Resident Chef

About the role

The Resident Chef plays a key role in inspiring customers throughout every stage of their culinary experience by leading engaging cooking classes, fostering an enthusiastic and knowledgeable team, and overseeing the success of the in-store culinary program. This role requires a blend of culinary talent, business acumen, and teaching skills to drive sales, enhance customer experience, and build a high-performing culinary team.

Responsibilities

• Recruit, develop and retain a high-performing team to meet the business needs of both culinary and retail.
• Lead, coach, and inspire associates to exceed performance expectations and uphold a positive team culture.
• Conduct regular performance evaluations, provide feedback, and create development plans to support individual and team growth.
• Create a welcoming and inspiring environment that enhances customer loyalty.
• Ensures an outstanding cooking class experience in every session by following provided recipes and game plans while holding employees accountable for quality and execution.
• Work with store leadership to increase foot traffic and store engagement through cooking classes and private events.
• Remain knowledgeable by staying up-to-date on products, utilizing available training, and seeking additional resources as needed.
• Ensure exceptional customer experience by leading a customer-focused culture.
• Oversees, addresses, and takes responsibility for all customer feedback related to the culinary program to maintain satisfaction and loyalty.
• Drive sales growth by developing and implementing strategies to enhance the culinary business.
• Analyze key performance metrics daily and leverage insights to optimize store performance.
• Ensure achievement of sales goals and financial targets through effective merchandising, marketing, and customer engagement.
• Oversee daily store operations, ensuring compliance with company policies and procedures.
• Ensure adherence to health, safety, and food sanitation regulations.
• Maintain accurate inventory levels, minimize shrink, and control supply and culinary expenses.
• May handle liquor, wine, and beer in compliance with state and location alcohol regulations, company policies, including enforcing age restrictions.
• Ensure store safety and cleanliness, addressing any maintenance needs promptly.
• Maintains the accuracy and integrity of employee records, including but not limited to time and attendance data, food safety certifications, and personal information.
• Adhere to applicable wage and hour laws. Accurately records time worked according to SLT Policy.
• Models and ensures all Sur La Table policies and standard operating procedures (SOPs) are communicated effectively to associates, maintained and consistently followed.
• Ability to communicate verbally and work cooperatively with associates and customers.
• Ability to remain standing for up to 5 hours at a time.
• Ability to move about the store coaching and directing associates and/or class participants while selling to customers.
• The capability to accurately perceive and differentiate variations in intensity or quality of flavors or odors, or to identify specific tastes or scents using the tongue or nose.
• Ability to grab, reach, push, pull, bend, stoop, kneel and crouch in order to demonstrate, retrieve and/or replenish merchandise and/or cooking equipment.
• Ability to use hands to seize, hold, grasp, turn, or otherwise in order to chop, whisk, slice, stir, juice and/or demonstrate other techniques.
• Ability to lift and/or move merchandise weighing up to 50 lbs.
• Ability to ascend/descend ladders to retrieve and/or move merchandise.
• Ability to operate a computer, POS system, keyboards, merchandise scanners and mouse to accomplish work.
• Workweeks are expected to be between 46 and 48 hours with the ability to have a flexible schedule, including nights, weekends, and holidays.
• Regular and predictable attendance with the flexibility to adjust class assignments based on demand, ensuring 6-8 classes are taught per week.
• Ability to work in a variable kitchen environment included but not limited to open flames, hot surfaces, temperature variations, various food allergens both physical and airborne.

Qualifications & Experience

• Culinary degree of equivalent culinary technique driven experience considered in lieu of degree.
• 1-2 years’ experience as a culinary instructor.
• 3-4 years of progressively responsible kitchen management experience.
• Valid Food Manager Certification.
• Proven track record of achieving sales and motivating high performing sales teams while meeting operational goals.
• Strong leadership skills with the ability to inspire, develop, and retain a high performing team.
• Excellent communication, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities.
• Passion for community engagement and providing exceptional customer experiences.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite.

Pay

$58,000 - $60,000 a year

Schedule

Workweeks are expected to be between 46 and 48 hours with the ability to have a flexible schedule, including nights, weekends, and holidays.