Executive Chef - The Westin at The Woodlands

Overview

The Executive Chef provides strategic leadership and quality oversight for all culinary operations, with a primary focus on banquet catering, in-room dining, and other F&B outlets. Responsibilities include concept development, menu engineering, recipe creation, and cost analysis, ensuring excellence in both innovation and execution. This role also oversees product testing, specification sourcing, and the implementation of new menus, while maintaining rigorous quality assurance standards and operational systems to drive consistency and elevate the guest experience.

Responsibilities

• Provides visionary leadership and management of culinary research, day-to-day operations, and development from product creation to implementation.
• Devises innovative product offerings for venues, including central dining rooms, buffet room service, specialty restaurants, banquets, catering, and themed/special events.
• Formulates and implements procedural guidelines, policies, and standards pertaining to the overall food and beverage operations. This includes the Banquet and Catering menu, In-Room dining Menu designs, product specifications, cleanliness and sanitation, and cost controls for food, labor, and operating expenses.
• Monitors industry trends and collaborates with internal and external partners in culinary research and development efforts.
• Manages the overall creation of menus, preparation instructions, and individual dish specifications by ingredients and corresponding portion sizes.
• Collaborates with purchasing to identify and source required products.
• Develops standards, processes, and tools to deliver consistent culinary products at both properties.
• Guides and supports the culinary team in implementing and adhering to company standards, processes, and systems.
• Monitors guests, partners, and internal feedback and takes corrective action as required, ensuring guest satisfaction.
• In partnership with the Food & Beverage management, develops and administers formal quality assurance processes, including audits, secret shopper programs, culinary focus groups, consumer tastings, and customer/operator surveys.
• Participates in the budgeting process for areas of responsibility.
• Knows and implements the brand and safety standards.
• Communicates the importance of safety procedures, detailing procedure codes, ensuring employees understand safety codes, and monitoring processes and procedures related to safety.
• Establishes goals, including performance goals, budget goals, team goals, etc.
• Displays leadership in guest hospitality, exemplifies excellent customer service and creates a positive atmosphere for guest relations.

Qualifications

• Minimum 4 years of experience as an Executive Chef in culinary, food, and beverage operations or a 2-year degree from an accredited university in Culinary Arts, Hotel & Restaurant Management, or a related field.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, effectively providing information to executive teams, managers, supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates.
• Proven ability in training and team development, fostering a strong and motivated culinary team.
• Demonstrated success in managing multiple culinary departments across various properties.
• Experience in 4- or 5-star luxury service environments, with the expertise to implement and uphold high hospitality standards.
• Skilled in concept development, with a track record of creating and executing successful new culinary initiatives.
• Flexibility to work holidays and weekends, adapting to the dynamic nature of the hospitality and culinary industry.

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