Chef de Cuisine

POSITION SUMMARY:


The Chef de Cuisine oversees our client kitchen operations, banquet production and provides organizational and Creative Support to The Living Room. This role balances excellent cooking skills with managerial decision-making and team leadership; always following Avocet Hospitality's Vision, principles and Standard Operating Procedures. The Chef de Cuisine will make key decisions about menu items, ingredients and personnel within a restaurant's kitchen, with the approval and guidance of the Restaurant General Manager.


While no job description can possibly provide a comprehensive list of job duties, the following is a summary of the major responsibilities for the position.


MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES :
• COORDINATE MEAL PREPARATION


oThe foremost duty of the chef de cuisine is coordinating meal preparation and service activities within the kitchen. They review customer orders as they come in, assign tasks to cooks, and ensure that food is prepared as the approved recipes, with great presentation and in a timely fashion. Chefs de cuisine direct both kitchen and food runners on proper procedures and assign responsibility for various meal elements.
• OVERSEE FOOD QUALITY


oThe Chef de cuisine also maintains the restaurant's quality and reputation by monitoring the food that is served to customers. They may inspect plates to ensure that meals are correctly portioned and presented. Chefs de cuisine also taste food and oversee kitchen staff throughout the cooking process, checking to make sure that elements of dishes are properly cooked and seasoned.
• DEVELOP MENUS


oThe Chef de Cuisine will develop all Restaurants' menu items and offerings in coordination with the Restaurant General Manager and Executive Team. A key part of this creative process is creating detailed recipes, cost cards and training material for any item that is changed/added to the menu and is responsible for training the Culinary Team to execute the Vision with accuracy, timeliness and consistency
• SELECT AND SOURCE INGREDIENTS


oThe Chef de cuisine also supports restaurant operations by selecting and sourcing ingredients for meals. In this capacity the position is fully accountable for Food Cost percentages and therefore being able to match quality, unique ingredients with Financial return is a key Performance Indicator for the position


MAINTAIN KITCHEN CLEANLINESS AND SAFETY


oThe chef de cuisine also maintains kitchen cleanliness and safety. This can involve developing or enhancing processes for food safety and storage as well as maintaining or replacing kitchen equipment that is not working as expected. Prepare safety and cleanliness guidelines for kitchen staff and inspect employees' uniforms to ensure that they adhere to strict standards of professionalism
• LOGISTICS


oThe Chef de Cuisine is responsible for coordinating the Purchasing, Storage, Production and Execution of the Menus with an eye on streamlining the operation both in terms of space and time without sacrificing the final product's quality or profitability.



DAILY TASKS :
• Supervise and assist execution of all meal periods, banquets, and amenities.


oThe Chef de Cuisine is responsible for the proper and timely execution of meal services, as well as any breakfast, brunch, and lunch, and dinner banquets, assisting, directing and supporting the kitchen team as necessary.
• Scheduling.
•oThe Chef de Cuisine is responsible for the proper scheduling of Culinary Personnel in order to ensure that all of the Food & Beverage needs of the Hotel are met without exceeding forecasted payroll amounts Receiving. The Chef de Cuisine is responsible for receiving, inspecting, and properly dating/storing all product deliveries from vendors. The sous chef will refuse any questionable or substandard product, and find a solution for replacement and vendor credit of said items as necessary to ensure consistent execution of positive guest experience.
• Maintain organization of food storage areas.


oThe Chef de Cuisine is responsible for maintaining proper organization and cleanliness of food storage areas, ensuring proper storage in compliance with ADPH health code guidelines, and all products are rotated, labeled, and dated in appropriate containers.
• Ordering from vendors.


oThe Chef de Cuisine will be responsible for ordering all pertinent food and supplies. A Deft understanding of the balance of orders to prevent spoilage and maintain low inventory levels is a must
• Daily Food Preparation.


oThe Chef de Cuisine will personally produce as well as supervise and delegate to the kitchen team to ensure completion of daily food preparation in accordance with par levels and appropriate to forecasted guest counts in the hotel and restaurants.
• Collection, coding, and processing daily invoices.


oThe Chef de Cuisine will collect and process vendor invoices received during their shift by using proper GL Codes, entering into the kitchen checkbook and delivering processed invoices to the executive chef.
• Daily kitchen log.


