Executive Chef, HCCR (Full-Time; Varied)

Harrah's Cherokee Casino Resort•Cherokee, NC

About The Position

The Executive Chef provides strategic and hands-on leadership for all culinary and stewarding operations, ensuring exceptional food quality, presentation, sanitation, and service across the property. The role oversees menu development, production standards, labor and food-cost management, budgeting, and equipment maintenance while driving consistency, efficiency, and innovation across kitchen areas. The Executive Chef leads, trains, and mentors a diverse culinary team and fosters a positive, high-performance environment focused on safety, compliance, and continuous improvement. Through operational oversight, financial acumen, and commitment to excellence, the Executive Chef upholds Caesars Entertainment’s mission, vision, and values and supports an elevated dining experience for every guest. The position champions organizational values and service culture; develops and executes strategic plans; leads change and process improvement; oversees day-to-day operations, staffing, workflows, and resources; and ensures regulatory and policy compliance. It develops budgets, forecasts, and financial strategies, analyzes performance, and implements initiatives to improve business results. The Executive Chef collaborates across departments to maintain brand standards and improve the guest experience, monitors feedback and performance metrics, and recruits, develops, evaluates, and retains staff. The role directs the work of two or more full-time Team Members or equivalent and has authority over hiring and employment recommendations.

Requirements

Must be at least 21 years of age.
High school graduate or GED required.
Ten years of working experience in a large-volume food establishment, including banquets, buffets, specialty restaurants, and coffee shops, required.
Four years of combined kitchen supervisory and administration (Executive/Principal Chef) experience required.
Strong guest-service, leadership, communication, financial-analysis, and strategic-thinking skills.
Ability to multitask, prioritize, motivate a team, maintain morale in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment, adapt, learn, and accept direction.
Extensive knowledge of kitchen operations, sanitation standards, kitchen equipment operation and maintenance, butchering, baking, garde-manger, food preparation, presentation, and production.
Ability to respond quickly to changing business demands with a strong sense of urgency.
High proficiency with Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook) and Windows-based systems.
Strong mathematical, analytical, and problem-solving skills; detail-oriented; able to maintain accurate records and uphold ethical and compliance standards.
Professional appearance and excellent personal hygiene.
Strong interpersonal skills and ability to build cohesive teams, coach and develop Team Members, and work effectively with guests, peers, and leaders.
Ability to remain mobile throughout the property for an entire shift and stand for extended periods.
Ability to stoop, bend, reach, kneel, twist, and grasp items; lift and carry up to 50 pounds; and push or pull up to 300 pounds.
Ability to operate kitchen and office equipment and respond to visual and auditory cues.
Ability to work amid varying noise, temperature, lighting, crowds, and air quality, including secondhand smoke.
Ability to work a flexible schedule, including evenings, weekends, and holidays.

Nice To Haves

A degree in Culinary Arts from an accredited educational institution.

Responsibilities

Champion and model the organization’s mission, values, ethics, and service culture.
Develop and execute short- and long-term strategic plans to strengthen efficiency, organizational effectiveness, and business performance.
Identify opportunities to streamline processes, modernize systems, and enhance service delivery; lead change initiatives.
Set priorities, determine strategic direction, and make operational decisions affecting business results.
Oversee day-to-day culinary and stewarding operations to ensure consistency, quality, and operational excellence.
Optimize workflows, staffing models, and resource allocation to maximize productivity and service outcomes.
Ensure compliance with applicable regulations, policies, and internal controls, and adjust operations as needed when requirements change.
Develop budgets, forecasts, and financial strategies that support revenue growth and long-term sustainability.
Analyze departmental efficiency, profitability, and return on investment, and implement data-driven improvement initiatives.
Collaborate across departments to deliver a seamless, high-quality experience consistent with brand standards.
Lead development and implementation of programs, technologies, and service innovations that elevate the experience and competitive position.
Monitor feedback, service metrics, and performance indicators to identify and drive improvements.
Recruit, develop, and retain high-performing Team Members; establish expectations, evaluate performance, and hold leaders and staff accountable.
Direct the work of two or more full-time Team Members or equivalent, including supervisors and/or managers; exercise hiring authority and make employment-status recommendations.
Coach, mentor, and support succession planning to build leadership capability and operational continuity.
Oversee menu development, production standards, labor and food-cost management, sanitation, food quality and presentation, budgeting, and kitchen equipment maintenance.
Maintain a positive, high-performance work environment focused on safety, compliance, teamwork, and continuous improvement.