Head Chef

What you'll be responsible for:

The Head Chef is a hands-on culinary leader responsible for developing and executing the food program across all outlets, from pre-opening through stabilized operations. You will oversee all aspects of kitchen operations including menu development, food quality, financial performance, safety compliance, team development, and guest satisfaction.

You'll lead by example — actively working alongside your team on the line during peak periods, weekends, holidays, and ski season — ensuring excellence across:

• Centennial Kitchen (breakfast/dinner, seasonal patio)
• Public House Lounge (cocktails/small plates, après-ski focus)
• Banquets/Weddings/Meetings (ballroom and private spaces)
• Seasonal Activations (pool courtyard, patio pop-ups)

If you want to sit in an office, this is not your job. You'll be driving consistency, quality, and a strong kitchen culture every day.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

The essential functions include, but are not limited to the following:

• Menu Development: Refine existing menus for all outlets and develop cost-effective, brand-aligned recipes.
• Kitchen Management: Create par sheets, prep lists, plating specs, and recipe cards with yields and allergen flags.
• Procurement & Vendor Network: Source and negotiate with purveyors; prioritize regional producers where possible.
• Costing & Budgeting: Cost recipes, set theoretical COGS, build labor models and schedules, and define waste controls.
• Compliance: Establish HACCP-aligned SOPs, complete permit requirements, and ensure pre-opening inspection readiness.
• Team Development: Hire, train, and schedule the opening kitchen team; conduct mock services and soft openings.
• Events: Design banquet menu matrices, tastings process, BEO standards, and production timelines.

• Daily Execution: Lead the kitchen during service, expedite when necessary, and uphold consistency and ticket times.
• Financial Control: Meet budgeted COGS and labor targets; conduct weekly P&L reviews; execute quarterly menu engineering.
• Quality & Safety: Maintain a zero-violation record with DOH standards; ensure daily sanitation and equipment maintenance.
• People & Culture: Recruit, train, and retain a motivated team; conduct performance reviews; foster a teaching kitchen.
• Events & Group Business: Collaborate with Sales and Events teams to execute banquets and protect banquet profitability.
• Brand & Marketing: Partner on chef-driven activations, local collaborations, and seasonal pop-ups aligned with brand ethos.

• Conduct regular inspections to verify food quality, presentation, and cleanliness.
• Oversee inventory management, food ordering, and vendor relationships.
• Develop and implement training programs to ensure consistency and compliance.
• Maintain labor schedules and ensure adequate coverage based on business levels.
• Uphold all sanitation, safety, and allergen management procedures.
• Create specials and promotions in coordination with the marketing team.
• Collaborate with property leadership on events, deep cleans, and seasonality planning.
• Maintain a calm, fair, and disciplined leadership style while fostering a supportive kitchen culture.
• Participate in required EOS meetings, reporting, and cross-department collaboration.

Success Measures

• Achieve budgeted food and labor cost goals while maintaining high culinary standards.
• Maintain guest satisfaction scores of 4.5/5 or higher across all dining outlets and events.
• Ensure full compliance with health, safety, and cleanliness standards, achieving zero critical DOH violations.
• Build and sustain a high-performing, low-turnover kitchen team with strong internal promotion potential.
• Support revenue growth through innovative menu development, seasonal activations, and local partnerships.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of progressive kitchen leadership, including Head/Executive Chef experience in a boutique hotel, resort, or high-volume restaurant.
• Proven pre-opening or major relaunch experience, from concept to first service.
• Banquet production expertise for 150+ covers per event, with demonstrated cost discipline.
• Strong skills in costing, ordering, scheduling, and inventory management.
• Proficient in POS and inventory systems, Excel/Google Sheets, and recipe costing tools.
• Food safety certification (ServSafe Manager or equivalent) and comprehensive allergen control knowledge.
• Ability to lead calmly under pressure and motivate a diverse team.
• Willingness to work evenings, weekends, holidays, and long hours as required by operations.
• Physical ability to stand for extended periods and lift up to 50 lbs safely.
• Bonus: Existing regional sourcing relationships (Adirondacks/Capital Region) and winter-season culinary experience.

Benefits & Perks

Weekender provides excellent benefits to our salaried  employees

• Comprehensive Health insurance: 60% employer paid for employee only plans*
• Comprehensive Dental & Vision insurance: 100% employer paid for employee only plans*
• Life insurance policy: $25k fully paid policy by Weekender
• Gym membership reimbursement with health plan (up to $300/ benefit year)
• Aflac supplemental benefits
• Employee Assistance Program
• Competitive 401k Matching Plan with employer match up to 4% of total salary - (eligible after 1000 hours worked)
• Discounted employee hotel stays at Weekender properties
• 3 weeks (15 business days) PTO (vacation/sick) paid vacation per year
• Partnership with eCornell for continuous learning in our industry
• Low cost Hertz rental cars
• Employee referral program

* Subject to change annually based on health, dental and vision plan chosen for the year