Executive Chef

Pacific Hospitality Group•Napa, CA

18d•$155,000 - $165,000

About The Position

The Executive Chef leads all culinary operations at Meritage Resort & Spa, including resort restaurants, banquet and catering operations, and stewarding. Reporting directly to the resort’s Director of Food & Beverage, this senior culinary leader oversees a team of approximately 100 culinary professionals and is responsible for culinary direction, menu development, team leadership, financial performance, food quality, food safety, and production planning. The role shapes and executes culinary concepts and standards across multiple outlets and large-scale events, balancing creativity with operational execution, guest experience, and financial performance. Responsibilities include restaurant and banquet menu development, event planning and execution, food and labor cost management, budgeting, staffing, employee development, vendor relationships, and compliance with safety and sanitation requirements. The Executive Chef works across kitchens, restaurants, production areas, event venues, and administrative responsibilities in a dynamic resort environment.

Requirements

At least eight years of progressive culinary leadership experience in a luxury hotel, resort, convention center, or comparable high-volume culinary operation.
Previous experience as an Executive Chef or senior culinary leader overseeing multiple outlets or a large resort operation.
Demonstrated experience leading a culinary team of 75 or more employees, preferably across restaurants, banquet, and catering operations.
Experience managing multiple culinary outlets with different concepts, service styles, menus, and operational demands.
Demonstrated experience executing large-scale banquets, weddings, conferences, plated dinners, buffets, receptions, restaurant service, and special events.
Strong knowledge of restaurant operations, banquet production, catering, large-volume cooking, event timelines, kitchen logistics, and plated-meal execution.
Proven ability to create and implement culinary concepts, menus, recipes, standards, and operating systems.
Proven ability to lead a complex culinary operation while maintaining quality, consistency, presentation, and service timing.
Experience managing labor, scheduling, food costs, purchasing, inventory, waste, capital expenses, and departmental budgets.
Strong understanding of menu development, recipe costing, production planning, portion control, profitability, and operational execution.
Excellent leadership, organizational, communication, decision-making, and problem-solving skills.
Ability to prioritize multiple outlets, events, and changing demands while remaining calm and decisive under pressure.
Strong interpersonal skills and ability to build partnerships across culinary, restaurant, banquet, events, and resort leadership teams.
Experience recruiting, coaching, developing, and managing the performance of culinary employees and leaders.
Advanced knowledge of food safety, sanitation, workplace safety, allergens, and HACCP principles.
Availability to work a flexible schedule, including early mornings, evenings, weekends, holidays, and extended hours based on operational and event demands.
Ability to stand and walk for extended periods; lift up to 50 pounds; and frequently bend, reach, push, pull, and perform repetitive movements.
Ability to work around hot cooking equipment, open flames, ovens, refrigerated storage areas, sharp tools, heavy equipment, loading areas, outdoor event spaces, and cleaning chemicals, while following safety standards and wearing required personal protective equipment.

Nice To Haves

Strong understanding of Napa Valley cuisine, seasonal ingredients, wine-focused dining, and contemporary hospitality trends.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office, scheduling systems, purchasing platforms, point-of-sale systems, event management systems, and culinary costing tools.
Culinary degree or formal culinary education.
California Food Handler Card and ServSafe Manager Certification; the posting also accepts the ability to obtain required certifications within the designated timeframe.

Responsibilities

Lead the overall culinary operation for all resort restaurants, banquet, and stewarding.
Direct, coach, schedule, and develop a culinary team of approximately 100 employees.
Establish and execute the resort’s culinary vision, standards, operating procedures, and strategic priorities.
Provide leadership across restaurant kitchens, banquet kitchens, production areas, event spaces, and specialty culinary operations.
Partner with the Food & Beverage Director to develop operating plans, business strategies, revenue goals, and culinary priorities.
Maintain a visible presence during restaurant service, banquet preparation, event execution, tastings, and high-volume production.
Oversee the quality, consistency, presentation, timing, and execution of food served throughout the resort.
Develop culinary concepts reflecting the resort brand, Napa Valley, seasonal ingredients, and guest and local clientele expectations.
Lead menu development for restaurants, banquets, seasonal activations, holiday programming, special events, VIP experiences, and promotions.
Review and approve menus, recipes, plating standards, photographs, production procedures, and portion-control guidelines.
Ensure menus are creative, executable, financially responsible, and aligned with guest expectations.
Collaborate with restaurant leaders and culinary teams to maintain consistency across outlets and service periods.
Partner with Events, Banquets, and Conference Services on event requirements, resumes, banquet event orders, timelines, guarantees, menus, and special requests.
Lead culinary planning for weddings, conferences, executive meetings, galas, wine dinners, social events, and resort celebrations.
Ensure event culinary requirements are planned, communicated, staffed, and executed effectively.
Oversee wedding and event tastings and ensure selections can be executed for contracted guest counts and service levels.
Coordinate production across kitchens, restaurant outlets, event venues, outdoor spaces, and specialty locations.
Manage food costs through forecasting, purchasing, recipe costing, production planning, portion control, inventory management, and waste reduction.
Manage culinary labor through scheduling, productivity planning, overtime control, cross-utilization, and staffing adjustments.
Establish staffing models and labor standards for restaurants, banquets, catering, special events, and seasonal activations.
Ensure accurate ordering, receiving, labeling, storage, rotation, and organization of culinary products using FIFO and food safety practices.
Establish and maintain inventory and par levels based on forecasts, menus, occupancy, event volume, and operational needs.
Review forecasts, event guarantees, production quantities, and business levels to reduce waste while maintaining product availability.
Assist with annual budgeting, forecasting, capital planning, expense management, and financial performance reviews.
Review financial results and operating reports, identify variances, and develop plans to improve revenue, profitability, productivity, and guest satisfaction.
Recruit, interview, hire, onboard, train, coach, evaluate, and retain a high-performing culinary team.
Develop culinary leaders and employees through feedback, cross-training, succession planning, and clear performance expectations.
Establish career-development opportunities and a leadership pipeline for the culinary department.
Ensure employees are trained on recipes, cooking techniques, equipment, workplace safety, sanitation, allergens, food safety, and service standards.
Foster a culture of accountability, respect, communication, collaboration, creativity, and continuous improvement.
Address employee performance, attendance, conduct, and workplace concerns in partnership with resort leadership and People & Culture.
Ensure compliance with company policies, health department regulations, food safety requirements, sanitation standards, allergen protocols, and HACCP procedures.
Maintain clean, organized, efficient, and safe kitchens, storage areas, preparation spaces, and event locations.
Monitor kitchen equipment and facility conditions and promptly report maintenance needs, capital requirements, and safety concerns.
Develop vendor and supplier relationships and ensure purchasing supports quality, consistency, availability, and financial goals.
Participate in resort leadership meetings, menu reviews, tastings, event planning meetings, financial reviews, and strategic planning.
Review guest feedback, reviews, planner comments, event scores, employee feedback, and operational results to identify improvements.
Support resort-wide culinary initiatives, holiday programming, community partnerships, high-profile events, and special projects.
Represent the culinary department and resort professionally with guests, clients, vendors, community partners, and industry contacts.
Serve as the senior culinary leader and provide direction and support during the absence of other culinary leaders.
Perform additional leadership responsibilities as assigned.