Chef de Cuisine

Weekender Hotels•Town of Johnsburg, NY

10h•Onsite

About The Position

This is a founding role for the Public House Lounge, a tavern-style restaurant in North Creek, NY, opening mid-summer 2026. The Chef de Cuisine will build the menu, team, and kitchen culture from scratch. The Public House will serve rustic comfort food and elevated pub fare. This role also oversees the Centennial Kitchen restaurant, focusing on events with a future high-end fine dining experience, and manages all banquet and event operations including weddings, corporate gatherings, and social functions. The role carries significant revenue responsibility and oversees culinary operations in all three venues. Weekender Hotels is a growing boutique hotel company that promotes from within and offers a clear path to Executive Chef.

Requirements

Minimum of 3 years of progressive, professional kitchen experience
At least 2 years of kitchen leadership: scheduling, ordering, team supervision, or running shifts independently
Strong culinary skills across scratch cooking techniques that fit a comfort-forward, tavern-style menu
A working knowledge of food costing, inventory management, and waste reduction
Solid understanding of food safety and sanitation; ServSafe Manager certification preferred (support to obtain provided)
A calm, confident presence under pressure that raises the team around you
Strong communication skills; bilingual in English and Spanish is a genuine plus
Flexible availability including evenings, weekends, and holidays
Physical ability to stand for extended periods and lift up to 50 lbs

Nice To Haves

Experience with banquet or event production is a plus but not a dealbreaker

Responsibilities

Develop the Public House Lounge menu from the ground up: rustic, elevated, regionally rooted, and cost-effective.
Write and maintain recipe cards, plating specs, portion guides, and allergen documentation.
Own every plate that leaves this kitchen for quality, consistency, presentation, and speed.
Introduce seasonal updates and specials that keep the menu alive and the regulars coming back.
Cost all recipes and collaborate with the GM on pricing strategy.
Lead all daily kitchen operations: prep, line execution, expediting, and close.
Build systems, par sheets, and prep lists that make the kitchen run predictably even on your day off.
Monitor ticket times and kitchen flow; be the standard every shift, not just the good ones.
Maintain a clean, organized, inspection-ready kitchen at all times.
Uphold HACCP procedures for storage, handling, labeling, and temperature controls.
Ensure all equipment is properly maintained and flag repair needs immediately.
Hire, train, and develop the kitchen team, typically 2 to 4 cooks plus dishwasher, scaling for events.
Build a kitchen culture that people want to be part of: accountable, supportive, and proud of the work.
Create schedules that align with business volume, labor budgets, and event calendars.
Cross-train team members to build flexibility and depth across stations.
Identify and invest in talent with potential. We promote from within and expect you to do the same.
Hold the standard without exception, including the hard conversations when they’re needed.
Lead kitchen execution for all on-property events: weddings, corporate functions, and social events.
Collaborate with the GM on BEO review, event menu planning, and production timelines.
Design event menus that are creative, practical, and profitable.
Manage event staffing, prep timelines, and kitchen logistics from start to breakdown.
Deliver every event as if it were the most important meal that group has ever eaten.
Hit budgeted food cost and labor targets every period, not just the easy ones.
Conduct weekly inventory counts and manage ordering to minimize waste.
Track food cost variances and adjust in real time.
Approach the financial side of this role with the same seriousness as the culinary side.
Work closely with the GM on menu strategy, seasonal planning, and event programming.
Communicate daily specials and menu changes to the FOH team clearly and proactively.
Participate in EOS meetings, reporting cadences, and property-wide planning.
Support deep cleans, seasonal transitions, and pre-opening preparation.