Executive Chef

About This Role

This opening Executive Chef role at The Westin Cocoa Beach Resort & Spa involves driving the culinary identity, building a world-class team, and bringing eight distinctive food and beverage experiences to life. The position offers creative freedom and leadership opportunity to make a mark on a brand-new resort, suiting a visionary, hands-on culinary leader who combines creativity with business savvy.

Responsibilities

• Consistently offer professional, engaging and friendly service
• Oversee daily operations of the Kitchen department, including Banquets, Outlets, In Room Dining, Staff Cafeteria and Stewarding
• Be responsible for the execution of the hotel's Strategic Plan as it relates to all culinary areas
• Role model service promises and ensure all reporting departments have a keen focus on delivery of service essentials
• Develop and prepare menus suitable to each culinary area, balancing creativity and guest requests while ensuring leading edge presentation and food quality
• Maintain food and beverage standards through the use of standardized food recipes and safe food handling practices
• Optimize profitability levels through consistent monitoring of inventory levels, food cost controls and strategic and innovative promotional initiatives and regular assessment of the food product versus value perceived
• Use Driftwood’s labor management tools to set and monitor staffing levels and productivity targets with the goal of ensuring a balance between service and profitability
• Prepare weekly schedules, ensuring productivity levels are maximized through the effective utilization of all colleagues and providing hands on support as required
• Be responsible for maintaining staffing levels through proactive recruiting
• Ensure that performance management and colleague training/development occurs in a timely and consistent manner
• Be actively involved in the development and implementation of kitchen & restaurant capital projects
• Participate in the weekly operational meetings, including the Banquet Event review
• Ensure full compliance to Hotel operating controls and seek innovative ways to improve performance regularly
• Oversee the menu creation of the staff restaurant to ensure the highest quality of product for internal customers
• Promote teamwork within the Kitchen department and maintain strong working relationships with all supporting departments
• Participate in media and community opportunities to showcase food and beverage products and promote the hotel
• Ensure all municipal and state laws regarding hygiene and security are respected, as well as ensuring that colleagues adhere to all health and safety requirements
• Personally respond to food-related feedback and ensure proper processes and reports are produced