Executive Chef

Hoover Country Club

Executive Chef

Reports to:  General Manager/Clubhouse Manager

Supervises:  All Kitchen Staff

Position Description:
The Executive Chef opportunity at Hoover Country Club in Hoover, Alabama, presents an exciting chance for candidates with proven leadership and culinary expertise to guide our culinary team in delivering exceptional dining experiences. The Club's diverse dining venues, banquet spaces, and busy a la carte dining requires candidates with experience in high-quality and high-touch environments frequently enjoyed by the membership. The Executive Chef will oversee a dynamic operation that includes a la carte service, private events, and large-scale functions, requiring a strong background in high-quality, member-focused environments.

This position is ideal for candidates with strong organizational abilities, steady and inspiring leadership, and clear, effective communication to ensure consistent execution. The Executive Chef will collaborate closely with Hoover Country Club’s respected executive team in a supportive and member-focused culture, ensuring that all culinary offerings reflect the Club’s standards of excellence and deliver outstanding dining experience for members and guests.

The Executive Chef (EC) is a vital leader within Hoover Country Club’s food and beverage team, responsible for delivering exceptional cuisine to our membership. This role requires consistent commitment to the highest culinary standards and flawless execution. Candidates with a passion for culinary creativity, dedication to quality, and the ability to inspire and lead a talented culinary team in a premier private club setting are encouraged to apply for this exciting opportunity.

HOOVER COUNTRY CLUB BY THE NUMBERS:

• Approximately 900 Members
• Average Age – 48
• Approximate Annual Gross Revenue – $7.6M
• Initiation Fee – $20,000
• Approximate Food Volume – $1.3M
• Approximate Beverage Volume – $690K
• Annual Covers – 21K
• Weddings Annually - 3
• 70% a la carte/30% banquet
• Kitchen Employees – 18
• 1 Kitchen, 1 Banquet Kitchen, 1 Pool Kitchen
• Annual Closure – 2 weeks in January – R&M
• Traditionally Closed (Mondays – Thanksgiving – Christmas – New Year's)
• POS – Jonas
• 501-C3 – Status – Member Owned

KEY PRIORITIES

Leadership:

• Be a collaborative team player who is willing to work with and train the team each day doing whatever it takes to deliver the best Member experience.
• Empower the culinary team and delegate appropriately, so they can focus on growth; be confident that the operation can run well in EC’s absence.
• Be an active recruiter of team members and someone who inherently enjoys developing and building his/her team and leading them to significant, positive membership satisfaction outcomes.
• Have a passion and aptitude for teaching and training all food service personnel, working, as necessary, with the staff directly responsible for operations.
• Be a focused and consistent evaluator of personnel, ensuring that standards of conduct and delivery are met; this includes oversight of high standards of appearance, hospitality, service, and cleanliness of the kitchen facilities.
• Maintain existing operating standards for personnel in areas of responsibility and consistently evaluate knowledge, understanding, and execution to these high standards.
• Work closely with the front-of-house food and beverage managers to ensure a cohesive experience that continually exceeds the expectations of Members and guests.
• Engage with, observe, learn, and listen to the Members and staff. Earn Member trust by instilling confidence through continued enhanced operations, interaction, visibility, and consistency.
• Remain current and continue education regarding diverse and new culinary trends and cuisines.
• Maintain physical presence during times of high business volume.
  
  

Operations:

• Maintain existing standard recipes and techniques for food preparation and presentation that help to assure consistent high-quality food.
• Evaluate food products to ensure that quality standards are always attained.
• Maintain opening and closing cleaning checklists for each area/station within the kitchen and develop a weekly/monthly cleaning checklist.
• Safeguard all food-preparation employees by implementing training to increase their knowledge about safety, sanitation, and accident-prevention principles.
• Maintain safety training programs; manage OSHA-related aspects of kitchen safety and maintain MSDS's in an easily accessible location.

Financial:

• Plan menus for all food outlets in the Club and special occasions and events.
• Schedule and coordinate the work of chefs, cooks, and other kitchen employees to ensure that food preparation is economical and technically correct, and within budgeted labor cost goals.
• Consistently monito payroll and labor resource allocations to ensure they are in line with financial forecasting and goals; the Club has a strong finance department that provides monthly and bimonthly updates to the EC.
• Prepare necessary data for applicable parts of the budget; project annual food, labor, and other costs and monitor actual financial results; take corrective action as necessary to help assure that financial goals are met.
• Review and approve product purchase specifications.
• Strong Inventory Management.

EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS

Including, but not limited to, the following:

• A culinary arts degree from an accredited school is preferred.
• Certified Executive Chef (ACF) or Pro Chef (CIA) certification is preferred.
• Certification in food safety is mandatory.
• Has a proven track record of high-level restaurant, resort, hotel, or country Club dining expertise.
• Successful experience in both a la carte and banquet operations in previous hotels, clubs, or resorts.
• Is a strong and passionate leader and culinary professional with a proven track record of providing high-level services. The EC must be passionate about their craft and inspire those around him or her.
• The EC is a lifelong learner and instills that characteristic into his or her team.
• Is extremely organized to successfully manage and lead multiple a la carte and banquet venues simultaneously as well as prepare for and execute successful banquet events.
• Has a successful track record of controlling costs, standardizing recipes, and planning budgets, and has the skills necessary to perform all kitchen tasks and train those to properly execute those tasks. The EC leads by example.
• Is a visionary and trendsetter yet understands and respects the Club’s long-standing culinary traditions and can balance both in creating menus, specials, and banquet offerings.
• Must have computer skills including but not limited to Microsoft, experience with Jonas Club Software is a plus. Knowledge of inventory software is a plus.
• A strong relationship builder with a history of collaboration with their GM, Assistant GM, Food and Beverage Manager, and other departmental leaders.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

The club will provide compensation and benefits package commensurate with experience and qualifications including:

• Competitive Base Salary based on Experience
• Performance Bonus based on Department Results
• Performance Bonus based on Overall Club’s Performance
• Health, Dental, and Vision insurance, retirement plan, paid time off, meals, and club perks as set forth in the employee handbook

Employment Eligibility Verification:

In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification form upon hire.