Executive Chef - Salary: $90,000 - $120,000

Career Overview

The Executive Chef is sought after to lead the culinary team at a park, focusing on developing a guest-centric culinary team and providing strategic leadership for all culinary operations.

Responsibilities

• Culinary Leadership & Menu Development
• Entertains and delights guests by offering creative and innovative menu options.
• Evaluates and enhances food and beverage offerings to increase guest satisfaction and drive revenue growth.
• Develops and maintains the park culinary vision and strategic direction.
• Led recipe creation, development, testing, standardization, and implementation.
• Plans, prices, and maintains menus aligned with guest expectations and financial objectives.
• Researches emerging food trends and develops seasonal and promotional menus.
• Ensures consistency in food quality, taste, presentation, and portion control.
• Culinary Operations & Team Leadership
• Inspires and develops a high-performing culinary team through effective coaching, teaching, direction, and clear communication.
• Fosters a culture of excellence by reinforcing standards, sharing the guest perspective, and empowering team members to consistently deliver exceptional food quality, service, and memorable dining experiences.
• Provides strategic leadership for all park culinary operations.
• Directly supervises Kitchen Managers and culinary leadership personnel.
• Oversees hiring, onboarding, training, coaching, evaluations, succession planning, and retention.
• Establishes staffing plans and labor strategies.
• Food Safety, Sanitation & Compliance
• Ensures compliance with company policies and regulatory requirements.
• Maintains food safety, sanitation, and quality assurance programs.
• Conducts routine inspections of culinary facilities.
• Maintains required compliance records and documentation.
• Financial Management, Purchasing & Inventory Control
• Develops and manages annual operating budgets and labor plans.
• Maintains food cost, labor cost, inventory levels, and controllable expenses.
• Establishes purchasing strategies, PAR levels, and inventory controls.
• Pairs with Purchasing and Warehouse teams.
• Analyzes reports for profitability improvements.
• Facilities, Equipment & Operational Excellence
• Ensures proper operation and maintenance of culinary facilities and equipment.
• Identifies capital equipment needs and improvement initiatives.
• Coordinates preventive maintenance efforts.
• Leads continuous improvement initiatives.
• Administrative & Communication Duties
• Provides operational, financial, and staffing updates to leadership.
• Prepares reports, forecasts, schedules, and budgets.
• Maintains effective communication with departments and vendors.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Culinary Arts, Hospitality Management, Food Service Management, Business Management, or related field required; culinary degree preferred.
• Minimum 8–10 years of progressively responsible culinary leadership experience including 5 years of senior leadership experience overseeing multiple foodservice outlets, catering operations or large-scale culinary production.
• Proven ability to build and develop a culinary team from the ground up, establishing a strong culture of accountability, collaboration, and excellence.
• Has successfully recruited, trained, and mentored team members to perform at a high level, enabling consistent execution of quality standards with minimal oversight while maintaining a strong focus on the guest experience.
• Demonstrated success in menu development, purchasing, inventory management, budgeting, and labor management.
• Strong understanding of food safety regulations and sanitation programs.
• Experience managing catering, banquet, picnic, and special event operations.
• Strong financial acumen including forecasting and cost control.
• Proficient in Microsoft Outlook, Excel, and Word.
• Valid California Food Handler Card and ServSafe Food Manager Certification required.
• Valid driver license required.
• Ability to work nights, weekends, and holidays.