Come Join the Waterford Hotel Group Team!!

At Waterford Hotel Group we pride ourselves on cultivating a workplace that feels like home and brings out the best in you, each and every day. We will celebrate your successes, appreciate your strengths, and offer an environment where each of us can truly be ourselves. We provide competitive compensation and benefits, a tight-knit and supportive work environment, plus numerous opportunities for professional development and advancement. Come for a JOB, stay for a CAREER.

Position Summary

The Executive Chef is the culinary leader responsible for the overall direction, operation, and performance of the hotel's culinary department. This position provides hands-on leadership across all culinary operations, including restaurant and bar service, banquets and catering, room service, concierge/lounge offerings, employee dining, stewarding, and other hotel food service operations.

The Executive Chef is responsible for delivering exceptional food quality and presentation while maintaining strong operational controls, sanitation standards, labor productivity, food cost management, associate engagement, and guest satisfaction.

As a key member of the hotel's leadership team, the Executive Chef works closely with Food & Beverage, Banquets, Events, Sales, Purchasing, Engineering, Human Resources, and other departments to successfully execute daily operations, large-scale events, VIP functions, and high-volume convention business.

Job Responsibilities:

Culinary Leadership & Operations

• Provide overall culinary leadership and oversight for the hotel’s restaurants for breakfast, lunch & dinner's service, room service, concierge lounge, and employee dining. 

• Oversee daily preparation, production, execution, and presentation of food for restaurants, banquets, catering, room service, lounges, employee dining, and other hotel outlets.
• Maintain a consistent and visible presence in restaurant and outlet kitchens, particularly during peak breakfast, lunch, dinner, weekend, and high-occupancy periods.
• Develop and refresh outlet menus based on seasonality, guest preferences, culinary trends, operational capabilities, competitive positioning, and financial performance.
• Ensure menus are properly executed and culinary associates are trained on recipes, preparation methods, plating specifications, portion standards, and allergen procedures.
• Establish clear communication procedures for menu changes, specials, product substitutions, dietary concerns, and 86’d items so front-of-house teams receive timely and accurate information.
• Inspect culinary areas regularly to ensure organization, cleanliness, proper food handling, equipment care, and operational readiness.
• Establish and maintain effective opening, closing, production, prep, and cleaning procedures.
• Ensure appropriate coverage is provided during all operating periods.
• Respond quickly and professionally to operational challenges, guest concerns, service recovery situations, and last-minute business needs.

Banquets and Catering Operations

• Work in close partnership with theBanquet Chef, who is responsible for the day-to-day leadership and execution of banquet culinary operations.
• Provide overall culinary direction, support, and oversight to ensure banquet and catering operations consistently meet hotel and Marriott standards for food quality, presentation, timing, sanitation, and guest satisfaction.
• Collaborate with the Banquet Chef on the planning and execution of high-volume conventions, corporate meetings, weddings, social events, galas, receptions, buffets, plated dinners, and other catered functions.
• Maintain regular communication with the Banquet Chef regarding upcoming business levels, staffing, production needs, menu requirements, equipment needs, product availability, and operational challenges.
• Review significant Banquet Event Orders (BEOs), group resumes, guarantees, menus, dietary requirements, VIP events, and complex programs in partnership with the Banquet Chef and appropriate hotel leaders.
• Partner with the Banquet Chef to anticipate challenges associated with high-volume or complex programs and develop solutions prior to event execution.
• Provide additional hands-on culinary leadership and support during large conventions, high-volume event periods, VIP functions, and other events requiring Executive Chef involvement.
• Collaborate with the Banquet Chef on menu development, banquet standards, recipe consistency, portion control, presentation, production efficiency, and food cost management.
• Support menu tastings, wedding tastings, VIP events, client presentations, and customized culinary requests as appropriate.
• Maintain strong communication between the Banquet Chef and Food & Beverage, Banquets, Event Management, Sales, Purchasing, and other departments involved in event execution.
• Empower the Banquet Chef to effectively lead the banquet culinary operation while maintaining appropriate Executive Chef oversight, coaching, accountability, and support.
• Partner with the Banquet Chef following significant events to evaluate execution, identify opportunities for improvement, and implement appropriate operational changes.

