Chef de Cusine - D'lena Washington DC - Richard Sandoval Hospitality

Position Summary:

Supervise and oversee all activities concerning BOH F&B operations and personnel for Restaurant. Responsible for ensuring an efficient quality finished product throughout the restaurant operation. Responsible for keeping all Restaurant costs within budget. Assume all duties of the Regional Corporate Chef of in their absence.

Core Tasks and Responsibilities:

Food & Product     

• Routinely taste food items to insure consistency and conformance to recipes and standards of appearance.
• Work with Executive Chef to develop all Restaurant breakfast, lunch, après ski, dinner and wine bar menus. Menus feature products and preparation methods that are sought after for their artisanal characteristics, their emphasis on quality, their sustainability, and the proximity of their source. The menu concept is strongly influenced by cuisine from Mexico.
• Constantly evaluate menu for quality, consistency and trueness to concept.
• Responsible for the quality and consistency of food in Restaurant and In Room Dining.
• With the Executive and Sous Chefs create and maintain menu descriptions for Restaurant and In Room Dining.
• Research new techniques of cooking as well as new products.
• Assist the Executive Chef in overseeing the quality and consistency in all additional revenue centers.
• Work with Executive Chef to develop In Room Dining menus, Market menus, “SVO to Go” menus and Amenities lists that cross utilize prep and ingredients used for restaurant menus.
• Assist the Executive Chef in overseeing the Market Chefs and Banquet Staff.
• Direct and assist the Sous Chefs and Kitchen Manager in overseeing the prep cooks.
• Take time to give special attention to special guests and guests with special needs.
• Train Sous Chefs, Pastry Chefs and all hourly BOH employees in all menu items and food production principles, philosophies and practices, by creating and using accurate menu descriptions, kitchen notes and daily BOH director notes.
• Work with the Sous Chefs and Kitchen Manager to create food preparation standards which will be upheld by the prep cooks to ensure the quality of product served in Restaurant.
• Control food costs by maintaining product storage requirements, daily work sheets, standardized recipes, and waste control procedures.
• Create daily specials in keeping with Restaurant style and seasonality.
• Maintain and update Restaurant recipe books.
• Maintain product quality standards and consistency, through the hourly BOH employees, Kitchen Manager and Sous Chefs.
• Maintain knowledge of local competition, local producers and general industry trends.
• Coordinate all BOH purchases for Restaurant with the Purchasing Director.
• Coordinate all prep needs for Restaurant with the Purchasing Director.
• Coordinate all stewarding needs for Restaurant with the Lead Steward and Purchasing Director.
• Step in as acting chef in any position necessary.

• Participate in creating and continually improving the Purveyor contact list.

Communication

• Use daily kitchen notes and e-mail to communicate among the team.
• Maintain open lines of communication between FOH and BOH at all times.  
• Show respect for BOH and FOH employees equally.
• Work with FOH Managers to execute menu changes, specials, price changes, BOH issues that may affect service and to inform them of any shortages in a timely manner.
• Responsible for a BOH Director’s (self, Sous Chef, or Executive Chef & Pastry Chef or Assistant Pastry Chef) attendance at daily line up meetings; on time, well informed, ready to speak, educate and inspire, with specials in hand and ready to answer questions.
• Educate FOH personnel in product awareness and cultivate long-term food knowledge.
• Lead by example and motivate through positive reinforcement.
• Be firm, fair and consistent when involved with employee issues.
• Create and maintain SOP Manuals for Restaurant BOH and work with FOH Directors on areas of both FOH and BOH SOPs wherever there is cross over of information.
• Establish role as a spokesperson for Restaurant and all of the F&B Operations within the community.

Service

• Strive for guest satisfaction—maintain the goal of creating positive guest experiences.
• Maintain the integrity of each menu item, of Restaurant concept and of each service.
• Work with all BOH Directors to organize and operate efficient, professional services at every meal period.
• Maintain a clean and organized BOH workspace including loading dock and prep kitchen.
• Orientate, motivate, train, and educate BOH personnel in Restaurant policies, procedures, and rules.
• Oversee all Restaurant BOH Directors (Sous Chefs and Pastry Chef); assist as needed and to accept ultimate responsibility for their work.

People skills

• Praise in public, criticize behind closed doors and give constructive feedback when appropriate.
• Constantly develop culinary talent and administrative capabilities and remember that you can learn something from every employee in the restaurant.
• Maintain a positive attitude about all F&B revenue centers equally.
• Oversee that all Restaurant specific employees are being treated as equals and that all HR duties are being executed in a timely fashion.
• Assist the Executive Chef in overseeing the Market cooks, Kitchen Manager and Sous Chefs.
• Maintain all proper documentation of disciplinary actions and incident reports.

Labor

• Take an active role to first meet the financial goals of Restaurant, by the inherent nature of Restaurant only being one of many overlapping revenues centers, also take an active role to meet the financial goals of the all F&B Operations with regards to variable labor cost.
• Must take the initiative to determine where Restaurant labor can be reduced as needed.
• Constantly evaluate and take measures to ensure maximum productivity of all BOH staff.
• Develop labor budgets and forecasts with Executive Chef, Restaurant General Manger.
• Create and/or oversee the creation of the Restaurant BOH Schedule
• Create review paperwork for and then perform annual reviews with Executive Chef, Sous Chefs and Pastry Chef.
• Work Executive Chef to interview and hire Restaurant BOH Directors as needed.
• Interview, hire, train, evaluate and review all hourly BOH Restaurant staff.
• Work with all BOH Directors to adequately staff all revenue centers.

Sales

• Take an active role to first meet the sales goals of Restaurant. By the inherent nature of Restaurant being one of multiple F&B revenue centers, also take an active role to meet the financial goals of the all F&B Operations by working with all of the F&B Directors and the Westin Sales Team.
• Work closely with the Director of Group Sales and catering to develop menus and events.
• Oversee and execute all special events, buyouts and private parties.
• Be proactive, not reactive in regards to low season promotions.
• Constantly evaluate and take measures to ensure maximum profits.
• Develop sales budgets and forecasts with Executive Chef, F&B GM, and Restaurant GM.

QUALIFICATIONS: Must have at least a high school diploma or GED in addition to either formal or in the field culinary training.  Previous kitchen experience is required with at least 3 years of working in a similar position and must have had cost control experience.  Must be able to work well under pressure and be self-motivated.  Must have good organizational, time management and delegation skills.  Good communication skills—both written and verbal.   Requires standing and carrying for long periods.  This position may require lifting, carrying, pulling or pushing of approximately 21—50 pounds.