What are the responsibilities and job description for the House Chef position at Guesthouse Hospitality Company?
The House Chef is responsible for providing an exceptional culinary experience tailored to the tastes and dietary requirements of the guests and the greater Guesthouse culinary program. The House Chef is responsible for every aspect of food and beverage in the home, from ensuring all prepped components and ingredients are onsite in anticipation of the guests arrival, to ensuring every request of the guest is taken care of the Guesthouse way. This includes creating amazing food while providing seamless service to our guests. The House Chef will work in chorus with the House Captain and Hub team to ensure the programming is flawlessly executed. The House Chef will report to the House Captain and the Head of Food and Beverage.
Description
About Us
Guesthouse is part coworking space, part bed and breakfast, occasional adventure guide, and 100% yours. We build experiences, not places, and those experiences can happen almost anywhere. Whether it’s a remote home in the Sierras, a charming villa in wine country, or a converted industrial space on the waterfront, our focus is creating an experience that inspires presence.
Our Vision
We create experiences that encourage new ideas, deeper meaning, and a state of mind that drives relationships, business, and culture forward.
What you will do:
- Service: Creates inspiring, seasonal food to share with our guests. Uses the Guesthouse Program Guide to provide superlative internal and external service.
- People: Embodies the Guesthouse approach to Premeditated Hospitality. Maintains a culture consistent with the Guesthouse mission, vision and core values. Leads with empathy, kindness and by example.
- Financial: Fully responsible for home Food and Beverage (F&B), Profit and Loss (P&L), including meeting and exceeding sales goals, net margin, Cost of Goods Sold (COGS), proper inventory levels, labor costs, and controllable costs.
- Operational: Plans and manages the department workflow and staffing. Anticipates and adjusts to any business fluctuations as needed.
- Compliance: Maintains a safe work environment and ensures compliance with all local and state laws.
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Key Responsibilities:
- Operates, executes and carries themselves with the highest level of standards, embodying the Guesthouse approach to hospitality.
- Responsible for all in-home food and beverage; program execution, procurement, production, cleanliness and sanitation.
- Uses the Guesthouse Service Mission to guide staff in giving unparalleled service.
- Evaluates staff quarterly to review performance and creates goals in line with the Guesthouse vision.
- Works in partnership with the House Manager and the Hub team to provide seamless service to our guests.
- Works closely with the Culinary Director to keep food vibrant, seasonal and delicious.
- Responsible for the Home’s F&B and P&L. Achieves sales goals, net margin, COGS, labor costs and controllable costs.
- Contributes to the net margin through accurate purchasing, verifying the best pricing and vendors, maintains current recipe costing, and works creatively with fellow leaders to use products/ingredients to mitigate waste and maximize revenue.
- Maintains organized and accurate inventory levels, and participates in period end physical counts. Maintains lowest possible inventory while keeping out of stock (OOS) to virtually zero. Verifies product received ensuring proper pricing and follows-up with vendors regarding credits and returns each accounting period.
- Adheres to the Product Mission when making purchasing decisions. Ensures all products purchased are accurate according to specifications in quality, size, pack, and pricing.
- Oversees the successful running of the department; scheduling effectively, team performing solid opens and closes, rolling out new menus and policies and procedures, carrying out regular maintenance, and ensuring safety standards are met.
- Plans and manages department changes, anticipates and adjusts to any business fluctuations as needed.
- Complies with employee policies and practices in the Guesthouse employee handbook.
- Maintains a safe work environment for our staff, preventing accidents and injuries, while ensuring compliance with all local and state laws.
- Participates in monthly home inspections and corrects issues in a timely manner
Additional responsibilities not detailed in this job description may be added as the scope of this position changes.
What we need from you:
- 5 years experience working as a Chef in high-end restaurants, luxury hotels, or private residences.
- Extensive knowledge of various cuisines, wine pairing, and current food trends.
- Proven track record of effectively managing teams, interpersonal relationships, and communicating with diverse stakeholders.
- Practical experience in budget management, including recipe costing and inventory control.
- Proficient in Microsoft Office applications and a willingness to adapt and learn new technologies as required.
- Flexibility to work non-traditional hours, including evenings, weekends, holidays, and as needed for events.
- Serve Safe Certification, ensuring adherence to food safety standards.
- Culinary Expertise: Must possess a very strong repertoire of cooking techniques.
- People Skills: Working seamlessly amongst guests and other staff members in all types of situations.
- Facilities Management: Operate and maintain the home to the highest standards.
- Organizational Savvy: Maneuvers comfortably through complex policy, process, and people-related dynamics.
- Computer Savvy: Enough computer knowledge and expertise to demonstrate proficiency.
- Influence: The capacity to have an effect on the character, development, or behavior of someone or something, or the effect itself.
Physical Requirements
- Mobility and Activity:
- Capability to move between multiple locations, including kitchens, storage areas, offices, and guest spaces.
- Frequent bending, stooping, and reaching, particularly when inspecting kitchen operations or managing supplies.
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Lifting and Carrying:
- Ability to lift and carry items weighing up to 50 pounds, such as ingredients, equipment, or supplies.
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Manual Dexterity:
- Proficiency with kitchen tools and equipment for hands-on culinary tasks.
- Ability to type and use office equipment for administrative tasks.
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Visual and auditory Requirements:
- Strong visual acuity to inspect food quality, presentation, and cleanliness standards.
- Clear auditory ability to communicate with team members and hear kitchen equipment sounds (e.g., timers, alarms).
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Environmental Tolerance:
- Ability to work in environments with fluctuating temperatures (e.g., hot kitchens, walk-in freezers).
- Comfort working in a fast-paced, potentially noisy kitchen or hospitality setting.
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Travel:
- Willingness to travel between company properties, supplier locations, and events as needed.
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Endurance:
- Capability to work long hours during peak times, including evenings, weekends and holidays, as needed.
Benefits & Perks
- Competitive salary, performance-based bonuses, and equity shares.
- Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance.
- 401k with employer match.
- Generous PTO and paid holidays.
- Opportunities for professional development and industry networking.
- Employee Discounts on pantry items, family-style meals, local event passes (e.g., ski passes), and stays in company homes when not being used by members.
- A collaborative and entrepreneurial work environment.
- Contribution to a mission-driven company creating transformative culinary experiences.
We are an equal opportunity employer. According to applicable law, we do not discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.
We value diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging and believe that a diverse workforce contributes to the success of our organization. We actively encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds and strive to create an environment where everyone feels valued and respected.
Guesthouse provides an accessible environment for all candidates during the application process and for our employees. If you need accessibility assistance or reasonable accommodation, contact us at careers@guesthousecompany.com.