Executive Chef

Atlantic Shores Retirement Community•Virginia Beach, VA

2d•$82,000 - $103,500•Onsite

About The Position

The Executive Chef leads a culinary operation across five kitchens at Atlantic Shores Retirement Community, creating an exceptional dining experience for residents and guests. The role develops innovative cuisine, weekly specials, and seasonal core menus that respond to customer preferences and changing culinary trends. It oversees the quality and consistency of menu items, menu design and execution, food and supply ordering, kitchen staffing, and staff training and supervision. Working with the Director of Culinary Services, the Executive Chef develops menus and ensures food quality and cost control. The position also contributes to research and implementation of new products, services, technology, and processes within the Food & Beverage Department, and helps drive the success of its large-scale food and beverage program. The Executive Chef leads budget planning and monitoring, manages food and labor costs, and establishes kitchen operating policies and staff schedules. The role promotes teamwork, employee development, performance feedback, recognition, and succession planning; oversees staffing and recruitment; and handles employee relations professionally. It maintains sanitation and food-safety standards above local Health Department requirements and supports catering, banquet functions, marketing events, and food shows. This is a full-time position with a flexible schedule to accommodate department needs. The Executive Chef reports to the Director of Culinary Services. The position is based at Atlantic Shores Retirement Community in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

Requirements

Minimum five years of supervisory experience.
Ability to work with, lead, manage, and mentor a diverse back-of-house team.
Must obtain ServSafe certification within the first 90 days of employment.
Excellent organization and time-management skills.
Ability to give and receive effective feedback as a team player.
Ability to maintain composure under pressure and multitask.
Solution-oriented, with problem-solving and organizational skills.
Self-motivated, with excellent oral communication and interpersonal skills and a positive attitude.
Culinary bachelor’s degree, three to four years of related experience as an executive chef or sous chef in a hotel, restaurant, club, health care facility, or similar environment, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Nice To Haves

Culinary bachelor’s degree from a four-year college or university.

Responsibilities

Lead the culinary operation across five kitchens and ensure the high quality and consistency of menu items.
Create, design, test, and execute innovative menu items and presentations; review menus regularly and maintain detailed menu knowledge.
Develop new menus with the Director of Culinary Services and respond to resident and guest preferences and culinary trends.
Order food and other supplies required for kitchen operations.
Schedule, train, supervise, and mentor kitchen staff and management staff in culinary expectations, skills, and techniques.
Develop and monitor budgets, forecasts, and marketing policies; maintain food and labor costs within budget.
Establish kitchen operating policies and staffing schedules to achieve desired service levels.
Oversee staffing levels, schedules, new hires, and recruitment.
Maintain food sanitation, safety, hygiene, and proper food-handling practices at standards above local Health Department requirements.
Assist the Catering and Hospitality Manager with special menus and oversee menus for banquets, marketing events, and food shows.
Promote teamwork, performance feedback, recognition, mutual respect, employee satisfaction, quality hiring, and succession planning.
Handle employee relations professionally and issue commendations or disciplinary action as needed.
Research, develop, evaluate, and implement new products, services, technology, and processes within the Food & Beverage Department.

Benefits

Medical, dental, and vision coverage.
Life insurance and short- and long-term disability coverage.
Supplemental accident, cancer, and critical illness coverage.
Legal resources and identity theft protection.
Tuition reimbursement up to $5,250 annually for qualifying coursework.
401(k) with company match.
Educational partnership discounts at South University, ECPI, Regent University, St. Leo University, and Colorado Christian University.
Referral bonuses for new employee referrals who join the team.
Employee recognition program with monetary awards.
Employee Assistance Program.
Full-time employees receive generous paid time off, with up to 104 hours annually.
Hourly employees receive 1.5x holiday pay and 1.5x overtime pay for hours worked over 40 per week.