Rex 1516 is hiring: Executive Chef in Philadelphia

Position Overview

The executive chef is responsible for all culinary activities for the restaurant. This position will oversee all activity in the kitchen, hire and train personnel, plan menus with seasonal changes, oversee product purchasing and manage and maintain a culinary budget with margins that fit within industry standards of 30% of cost. It is vital that the Executive Chef is able to take criticism and speak on their own behalf with rationality to defend their ideas. The Executive Chef is responsible for cultivating a positive, nurturing, and inclusive work culture within the restaurant in accordance with company policy.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities: 

1. Make periodic and regular inspections of mise en place to observe quality of food preparation; food appearance; and cleanliness and sanitation of production and service areas, equipment and employee appearance to the standards set forth by Servsafe, OSHA, and the Health Department. 

2. Coordinate all food training for kitchen, private events, catering, and menu descriptions for BOH employees, including the identification and analysis of training needs and the design and implementation of programs to address any deficiencies, as needed. Coordinate when necessary with the Health Department for private and offsite events. 

3. Develop recipes and portion specifications in accordance with restaurant theme, culinary trends, dietary restrictions, ease of preparation and establish procedures and budgetary constraints, including product and recipe testing and menu development for a seafood and vegetable focused Southern restaurant. Maintain an up to date and neat recipe book, accessible for the whole BOH team.

4. Assist operation managers as requested in areas such as private party menu planning and the design of any service areas for off-premise events in accordance with Health Department guidelines. 

5. Prepare monthly reports and analyses setting forth progress and adverse trends and make appropriate recommendations and/or changes. 

6. Provide orientation of company and department rules, policies and procedures and oversee training of new kitchen employees. Assist the culinary director in developing and implementing a standardized training procedure.

7. Be knowledgeable of restaurant policies regarding personnel and administer prompt, fair and consistent corrective action for any violations of company policies, rules and procedures.

8. The executive chef is responsible for the implementation of regularly scheduled employee evaluations for subordinates, and disciplinary actions when necessary.

9. Be knowledgeable of restaurant harassment and non-discrimination policies, and immediately report any incidents to supervisors according to the company chain of command.

10. Schedule all kitchen employees to provide adequate coverage for necessary shifts, maintaining a labor cost consistent with industry standards. Post schedule in a timely manner and implement a system for day off requests.  

11. The executive chef will oversee kitchen staff to assure that they are using the proper chemicals and temperatures required to Health Department standards. 

12. The executive chef will conduct themselves in a professional manner, and their conduct will be a reflection of both the Rex and Sojourn Philly brands. 

In this role, the Executive Chef will develop and endorse plans for: 

A. Strategic Menu Planning.
B. Business Acumen.
C. Organization. 

D. Leadership.
E. Direct and Respectful Communication. 

F. Presentation Skills. 

Supervision Received: 

Owners
Culinary Director 

Business Director 

Director of Operations 

Supervision Exercised: 

This position manages all employees of the culinary department and is responsible for the performance management and hiring of the employees within that department. This includes back of the house managerial staff (sous), pastry chef, line cooks, garde manger, and dishwasher staff 

Qualifications & Skills: 

Must have a proven track record of menu creation within budgetary constraints, and several successful years of experience in a Sous Chef and Executive Chef capacity.