Chef de Cuisine | WinStar World Casino and Resort

Legends Global•Thackerville, OK

20h•Onsite

About The Position

The Chef de Cuisine is the culinary leader of Cowboys Bar & Grill at WinStar World Casino and Resort in Thackerville, Oklahoma. The role owns the quality, consistency, safety, and cost of food served, leads and develops the culinary team, and establishes and enforces recipe and presentation standards. The Chef de Cuisine delivers a menu that balances a premium guest experience with the value expected by casino patrons, resort guests, and concert audiences. The position reports to the Executive Chef and works in partnership with the Director of Food & Beverage, WinStar leadership, and the Legends Hospitality division. It supports the People, Product, Process, and Performance pillars and oversees menu development, food safety, financial performance, kitchen operations, and team leadership.

Requirements

At least 2 years as a Sous Chef or equivalent culinary leader in a high-volume restaurant, hotel, casino, or entertainment venue.
Proven ability to lead, develop, and retain a culinary team.
Strong command of classical and contemporary cooking techniques, with a practical approach to American comfort food, grill, and bar fare.
Working knowledge of food cost, labor cost, inventory control, and budgeting.
Current ServSafe Manager certification, or ability to obtain it within 30 days of hire.
Ability to work a flexible schedule, including nights, weekends, and holidays.
Strong written and verbal communication skills.
Ability to work effectively with Front-of-House, Finance, Human Resources, and Senior Leadership.

Nice To Haves

Casino, tribal gaming, or live entertainment experience.
Experience in third-party operator or client-reporting environments.
Culinary degree or equivalent professional training.
Experience managing multiple dayparts, including late-night operations.

Responsibilities

Own the Cowboys Bar & Grill menu, including development, seasonal updates, specials, and limited-time offerings appropriate to the outlet and its guests.
Deliver consistently well-seasoned, properly cooked, well-presented food across shifts, including high-volume and late-night service.
Maintain standardized recipes, plate specifications, and portion guides, and verify standards through daily line and quality checks.
Develop menu items that provide value at accessible prices while protecting quality and margins.
Coordinate with entertainment and event teams on concert nights, promotions, and peak demand periods.
Work with Front of House leadership to align ticket times, expediting, and the guest experience.
Maintain a documented food safety and sanitation program covering temperature logs, allergens, storage, labeling and dating, and cleaning schedules.
Ensure compliance with Oklahoma and local health department requirements and maintain inspection readiness.
Train and certify culinary team members and ensure a ServSafe-certified manager is on duty in the kitchen during operation.
Partner with the Executive Chef, Risk Management, and Legends operations leadership on audits, corrective actions, and follow-through.
Achieve food cost, labor cost, and profitability targets set by leadership and the annual budget.
Manage ordering, receiving, par levels, inventory counts, waste tracking, and variance review.
Schedule labor against forecasted volume and adjust staffing to business levels.
Work with Procurement and approved vendors on product specifications, pricing, and quality, following Legends purchasing policies.
Partner with Finance on weekly and monthly reporting and address variances.
Maintain kitchen equipment, organization, and cleanliness, and promptly report repair needs.
Support stewarding standards for dish, pots and pans, and back-of-house sanitation.
Follow workplace safety and casino property policies affecting the kitchen.
Plan for severe weather and operational disruptions and communicate coverage needs to leadership.
Lead, coach, and develop Sous Chefs, Line Cooks, Prep Cooks, Expo, and Sanitation & Stewarding team members assigned to Cowboys Bar & Grill.
Build and sustain a high-performing kitchen team through hiring, onboarding, training, cross-functional development, and advancement opportunities.
Set clear expectations, provide consistent coaching and feedback, and address performance and conduct issues promptly and fairly in accordance with established policies.
Work with Human Resources on employee engagement, retention, scheduling practices, and timely, appropriate corrective action.
Foster professionalism, respect, and accountability, ensuring team members feel valued, supported, and empowered.