Executive Chef

DREAMWEAVER HOTELS LLC•Chicago, IL

27d•$110,000 - $120,000

About The Position

The Executive Chef provides visionary leadership and strong business acumen to produce extraordinary culinary and financial results. This role is responsible for driving excellence in creative food development, service enhancement, business planning, and marketing initiatives that elevate the guest experience and expand culinary opportunities. The Executive Chef plans, organizes, controls, and directs the work of a diverse culinary team across multiple food and beverage outlets while ensuring superior quality, consistency, and innovation. This position manages food and labor costs to maximize efficiency, profitability, sanitation, and operational excellence, consistently exceeding company standards and budgetary benchmarks. A team-centered leader, the Executive Chef supports the team in every way, serving as a teacher, mentor, and leader throughout the department, while communicating effectively and working closely with all hotel departments to achieve shared operational and guest-service goals.

Requirements

Proven Executive Chef or senior culinary leadership experience in a multi-outlet hotel environment or casino or resort.
Highly organized with the ability to lead and support large, diverse teams in a fast-paced, high-volume, multi-outlet operation.
Demonstrated excellence in leadership, communication, coaching, and training.
Proven ability to communicate effectively and collaborate with cross-functional hotel departments.
Proven ability to inspire, develop, and support team members as a teacher and leader.
Minimum of 5+ years’ experience as an Executive Chef or Senior Culinary Manager in a structured, high-volume operation.
Strong business, financial, and operational management skills.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Flexible schedule availability, including the ability to work varied shifts.
Ability to work extended shifts of 10 hours or more as business needs require.

Nice To Haves

Multi Lingual is a plus.

Responsibilities

Direct the daily execution of all assigned kitchens and outlets’ food production and service while establishing and maintaining procedural guidelines, policies, and standards for overall food and beverage operations. This includes menu design, product specifications, cleanliness and sanitation, food, labor, and operating expense controls.
Lead the development and execution of culinary business plans and marketing plans designed to grow revenue, enhance guest satisfaction, and continuously improve service and culinary offerings across all outlets.
Collaborate closely with hotel leadership, marketing, events, front office, banquets, and food & beverage teams to ensure seamless service delivery, operational alignment, and exceptional guest experiences.
Partner with sales, catering, and events teams to support group business, banquets, and special events through menu development, pricing strategies, and execution excellence.
Design and evolve menus that reflect current culinary trends, deliver unique guest experiences, and maximize profitability while maintaining cost discipline across multiple concepts.
Proactively seek opportunities to position the hotel’s dining venues as prominent and competitive destinations within the market.
Participate in special events and promotional functions, maintaining a visible and engaging presence with current and prospective guests.
Remain current with culinary trends, techniques, and industry innovations, incorporating relevant ideas into menus and operations.
Provide direct and general supervision to the culinary team with a strong emphasis on teaching, mentoring, and leadership development, fostering a positive, collaborative, and accountable culture across all outlets.
Develop and mentor internal talent, identifying future leaders within the culinary department.
Establish and ensure compliance with all health department regulations related to food handling, storage, temperature control, and workplace cleanliness.
Evaluate products and vendors to ensure quality, pricing, and consistency standards are met.
Demonstrate strong working knowledge of budgeted labor and food costs, actively managing performance to meet or exceed financial goals.
Conduct performance evaluations; coach and guide team members to achieve desired performance outcomes.
Follow up to ensure agreed-upon action plans and development goals identified during evaluations are implemented and supported.
Control labor and operating expenses through effective scheduling, budgeting, purchasing decisions, and inventory management across all outlets.
Oversee the creation and maintenance of menus, preparation instructions, and detailed dish specifications, including ingredients and portion sizes.

Benefits

Medical Plans: Choice of three plans to meet your healthcare needs.
Dental Plans: Two options for dental coverage.
Vision Insurance: Coverage for routine eye care and eyewear.
Paid Time Off (PTO): To support work-life balance.
Accident/Hospital Indemnity/Critical Illness plans (new for 2026) In case of emergencies.
401(k) Retirement Plan: Plan for your future with employer contributions.
Flexible Spending Account (FSA): Pre-tax savings for healthcare and dependent care expenses.
Life and AD&D Insurance: Employer-provided coverage with additional voluntary options.
Short-Term Disability (STD): Employer-provided coverage to support you during temporary disability.
Voluntary Long-Term Disability (LTD): Additional protection for extended disability.
Commuter Benefits: Save on transit and parking expenses.
Pet Insurance: Options to support your furry family members.
Hilton travel discounts and employee room rates worldwide
Career growth and training opportunities
Access to wellness programs and employee appreciation events