oThe Chef de Cuisine will maintain and record events in the daily kitchen log as a method of communicating with other members of the management team, including items such as weather, business levels, maintenance issues/actions taken, team member attendance, guest feedback, recooked food items, food stuff shortages, and waste.
Hot and Cold holding temperature logs.


oThe Chef de Cuisine will record and maintain for 90 days a daily log of hot and cold holding temperatures of 2 hot and 2 cold items per meal period to ensure that hazardous foods are held at temperatures within compliance of DHEC health code guidelines.
• Shellfish tag log.


oThe Chef de Cuisine will record and maintain for 90 days a daily log of shellfish tags, dated upon sale, in compliance of ADPH health code guidelines.
• Refrigeration logs.


oThe Chef de Cuisine will record and maintain for 90 days a daily refrigerator log from each meal period to ensure that all refrigeration is operating correctly and within compliance of ADPH health code guidelines. Any temperatures out of range will be noted as well as what actions have been taken to repair the equipment.
• Line checks.


oThe Chef de Cuisine will conduct daily line checks for food quality, taste, freshness, and ensure that holding temperatures are in compliance of ADPH health code guidelines.
• Other dues as required.


oThe Chef de Cuisine will be responsible for other job-related duties as required by chef de cuisine or executive chef. SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES: Sous Chef, kitchen manager, kitchen supervisor, lead line cook, expo, line cooks, prep cooks, stewards


SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES :


Sous Chef, kitchen manager, kitchen supervisor, lead line cook, expo, line cooks, prep cooks, stewards


WORKING CONDITIONS :


The working conditions described below are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.


Equipment to Be Used:


General cooking appliances including but not limited to the following: Gas Range, Grill, Charbroiler, Fry-o'later, meat slicer, food processor, blender, convection oven, steam table, hot holding cabinets, sharp knives. Physical & Mental


Requirements :
• Must be able to stand for extended periods of me
• Must be able to push, pull, lift, and carry up to 50 pounds.
• Must be able to communicate with team members and other members of management both verbally and written. Ability to adapt in an ever changing and sometimes stressful work environment Work Environment:
• Always work indoors.
• Often wear uniforms such as aprons or jackets.
• Are often exposed to hazardous situations and conditions that produce cuts or minor burns.
• Are often exposed to hot and cold temperatures, such as when working near ovens or retrieving food from freezers.
• Sometimes wear protective and safety attire, such as gloves.
• Work physically near others.
• May work near contaminants and hazardous equipment.
• Sometimes work in a noisy and distracting environment


Must Have:
• Associates Degree or related work experience. The Chef de Cuisine will have had formal culinary training either from a Culinary/hospitality associates program or related work experience.
• ServSafe Managers Certification. The Chef de Cuisine will have current ServSafe Managers Certification or become certified within 30 days of employment.
• Minimum 2 years work experience. The Chef de Cuisine will have a minimum 2 years as either Sous Chef or Chef de Cuisine in a top tier Restaurant or Hotel (previous Chef de Cuisine experience preferred)
• Time management skills. The Chef de Cuisine must manage their time and the kitchen team effectively to prepare ingredients for meals and prepare meals. It is essential that they find the most productive workflow to maximize profit and minimize customer wait time.
• Cooking skills. The Chef de Cuisine must be an excellent chef and demonstrate proper cooking technique of fish, meats, sauces, and vegetables in accordance with the outlet's recipe book and menu cards.
• Communication skills. The Chef de Cuisine must have the ability to communicate clearly verbally, as well as have written communication skills both with pen and paper and email.
• Computer Skills. The Chef de Cuisine will have the ability to use basic functions of computer applications such as Word and Excel.
• Knife skills. The Chef de Cuisine will possess and demonstrate superior knife skills to ensure proper and even cuts, correct proportioning/fabrication of proteins, and consistent plate presentation of menu items
• Must be passionate about the Food & Beverage and Hospitality Industries with great communication skills and an inclination for mentoring.
• Must be familiar with both the fine dining and casual dining aspect of the job
• Must have the ability to multi-task and perform well under stressful circumstances.
• Must possess the highest levels of integrity as well as innate leadership skills. Avocet's idea of leadership is one of leadership through service
• Must be able to be a quick decision maker and problem solver
• Must have a creative, almost visionary approach to the day-to-day business identifying, fleshing out and implementing ideas to stay relevant as opposed to staying static
• Must be willing and able to stand for long periods of me, lift up to 50 pounds, work long hours, work nights, weekends and holidays