Chef De Cuisine

The Gasparilla Inn•Boca Grande, FL

28d•Hybrid

About The Position

We are seeking an accomplished and highly motivated Chef de Cuisine to lead the culinary operation of a designated outlet at The Gasparilla Inn, a prestigious and historic high-end resort renowned for its exceptional dining programs and service excellence. The Chef de Cuisine is the senior culinary leader of the assigned outlet and is responsible for its culinary direction, purchasing, menu development, financial performance, scheduling, team leadership, and day-to-day execution. This role directly supervises the Sous Chef team and is accountable for maintaining the standards, systems, and results expected of the operation. The ideal candidate is a hands-on culinary leader with refined cooking skills, strong business acumen, disciplined organization, and the ability to develop teams while consistently delivering an exceptional guest experience. The Gasparilla Inn, located on the picturesque island of Boca Grande in Southwest Florida, has been a premier destination for luxury and relaxation for over 100 years. Our renowned culinary program offers elevated dining experiences, combining fresh local ingredients with innovative techniques. We pride ourselves on providing exceptional service to our members, guests, and visitors.

Requirements

Culinary degree from a nationally recognized program preferred.
Minimum of 5–7 years of progressive culinary experience in a fine dining, luxury resort, private club, or comparable high-volume environment, including significant experience leading Sous Chefs or managing a complete culinary outlet.
Demonstrated ability to independently lead the complete culinary operation of an outlet, including purchasing, menu development, recipe costing, food-cost management, scheduling, labor control, service execution, training, ordering, inventory, and sanitation.
Strong culinary foundation with advanced knowledge of classical and contemporary cooking techniques, ingredients, menu development, and refined plating presentation.
Proven ability to lead, coach, develop, and hold culinary teams accountable while maintaining a positive and professional kitchen culture.
Strong working knowledge of food cost, labor management, purchasing, vendor and product evaluation, inventory control, yield management, waste reduction, recipe costing, forecasting, and scheduling.
Excellent organizational, communication, decision-making, and problem-solving skills with the ability to perform effectively in a fast-paced operation.
Commitment to food safety, sanitation, quality assurance, equipment care, and operational organization.
Ability to work a flexible schedule including nights, weekends, holidays, and extended hours based on business demands.
Physical ability to stand for long periods and lift up to 50 pounds.
Must be willing and able to pass a background and drug screening.
Must possess an active driver license.

Nice To Haves

Culinary degree from a nationally recognized program preferred.

Responsibilities

Direct and take ownership of all day-to-day culinary operations for the assigned outlet, including preparation, service, staffing, organization, communication, and operational readiness.
Establish clear expectations for Sous Chefs and culinary team members, maintain a visible leadership presence in the kitchen, and lead service from the floor and line as business demands require.
Establish and uphold standards for flavor, technique, presentation, portioning, consistency, and station organization.
Conduct regular tastings and station checks, verify mise en place and readiness before service, and hold Sous Chefs and line-level team members accountable for correcting deficiencies and maintaining established standards.
Lead the development, costing, implementation, and ongoing refinement of seasonal menus, specials, and culinary features for the assigned outlet in alignment with the Executive Chef's overall culinary direction.
Maintain accurate recipes, yields, plating standards, production methods, and specifications.
Balance creativity and guest expectations with seasonality, product availability, operational feasibility, utilization, and profitability.
Take direct responsibility for the outlet's food cost and culinary labor performance within established departmental goals.
Monitor recipe cost, portion control, yields, waste, transfers, inventory usage, overtime, and productivity.
Review operating results and variances, identify the causes of unfavorable performance, and implement corrective measures while protecting food quality and the guest experience.
Manage purchasing and product levels for the assigned outlet, including ordering, receiving oversight, par levels, inventory accuracy, product rotation, storage, and utilization.
Maintain strong control of high-value and perishable ingredients, evaluate quality and yield, communicate product needs and concerns with culinary leadership and purchasing partners, and ensure purchasing decisions support both culinary standards and financial objectives.
Create and manage culinary schedules for the assigned outlet based on forecasted business levels, operational requirements, employee availability, and budget expectations.
Deploy labor appropriately by day and service period, manage overtime and schedule adjustments, approve daily assignments, and ensure the kitchen is properly staffed without sacrificing productivity or service standards.
Lead, train, coach, and develop Sous Chefs and line-level culinary team members.
Set clear expectations, provide consistent feedback and accountability, delegate appropriate ownership to Sous Chefs, identify development opportunities, and build a professional kitchen culture centered on teamwork, discipline, learning, and mutual respect.
Maintain a productive partnership with front-of-house leadership and other resort departments to ensure coordinated service and a unified Food & Beverage operation.
Communicate menu changes, purchasing or product concerns, business levels, staffing needs, guest concerns, and operational opportunities clearly and proactively to the Executive Chef, Executive Sous Chef, and appropriate departmental partners.
Ensure all culinary operations meet or exceed food safety, sanitation, cleanliness, storage, labeling, and equipment-care standards.
Hold Sous Chefs accountable for daily compliance, enforce Florida Department of Health requirements and resort policies, and address deficiencies immediately.
Take ownership of the culinary guest experience within the outlet, responding appropriately to special requests, dietary needs, and service recovery situations.
Maintain composure under pressure, model professional appearance and conduct for the Sous Chef team and culinary staff, and uphold The Gasparilla Inn’s standards of excellence, integrity, and gracious service.
All other duties as assigned.