Executive Chef - La Serre

DineAmic Hospitality•Chicago, IL

12d•$90,000 - $110,000•Onsite

About The Position

DineAmic Hospitality is seeking an Executive Chef to manage the kitchens at La Serre and Bar La Rue in Chicago’s West Loop. The role is responsible for the successful management of the restaurant kitchen, including developing menus, managing staff, and creating and maintaining financial budgets. The Executive Chef recruits, trains, and mentors culinary staff and maintains a safe, clean, and professional kitchen. The position also manages food costs, inventories, and product ordering, and coaches Sous Chefs to understand and assume these responsibilities in the Executive Chef’s absence. The Executive Chef conducts ongoing culinary research and collaborates with the corporate chef team on menu items, taking into account seasonality, guest feedback, product cost and availability, and other factors. The role develops and updates recipe books specifying ingredients, product specifications, and portion sizes; these materials become DineAmic property. The Executive Chef also coordinates menu items with event teams and develops ways to activate restaurant spaces. The role sets a professional kitchen culture, supports staff learning and development, addresses employee performance, conducts performance reviews, and develops employees for advancement. Kitchen operations include managing budgets and food costs, ordering and inventory, reducing waste, maintaining product availability, coordinating with the General Manager and Corporate Chef, and overseeing Sous Chefs and kitchen procedures. The Executive Chef ensures compliance with food safety and sanitation practices and safely uses the tools and equipment needed to prepare menu items. This position requires a minimum of 50 hours per week and flexibility to work days, nights, weekends, and holidays. Salary is $90,000–$110,000 per year.

Requirements

Minimum 2 years of experience in a high-volume kitchen as an Executive Chef; up to 4 years preferred.
Proven experience creating a safe work environment that incorporates teamwork and professional development.
Ability to identify issues efficiently and solve problems.
Commitment to quality, accuracy, timeliness, and results.
Ability to handle stress productively and delegate while maintaining control.
Proficient computer skills and basic math skills.
Ability to operate a point-of-sale system.
Flexibility to work days, nights, weekends, and holidays.
Minimum of 50 hours per week required.
Current SERVsafe or equivalent certification.

Nice To Haves

Up to 4 years of experience as an Executive Chef in a high-volume kitchen.

Responsibilities

Conduct ongoing research and collaborate with the corporate chef team on menu items based on seasons, guest feedback, cost, availability, and other factors.
Develop and update recipe books with ingredients, product specifications, and portion sizes.
Coordinate menu items with event teams and find ways to activate spaces within restaurant outlets.
Model professionalism and establish a strong kitchen culture.
Work with the management team to support staff leadership goals, learning, and development.
Identify, address, and document employee performance problems; discipline or terminate employees as necessary according to company procedures.
Schedule, conduct, and document employee performance reviews.
Identify, train, and develop employees for growth, advancement, and promotion.
Manage food costs, ingredient ordering, pars, waste reduction, and ordering of dry goods and restaurant supplies.
Maintain departmental budget expectations and assist efforts to optimize labor and product costs.
Build relationships with purveyors.
Coordinate with the General Manager and Corporate Chef on production standards, specials, employee meals, complimentary pass-outs and amuses, and kitchen staffing needs and issues.
Oversee purchasing and ordering of food products and supplies and ensure daily product orders are placed.
Track high-cost items according to standard operating procedure.
Manage Sous Chefs and ensure they supervise kitchen staff and follow procedures for line checks, cook meetings, food allergies, consistency, and presentation.
Ensure back-of-house employees understand and follow sanitation and safety guidelines.
Coordinate food storage in accordance with procedures and health and safety guidelines.
Comply with safety and sanitation procedures and safely navigate the restaurant environment.
Wear a hair restraint while on duty and wash hands regularly according to guidelines.
Safely and efficiently use knives, tools, utensils, and equipment needed to prepare menu items.