Job Description
ABOUT US:
Originally built in the late 1920s as The Clubhouse for the once popular Rip Van Winkle Golf Course, Shandaken Inn has welcomed guests to the northern Catskills for almost one hundred years. Following an extensive renovation and reimagination of the property, the Inn has welcomed guests back since the fall of 2019. With over 12 acres of bucolic country grounds, bordered by the Esopus Creek, Shandaken Inn features 15 unique and artfully furnished guest rooms. The Inn is meant to pay homage to the storied past of the Catskill Mountain region, its former great resorts, and camps. It evokes the glory days of a time gone by when the Catskills were the premier vacation and recreation destination for the entire region.
Since opening our restaurant in 2020, we at The Clubhouse Restaurant & Bar have passionately focused on creating seasonal, approachable, and quality dishes with every guest interaction. Our concept pays homage to the once-famous Rip Van Winkle Club, The Clubhouse. Featuring a hearty yet simple cuisine crafted from the freshest seasonal produce and sourced by the Catskills and Hudson Valley region’s most notable artisans, purveyors, and farmers. We pride ourselves on great service, integrity, passion, and teamwork. We strive to offer casual fine dining throughout our restaurant, bar, in-room dining, events, pool, and other areas throughout our property, with menus that change regularly with the seasons.
JOB DESCRIPTION
We are seeking an experienced, creative, and detail-oriented Chef to lead our culinary program with day-to-day responsibilities that include running the kitchen — overseeing and leading an ambitious team — from ordering to leading service, building new dishes, managing our relationships with local farmers, purveyors, colleagues, all while honoring and evolving the culinary reputation context of The Clubhouse Restaurant & Bar at Shandaken Inn.
The Chef will be responsible for the overall success of our property's culinary programs. Our ideal candidate will be a hands-on, hardworking, and respectful presence in our kitchen, leading by example and constantly challenging themselves and their team to improve.
ROLE SUMMARY
We seek an Executive Chef to join our established team utilizing their advanced culinary skills and creativity to lead our brand. The ideal candidate will have strong leadership skills, a passion for food, and hands-on experience creating crafted and innovative dishes. This role manages vendor relationships to ensure quality ingredients are received at practical costs. Additionally, the Chef must demonstrate strong leadership and organizational abilities to drive the highest food quality standards and guest satisfaction in our kitchen environment.
CORE RESPONSIBILITIES
· Plan, direct, and manage the day-to-day operations of the kitchen
· Maintain order in the kitchen, so all tasks are carried out efficiently and effectively
· Ensure consistency of recipe execution, ingredient quality, and meal presentation
· Demonstrate a positive attitude, share culinary knowledge, and lead by example
· Develop seasonal menus highlighting the flavors of our region using inspiration from locally sourced ingredients
· Lead back-of-house staff by motivating, mentoring, and providing consistent support
· Oversee productivity, including performance evaluation
· Manage scheduling and maintain control of labor costs
· Recruit, hire and train new staff
· Direct vendor relationships including consistent product quality evaluation and timely resolution of issues
· Manage inventory and place orders while monitoring actual food costs against budget expectations
· Maintain cleaning and maintenance schedules in compliance with food safety, hygiene, health, and sanitation regulations
· Develop strong, long-term guest, supplier, and industry relationships
· Suggest ideas for improvements and assist with implementing policies and procedures
· Accept direction from and collaborate with management to align kitchen operations with the overall goals and vision of the restaurant
· Other related assignments as necessary
LEADERSHIP QUALITIES:
· Be an excellent communicator – but especially a good listener. Embrace the concept of growing as a team by leading the team but being a part of its fabric too.
· Have the ability to proactively collaborate with all the teams on the property to care for our guests and staff in the best possible ways.
· Coach and empower staff during service, and work with the continual goal of making Shandaken Inn the best place to work. While we are not a teaching kitchen per se, it is within our value system to offer opportunities to all levels of experience and train with active, kind, and patient leadership.
· We expect you to bring your own culture and community, and we will welcome it.
· We expect you to be excited about food and sharing it with people. It should be timeless and modern at the same time, balancing elegance and rusticity. It is easy to enjoy and approachable at many levels.
SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE
· A culinary degree is preferred but not required.
· At least 5 years of direct experience in both restaurant and private settings preferred
· Expertise in a variety of cuisines, cooking styles, and dietary options, including vegan and gluten-free.
· Ability to anticipate problems, drive solutions and improve performance with minimal supervision
· Capable of remaining poised and focused under pressure
· Basic computer skills and knowledge of electronic POS system
· Portfolio available to showcase past work and depth of creativity
COMPENSATION
Salary varies DOE, 75k-85k
We are an equal opportunity employer that offers a competitive compensation package, including health insurance, profit sharing, bonuses, paid time off, employee discounts, and training opportunities.
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: $75,000.00 - $85,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Health insurance
- Paid time off
Experience level:
Pay rate:
Supplemental pay types:
- Quarterly bonus
- Signing bonus
Work setting:
- Fine dining restaurant
- Hotel
Work Location: In person