About the position
At Loews Hotels at Universal Orlando, we are excited to welcome you to our team, where you will have the opportunity to make a difference and have fun every day. Our world-class team is dedicated to bringing to life the incredible, award-winning hotels located at Universal Orlando Resort. Recognized as one of Central Florida's Top Workplaces and one of America's Best-in-State Employers by Forbes, we are committed to fostering a "power of we" culture that values authenticity and connection. Here, you can bring your true self to work every day, engaging and delighting our guests while enjoying excellent benefits and perks, including one free meal per shift and free theme park access. As part of the opening team at the new Universal Stella Nova Resort, inspired by distant galaxies and new stars, you will play a crucial role in creating recipes and menus that reflect customer tastes, seasonal availability, and the restaurant's theme. Your responsibilities will include planning menus and setting pricing in accordance with marketing strategies, cost control, and profit goals. You will conduct order analysis and menu engineering functions to enhance profit and quality performance, while also evaluating changes in guest needs, the hotel's guest mix, and industry trends to recommend appropriate product and operational changes. In this role, you will develop daily specials and seasonal menus, forecast labor and food costs, and ensure the safe, efficient, and sanitary production of all menu items. You will maintain adherence to product quality, consistency, presentation, and portioning goals, while also minimizing kitchen waste and breakage. Additionally, you will oversee the Stewarding department, develop purchase specifications for food and beverage items, and place all food orders. Your leadership will extend to hiring and training all food production and stewarding team members, scheduling and supervising chefs, cooks, butchers, and pantry team members, and ensuring that the kitchen team has all required equipment and supplies. You will also be responsible for maintaining the excellent condition of all kitchen equipment, developing regular cleaning and maintenance schedules, and analyzing food quality complaints to adapt menus or provide additional training as necessary. Monitoring the maintenance of proper par stocks of kitchen and service equipment will be essential, as will reporting any equipment irregularities to the Engineering department. You will coordinate food production operations with food service management and staff, develop food and beverage merchandising plans, and prepare the annual department budget while managing costs and payroll reports to ensure labor cost conformity within budgetary guidelines. Regular departmental meetings will be part of your routine, along with promoting teamwork and maintaining a polite, friendly, and helpful demeanor towards guests and team members.
Responsibilities
- Create recipes and menus to reflect customer tastes, seasonal availability, and restaurant theming.
- Plan menus and set pricing in accordance with marketing, cost control, and profit goals.
- Conduct order analysis and menu engineering functions to improve profit and quality performance.
- Evaluate changes in guest needs, the hotel's guest mix, and industry trends to recommend appropriate product/service and operational changes.
- Develop daily specials and seasonal and special event menus.
- Forecast labor and food costs.
- Organize, supervise, and ensure safe, efficient, and sanitary production of all menu items.
- Maintain adherence to all product quality, consistency, presentation, portioning, garnishment, and utilization goals.
- Ensure adherence to all food temperature and time controls.
- Minimize kitchen waste and breakage.
- Direct and monitor all activities of the Stewarding department and team.
- Develop purchase specifications for all food and beverage items.
- Place all food orders.
- Design and maintain adherence to all food and beverage inspection and receiving standards.
- Direct the hiring and training of all food production and stewarding team members.
- Schedule, direct, and supervise activities of all chefs, cooks, butchers, and pantry team members.
- Design skills level training and development plans for all food and beverage production team members.
- Ensure that kitchen team members have all required equipment and supplies.
- Maintain the excellent condition of all kitchen equipment and develop regular cleaning, inspection, and maintenance schedules.
- Analyze and respond to any food quality complaints, adapting menus or providing additional training as necessary.
- Monitor maintenance of proper par stocks of all kitchen and service equipment, china, glassware, and utensils.
- Report any equipment irregularities or defects to the Engineering department or contracted service provider.
- Advise all food preparation team members of food quality and recipe standards.
- Conduct regular safety, sanitation, and general production tours of all kitchen and storage areas to ensure safe and efficient production and storage in accordance with all hotel standards and health regulations.
- Coordinate food production operations with food service management and staff.
- Develop and coordinate food and beverage merchandising plans with the assistance and cooperation of the Food and Beverage Director.
- Develop service sales guidelines for suggested food and wine pairing.
- Prepare annual department budget and manage department costs, updating budget if operational forecasts change significantly.
- Review/maintain daily payroll reports/records to ensure labor cost conformity within forecasted budgetary guidelines and production requirements.
- Conduct departmental meetings.
Requirements
- Received certification or a degree through a recognized educational institute of culinary arts.
- Minimum eight years experience as Executive Chef at a similar size and quality hotel or resort.
- Minimum five years experience in multi-outlet food production management.
- Impeccable culinary skills.
- Outstanding communication and leadership skills.
- Exceptional creative abilities.
- Extensive menu development and budget preparation experience.
- Able to work a flexible schedule, including weekends and holidays.
Benefits
- One free meal per shift.
- Free theme park access.
- Training and development opportunities.
- Dynamic culture that makes every day interesting, challenging, fulfilling, and fun.
