Executive Chef

Position: Corporate Executive Chef

Location: Chicago, Illinois (Park Ridge) - Fully on-site

Salary: $75K-$85K+ Bonus

Growing Aviation Hospitality Services provider seeks a new Executive Chef to join their team.

Responsibilities:
• Menu design & creation with fine dining and creative approach.
• Basic financial skills and functions are required as well as a sound understanding of calculating food & labor costs, packaging cost, plating cost, paper costs and reading of a basic P&L statement.
• Implements and trains Food Safety, oversees/purchases food, establishes production levels and inventory controls, manages/controls food cost issues and provides direction and executes solutions.
• Develop and implement client facing menus, written menu proposals, regional menus. Recipes and promotional foods and tastings as required.
• Recruit, interview, hire and train existing and new kitchen personnel.
• Schedule, direct, train, oversee and develop kitchen staff including hiring, discipline and performance reviews and specific skills enhancements.
• Monitor and communicate Customer deviations and implement training for improvements and product changes as directed and needed.
• Visits Clients, Vendors, and offers/Performs food demonstrations at FBO's and conferences.
• Utilize Shipday for all logistical information & organizing to expedite catering order deliveries
• Becomes resident subject matter expert (SME) for all hot and cold culinary processes within kitchen.
• Designs, supervises, coordinates, and participates in training, educational and demonstrational activities for cooks, prep, janitorial and other kitchen personnel.
• Maintains updated knowledge of current culinary and packaging and consumer dining trends.
• Responsible for ensuring timely food handling, storage, prep, and production.
• Maintains & manages kitchen specifications and SOPs as required.
• Participates in and implements Sales and Marketing programs as required from the culinary perspective.
• Safely operate company vehicles and drive in compliance with all local and federal laws and regulations. *Must be legally licensed to drive and badged as required by FBO-Clients.
• Being on call to communicate with your local operation and the company call center as needed.
• All other duties as assigned by the General Manager. *Must be comfortable speaking to groups and training in public format as an internal instructor.

Qualifications

• Culinary degree or professional experience equivalent in kitchen catering or fine dining environment preferred.
• Valid Safe Food Handling Certificate.
• Strong experience in food purchasing/ordering, inventory, setting up par levels, recipe selection, culinary preparation methods and knife skills are essential.
• Individual must possess excellent verbal and written communications skills, as well as be proficient in email, internet use, and basic office software programs.
• Must have demonstrated the ability to manage and maintain client accounts.
• The Executive Chef must have an excellent driving record, pass background test & drug screening.

A flexible work schedule required, including weekends and holidays and frequent travel availability