Chef de Cuisine

Position Overview  

The Chef de Cuisine is responsible for ensuring the culinary and operating standards of Cafe Zaffri are executed with excellence. As the CDC, you will be expected to act as a leader for our Culinary team. A positive attitude in the kitchen and the ability to create a gracious environment for guests and staff is of the utmost importance. The responsibilities of the CDC include but are not limited to menu planning, developing recipes, financial responsibility, food quality assurance, and managing staff. The CDC provides training, hands-on management, and positive interactions with guests, while promoting a profitable and financially stable operation. 

Duties and Responsibilities  

Operations 

• Together with the Executive Chef, creates and implements operating standards for the Culinary Department. 

• Oversees menu structure, offerings, titling, and pricing; develops featured items for holidays, special events, and promotions. 

• Manages Sous Chef, cooks, and porters in their daily responsibilities, providing clear, effective direction. 

• Ensures all items are prepared properly and timely for service daily. 

• Conducts line checks multiple times per day when on duty to ensure DOH compliance and addresses all DOH violations immediately. 

• Approves any maintenance or repairs needed through the Executive Chef or Director of F&B. 

• Performs POS functions including comps, voids and transfers, back of house menu and employee administration as necessary. 

• Promotes and practices safe work habits through trainings, education, and day-to-day management; identifies and resolves potential safety hazards; ensures accidents are documented following proper procedures; conducts initial investigation and determination of root cause of safety incidents in the interest of maintaining a safe work environment. 

Staff Management 

• Hires, trains, supervises, manages, coaches, counsels, and evaluates members of the culinary team. 

• Completes new hire orientation and onboarding in a compliant and timely manner, meeting expectations laid out by the Executive Chef, Director of F&B, and Human Resources. 

• Participates in training of front-of-house staff in menu and food knowledge. 

• Delegates hourly staff scheduling amongst chef team and approves weekly schedule for hourly back-of-house staff. 

• Establishes regular communication with back-of-house team, including pre-shifts, meetings, trainings, etc. 

• Oversees all staffing pars, postings for open positions, and interviewing and final approval for back-of-house hires. 

• Ensures all new hires are thoroughly trained on the expectations of the kitchen, recipes, product quality, and presentation required of each dish. 

• Together with the Executive Chef, reviews and approves payroll for Culinary staff; reviews daily time punches for accuracy and addresses time clock abuse (clocking in early or late) via coaching and/or documentation. 

• Oversees performance review process for all Culinary employees and delivers reviews to all Chefs. 

• Provides final approval for Culinary Department disciplinary write-ups and terminations; ensures disciplinary and termination decisions are compliant with employment law and minimize risk to the Company. 

• Support front-of-house management with coaching conversations as necessary. 

• Ensures that all staff are compliant with Company policies and procedures, as well as city, state, and federal laws. 

Finance and Purchasing 

• Maximizes profitability of culinary department by implementing effective food and labor cost controls, consistently monitoring budget to ensure efficient operations, reporting any discrepancies from budget to the Food & Beverage Director. 

• Costs all recipes regularly to ensure profitability targets are achieved. 

• Together with the Executive Chef, oversees purchasing program including establishing order guides with pars, establishing ordering and delivery schedule, and ensuring proper product amounts are maintained to limit waste/spoilage. 

• Implements waste tracking system as needed. 

• Manages relationships with food vendors continually driving low cost through purchasing strategy and ensuring all food products received meet the highest standards of quality. 

• Manages GL accuracy for all culinary products; establishes invoicing procedures and other controls to ensure accuracy and addresses discrepancies or invoicing issues immediately. 

• Establishes inventory cycle with Executive Chef and Director of F&B to ensure consistent, accurate, and timely completion of inventory. 

• Cultivates positive and professional relations with vendors, including interactions on property with Culinary staff. 

Other 

• Maintains a successful working relationship with The Twenty Two hotel team and supports cross-functionality between the Culinary Department and hotel as necessary. 

• Participates in community events and ensures corporate social responsibility goals of the Company are met. 

• Maintains knowledge by attending educational workshops, reviewing professional publications, establishing personal networks, benchmarking state-of-the-art practices, and participating in professional societies. 

Qualifications   

• 1-2 years Chef de Cuisine or Executive Sous Chef experience in a fine dining establishment or similar caliber concept. 

• Bachelor’s degree in culinary arts or similar subject preferred. 

• Fluency in written and spoken English. 

• Ability to utilize computer programs such as Gmail, Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint), Paycom, Toast POS, and any additional systems. Ability to access and accurately input information using a moderately complex computer system. 

• Ability to work a variable schedule including nights, weekends, and holidays, per the needs of the business. 

• Excellent interpersonal and written and verbal communication skills. 

• Excellent time management, organizational, and problem-solving skills. 

• Adaptable in fast-paced and challenging work environment. 

• Basic skills in math and algebraic equations using percentages. 

• Demonstration of positive leadership characteristics which inspire team members to meet and exceed standards. 

• Demonstrated leadership characteristics which inspire team members to meet and exceed standards. 

• Passion for exceptional hospitality, food, and beverage. 

Essential Functions and Physical Demands 
This job requires meeting specific physical demands to perform essential duties effectively. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform those essential functions. 

While performing the essential duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to:   
 

• See, hear, and speak.  

• Exert well-paced mobility for periods of up to 12 hours per day.  

• Lift and carry 50+ pounds. 

• Frequently stand, walk, reach, bend, stoop, push, pull, and kneel.  

• Frequently utilize the stairs, often while lifting and carrying heavy items.    

• Occasionally crouch and climb.  

• Safely navigate hazardous situations and conditions that produce cuts or minor burns. 

• Safely navigate exposure to hot and cold temperatures, such as when working near ovens or retrieving food from freezers, as well as contaminants and hazardous equipment. 

• Be exposed to common allergens and unique ingredients.  

The Company is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants. Employment decisions are based on business needs, qualifications, and merit, without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or any other protected status under Federal, State and Local laws.