Specialty Chef

About the role

The Specialty Chef at The Ritz-Carlton Rancho Mirage is accountable for the quality, consistency, and production of the specialty restaurant kitchen. This position requires personal involvement in culinary tasks, leadership of the kitchen staff, and management of all food-related functions.

Responsibilities

• Develops, designs, or creates new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions for the specialty restaurant.
• Supervises specialty restaurant kitchen shift operations and ensures compliance with all Food & Beverage policies, standards, and procedures.
• Maintains food preparation handling and correct storage standards.
• Recognizes superior quality products, presentations, and flavor.
• Plans and manages food quantities and plating requirements for the specialty restaurant.
• Communicates production needs to key personnel.
• Assists in developing daily and seasonal menu items for the specialty restaurant.
• Ensures compliance with all applicable laws and regulations.
• Follows proper handling and right temperature of all food products.
• Estimates daily specialty restaurant production needs.
• Prepares and cooks foods of all types, either on a regular basis or for special guests or functions.
• Checks the quality of raw and cooked food products to ensure that standards are met.
• Determines how food should be presented and creates decorative food displays.
• Serves as a role model to demonstrate appropriate behaviors.
• Ensures and maintains the productivity level of employees.
• Ensures employees are cross-trained to support successful daily operations.
• Ensures employees understand expectations and parameters.
• Establishes and maintains open, collaborative relationships with employees and ensures employees do the same within the team.
• Sets and supports achievement of kitchen goals including performance goals, budget goals, team goals, etc.
• Develops specific guidance and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish daily kitchen operations work.
• Understands the impact of kitchen operation on the overall property financial goals and objectives and manages to achieve or exceed budgeted goals.
• Effectively investigates, reports, and follows-up on employee accidents.
• Knows and implements Safety Standards.
• Provides services that are above and beyond for customer satisfaction and retention.
• Manages day-to-day operations, ensuring the quality, standards, and meeting the expectations of the customers on a daily basis.
• Improves service by communicating and assisting individuals to understand guest needs, providing guidance, feedback, and individual coaching when needed.
• Sets a positive example for guest relations.
• Emphasizes guest satisfaction during all departmental meetings and focuses on continuous improvement.
• Empowers employees to provide excellent customer service.
• Handles guest problems and complaints.
• Interacts with guests to obtain feedback on product quality and service levels.
• Identifies the developmental needs of others and coaches, mentors, or otherwise helps others to improve their knowledge or skills.
• Participates in training specialty restaurant staff on menu items including ingredients, preparation methods, and unique tastes.
• Manages employee progressive discipline procedures.
• Participates in the employee performance appraisal process, providing feedback as needed.
• Uses all available on-the-job training tools for employees.
• Assists as needed in the interviewing and hiring of employee team members with appropriate skills.

Qualifications

• Education and Experience: High school diploma or GED; 4 years experience in culinary, food and beverage, or related professional area. OR 2-year degree from an accredited university in Culinary Arts, Hotel and Restaurant Management, or related major; 2 years experience in culinary, food and beverage, or related professional area.