfaction.\n Experience with inventory management, purchasing, product rotation, waste reduction, and food cost controls.\n Experience scheduling labor, managing productivity, and supporting labor cost objectives is preferred.\n Experience conducting employee training, onboarding, and performance coaching.\n Experience maintaining compliance with applicable food safety, sanitation, workplace safety, and health department regulations.\n Experience assisting with hiring, interviewing, employee development, and performance management is preferred.\n Equivalent combinations of education, training, and experience that demonstrate the ability to successfully perform the essential functions of the position may be considered. \n\nEquivalent combinations of education, training, and experience that demonstrate the ability to successfully perform the essential functions of the position may be considered.\n\nKNOWLEDGE\n\n Thorough knowledge of food preparation techniques, cooking methods, recipe execution, portion control, and presentation standards.\n Thorough understanding of food safety, sanitation, HACCP principles, allergen awareness, temperature controls, and applicable health department regulations.\n Knowledge of inventory management, purchasing, receiving, product rotation, waste reduction, and food cost management principles.\n Knowledge of labor planning, kitchen workflow, production scheduling, and operational efficiency.\n Knowledge of leadership principles, employee coaching, conflict resolution, performance management, and team development.\n Ability to analyze operational challenges, identify solutions, prioritize competing demands, and make sound business decisions.\n Knowledge of Company operational standards, policies, procedures, and quality expectations.\n Ability to maintain confidentiality regarding employee information, Company operations, financial information, recipes, vendor relationships, and other proprietary business information.\n Working knowledge of applicable federal, state, and local employment, wage and hour, workplace safety, and food safety regulations affecting restaurant operations.\n Proficiency with restaurant technology, scheduling systems, inventory platforms, point-of-sale systems, Microsoft Office, and other business applications as applicable.\n\nPHYSICAL DEMANDS & WORK ENVIRONMENT\nThe requirements below are representative of those necessary to perform the essential functions of the position. Reasonable accommodations may be made for qualified individuals with disabilities.\n\n Stand and walk for prolonged periods throughout food preparation, service, cleaning, and closing duties while frequently moving throughout kitchen, storage, dishwashing, walk-in cooler, freezer, and receiving areas.\n Frequently bend, reach, twist, stoop, kneel, crouch, climb, balance, grasp, and perform repetitive hand, wrist, and arm movements while preparing food, cleaning, stocking, lifting, and operating kitchen equipment.\n Lift, push, pull, carry, and move up to 50 pounds on a regular basis, including food products, ingredient containers, cookware, dish racks, equipment, cleaning supplies, and other operational materials, with or without reasonable accommodation.\n Safely operate commercial kitchen equipment, including but not limited to dishwashing machines, ovens, grills, fryers, slicers, mixers, food processors, knives, and other kitchen equipment appropriate to the position.\n Work in a fast-paced kitchen environment with frequent exposure to hot surfaces, steam, open flames, boiling liquids, sharp objects, cleaning chemicals, food allergens, grease, wet floors, refrigeration units, freezers, and varying indoor temperatures.\n Utilize proper lifting techniques and follow all Company safety procedures, food safety standards, sanitation requirements, chemical handling procedures, and personal protective equipment requirements as applicable.\n Hear, speak, read, and communicate effectively with managers, team members, vendors, and other departments in a busy kitchen environment with multiple simultaneous activities and elevated noise levels.\n Maintain the physical stamina necessary to perform repetitive tasks while working efficiently during extended periods of high business volume.\n Work a flexible schedule that may include mornings, afternoons, evenings, weekends, holidays, extended shifts, and overtime as business needs require.\n\nEMPLOYMENT EXPECTATIONS\n\n Maintain regular and punctual attendance while providing dependable leadership and operational support.\n Demonstrate professionalism, integrity, accountability, and sound judgment in all interactions with guests, employees, vendors, and Company leadership.\n Lead by example by consistently modeling Company values, policies, food safety standards, sanitation procedures, and operational expectations.\n Coach, mentor, develop, and support culinary team members through ongoing training, feedback, and performance coaching while promoting a positive and respectful workplace culture.\n Maintain compliance with the VIEWHOUSE Employee Handbook, Company policies, food safety standards, workplace safety requirements, anti-discrimination and anti-harassment policies, confidentiality obligations, and all applicable federal, state, and local laws.\n Promptly report workplace injuries, safety concerns, food safety issues, equipment failures, suspected policy violations, or other operational concerns through appropriate reporting channels.\n Protect Company assets by ensuring proper handling of inventory, equipment, confidential information, recipes, and proprietary business practices.\n Support restaurant profitability through responsible labor management, food cost awareness, waste reduction, inventory control, and operational efficiency.\n Complete required administrative responsibilities, documentation, training, coaching records, and operational reporting accurately and in a timely manner.\n Foster teamwork, accountability, open communication, and continuous improvement while supporting Company initiatives and operational goals.\n Perform other leadership responsibilities as assigned based on business needs. \n\nLEADERSHIP RESPONSIBILITIES\nExamples include:\n\n Lead by example and model Company values, professionalism, accountability, and integrity.\n Foster a positive, respectful, and inclusive work environment focused on teamwork, development, and operational excellence.\n Coach, mentor, and develop team members through ongoing training, constructive feedback, and performance coaching.\n Support recruiting, interviewing, onboarding, and retention efforts while helping build a high-performing culinary team.\n Hold team members accountable to Company standards while partnering with senior leadership on performance improvement, corrective action, and recognition.\n Promote compliance with Com