Executive Chef

Executive Chef

YOUNGSTOWN YACHT CLUB | YOUNGSTOWN, NEW YORK

The Executive Chef leads all kitchen and restaurant operations at Youngstown Yacht Club, including food, bar, dining room, and event service. This person creates food members look forward to, maintains consistent standards during regular dining and events, and builds a team that is prepared, dependable, and proud of its work.

The Executive Chef supervises kitchen leadership and the Front of House Manager and is accountable for the overall restaurant experience.

Responsibilities

● Direct daily kitchen, dining room, and bar operations, with clear standards for both food and service.

● Plan and execute regular dining menus, specials, private events, regattas, and club celebrations.

● Develop seasonal menus early enough to plan staffing, sourcing, preparation, and pricing.

● Prepare food primarily in-house using fresh ingredients. Build relationships with local farms, markets, and reliable suppliers when practical.

● Set and enforce standards for flavor, portion size, temperature, presentation, hospitality, and timely service.

● Supervise, train, and evaluate kitchen staff and the Front of House Manager. Address performance concerns and support staff development.

● Approve staffing plans and schedules, ensuring dependable coverage for every service and event, including days the Executive Chef is off.

● Oversee purchasing, inventory, food and bar costs, labor costs, and waste within budgets approved by club management.

● Work with the Front of House Manager to coordinate reservations, service flow, bar operations, and event details.

● Maintain food safety, sanitation, storage, and cleaning standards, and oversee compliance with applicable service and safety requirements.

● Respond professionally to member feedback and correct recurring food or service problems.

● Monitor restaurant equipment and promptly report repair or replacement needs.

● Keep club management informed about restaurant performance, staffing needs, upcoming menus, and operational concerns.

Qualifications

● Formal culinary training or substantial professional kitchen experience required.

● Culinary arts degree preferred.

● Experience leading a professional kitchen and supervising staff, including managers.

● Strong cooking skills across regular dining and high-volume events.

● Experience with menu planning, purchasing, scheduling, inventory, and cost control.

● Ability to lead kitchen and front of house teams with clear expectations and accountability.

● Clear communication, dependable attendance, sound judgment, and a willingness to be hands-on.

● Knowledge of applicable food safety and alcohol service requirements.

To Apply

Please submit a résumé detailing your culinary training, relevant certifications, and professional experience. Include the restaurants or clubs where you have worked, the roles you held, the size of the teams you supervised, and your experience managing kitchen and front of house operations.

Success in this role means members receive fresh, well-prepared food and welcoming service; events run smoothly; the restaurant is staffed and ready; and costs are managed responsibly.

Work Location: In person