Chef de Cuisine Fusion Restaurant

About the Role

Le Meridien is seeking a Chef de Cuisine - Fusion Restaurant to oversee the quality, consistency, and production of the restaurant kitchen. This full-time role involves leading kitchen staff, managing food-related functions, and coordinating menus, purchasing, staffing, and food preparation. The Chef de Cuisine will work to enhance guest and employee satisfaction while adhering to operational budgets and ensuring high sanitation and food standards.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop, design, and create new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions for the restaurant.
• Supervise restaurant kitchen shift operations and ensure compliance with all Food & Beverage policies, standards, and procedures.
• Maintain proper food preparation, handling, and storage standards.
• Recognize superior quality products, presentations, and flavors.
• Plan and manage food quantities and plating requirements for the restaurant.
• Communicate production needs to key personnel and estimate daily restaurant production needs.
• Assist in developing daily and seasonal menu items for the restaurant.
• Prepare and cook various types of food, both on a regular basis and for special guests or functions.
• Check the quality of raw and cooked food products to ensure standards are met.
• Determine food presentation methods and create decorative food displays.
• Supervise and coordinate activities of cooks and workers engaged in food preparation.
• Lead shift teams while personally preparing food items and executing requests based on specifications.

Team Leadership and Development

• Supervise and manage restaurant kitchen employees, overseeing all day-to-day operations.
• Utilize interpersonal and communication skills to lead, influence, and encourage others, advocating sound financial/business decision-making.
• Encourage and build mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
• Serve as a role model to demonstrate appropriate behaviors and ensure employee productivity.
• Ensure employees are cross-trained to support successful daily operations and understand expectations.
• Establish and maintain open, collaborative relationships with employees.
• Set and support the achievement of kitchen goals, including performance, budget, and team goals.
• Identify developmental needs of others and provide coaching, mentoring, or other assistance to improve knowledge and skills.
• Participate in training restaurant staff on menu items, including ingredients, preparation methods, and unique tastes.
• Manage employee progressive discipline procedures and participate in performance appraisals.
• Assist in interviewing and hiring employee team members with appropriate skills.

Operational Management

• Ensure compliance with all applicable laws and regulations.
• Follow proper handling and temperature control for all food products.
• Understand the impact of kitchen operations on overall property financial goals and objectives, managing to achieve or exceed budgeted goals.
• Effectively investigate, report, and follow up on employee accidents, implementing company safety standards.
• Manage day-to-day operations, ensuring quality, standards, and meeting customer expectations.
• Improve service by communicating and assisting individuals to understand guest needs, providing guidance, feedback, and coaching.
• Set a positive example for guest relations and emphasize guest satisfaction during all departmental meetings.
• Empower employees to provide excellent customer service and handle guest problems and complaints.
• Interact with guests to obtain feedback on product quality and service levels.

Qualifications and Experience

• Demonstrated culinary talents and leadership abilities.
• Experience in managing food-related functions and kitchen operations.
• Proven ability to maintain operating budgets and ensure sanitation and food standards.
• Experience in developing and training teams to improve results.
• A minimum of 2-5 years of experience in a similar culinary leadership role.

Additional Skills

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills to lead, influence, and encourage others.
• Demonstrated honesty and integrity, leading by example.
• Ability to analyze information and evaluate results to choose the best solutions and solve problems.
• Proficiency in providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates via various communication channels.
• Ability to attend and participate in all pertinent meetings.