Financial & Cost Management

• Manage culinary operations in accordance with established departmental budgets and financial goals.
• Monitor and control food cost, labor cost, purchasing, waste, spoilage, overtime, and other controllable expenses.
• Analyze financial performance and implement corrective action when results are outside established expectations.
• Maintain effective inventory, purchasing, receiving, and product-control procedures.
• Establish appropriate pars and production levels based on occupancy, forecasts, outlet volume, banquet guarantees, and anticipated business.
• Minimize waste through effective forecasting, production planning, portion control, inventory rotation, and utilization of products.
• Partner with Purchasing and approved vendors to maintain product quality, availability, and competitive pricing.
• Identify opportunities to improve productivity and profitability without compromising food quality, associate safety, or guest experience.
• Participate in budgeting, forecasting, menu costing, and financial planning for the culinary operation.

Food Safety, Sanitation & Compliance

• Maintain the highest standards of sanitation, cleanliness, organization, and food safety throughout all culinary and stewarding areas.
• Ensure compliance with Marriott standards, health department requirements, HACCP principles, OSHA requirements, and applicable federal, state, and local regulations.
• Ensure food is properly received, stored, prepared, held, cooled, reheated, labeled, dated, and rotated.
• Maintain required temperature logs, sanitation documentation, and food safety records.
• Ensure associates follow proper personal hygiene, handwashing, glove use, allergen awareness, cross-contamination prevention, and uniform standards.
• Conduct routine inspections of kitchens, walk-ins, freezers, storage areas, banquet kitchens, dish areas, and other food production spaces.
• Immediately address food safety, sanitation, cleanliness, or equipment deficiencies.
• Oversight of Stewarding to maintain appropriate cleanliness and sanitation standards.
• Ensure culinary equipment is properly maintained and communicate repair and preventative maintenance needs promptly to Engineering.

Associate Leadership & Development

• Recruit, interview, select, train, develop, coach, and retain qualified culinary associates and leaders.
• Provide direct leadership, development, and accountability for Banquet Chef, and other culinary leadership positions.
• Establish clear expectations for quality, productivity, attendance, conduct, safety, sanitation, and guest service.
• Provide ongoing coaching, feedback, recognition, and professional development.
• Conduct performance evaluations and participate in corrective action when appropriate.
• Create a work environment that promotes teamwork, respect, accountability, inclusion, and open communication.
• Maintain effective communication across AM, PM, weekend, and holiday operations.
• Conduct pre-shift meetings, culinary meetings, and training as appropriate.
• Prepare and manage schedules according to forecasted business demands while balancing operational needs and labor objectives.
• Partner with Human Resources regarding recruitment, associate relations, performance management, training, retention, and policy compliance.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5–7 years of progressive culinary leadership experience in a full-service hotel, resort, convention hotel, or comparable high-volume hospitality environment.
• Previous Executive Chef, Executive Sous Chef, or comparable senior culinary leadership experience strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated experience supporting and overseeing high-volume banquet, catering, and convention culinary operations.
• Proven ability to lead a multi-faceted culinary operation while effectively delegating responsibility to Sous Chefs, Banquet Chefs, and other culinary leaders.
• Strong knowledge of restaurant, banquet, catering, room service, and hotel culinary operations.
• Proven experience managing food cost, labor, inventory, purchasing, scheduling, forecasting, and departmental budgets.
• Strong knowledge of food safety, sanitation, allergen awareness, and workplace safety requirements.
• Strong organizational, communication, decision-making, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to remain composed and provide effective leadership in a fast-paced, high-volume environment.
• Culinary degree or formal culinary training preferred; equivalent professional experience will be considered.
• ServSafe Manager certification or equivalent food safety certification required or must be obtained within the hotel’s designated timeframe.

Waterford Health and Wellness

Health Insurance is available on the first of the month after hire!

We value the health and wellness of you and your family. Full time associates can enroll in medical, dental and vision coverage and part-time associates averaging 17.5 hours a week can enroll in dental and vision coverage. Everyone’s needs are different and there is something for everyone with numerous supplemental insurances to choose from.

We know that life gets in the way, and YOU deserve to recharge.

Full-time associates receive paid time off within the first 90 days of employment. We also offer paid holidays for eligible associates. If you stick with us for five years or more, enjoy paid days off for your Birthday and Employment Anniversary date!

EXCITING EXTRAS

On Demand Pay- Why wait for pay day – get your pay when you need it24/7.

Pet Insurance- We cover the whole family, and all associates are eligible for discounted pet insurance.

401k Plan- Nobody wants to work forever, start planning for your future now.

Hotel Discounts- It’s one of the biggest industry perks.

Shoes for Crews- All associates are eligible for a shoe subsidy through Shoes for Crews.

For more information, please visit our website at waterfordhotelgroup.com

EOE/M/F/D/V