Chef de Cuisine

ABOUT THE PROPERTY

Located in the heart of the city at Andrassy Avenue (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), the hotel is housed in the impressive Drechsler Palace on the city’s most luxurious shopping street located directly across from the State Opera House. W Budapest features 151 stylish guest rooms and suites, including one Black Swan, the brand’s lux-take on the Presidential Suite.  The hotel offers a destination restaurant and a destination bar, both sure to be embraced by locals as a place to mix and mingle, as well as the signature W Lounge, the brand’s evolution of the traditional hotel lobby, where guests can go to see and be seen. Three meeting and event spaces, including a Great Room for larger celebrations, are available, along with an Away® Spa, FIT® fitness center, and WET® pool. Guests can also expect the W brand’s signature Whatever/Whenever® service philosophy, providing guests whatever they want, whenever they want it. 

ABOUT THE BRAND

At W we go all in. We are vibrant, alluring, and personal. We don’t take ourselves too seriously. We are irreverent, energetic, and spontaneous. We have an edge. We are bold, brave, and confident. We do everything with intention. We are sophisticated, thoughtful, and aspirational. W sits alongside luxury and is not confined by it, W turns the traditional notion of the extravagant hotel on its head. Our irreverent attitude and taste for excess redefine revelry for the modern jet set. We stimulate our guests to ignite curiosity and expand worlds. We share our guests’ passions, providing insider access to what’s new and what’s next. If you’re ready to create the energetic W scene that is magnetic to everyday connectors around the world, then we invite you to explore a career with W Hotels. W Hotels does not recruit, we cast Talent. 

JOB SUMMARY

Accountable for overall success of the daily kitchen operations. Exhibits culinary talents by personally performing tasks while leading the staff and managing all food related functions. Works to continually improve guest and employee satisfaction while maintaining the operating budget. Supervises all kitchen areas to ensure a consistent, high quality product is produced. Responsible for guiding and developing staff including direct reports. Must ensure sanitation and food standards are achieved.

CANDIDATE PROFILE 

Education and Experience

• High school diploma or GED; 4 years experience in the culinary, food and beverage, or related professional area.

OR

• 2-year degree from an accredited university in Culinary Arts, Hotel and Restaurant Management, or related major; 2 years experience in the culinary, food and beverage, or related professional area.

CORE WORK ACTIVITIES

Ensuring Culinary Standards and Responsibilities are Met

• Manages kitchen shift operations and ensures compliance with all Food & Beverage policies, standards and procedures.

• Estimates daily production needs on a weekly basis and communicates production needs to kitchen personnel daily.

• Assists Executive Chef with all kitchen operations and preparation.

• Prepares and cooks foods of all types, either on a regular basis or for special guests or functions.

• Develops, designs, or creates new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.

• Assists in determining how food should be presented and creates decorative food displays.

• Maintains purchasing, receiving and food storage standards.

• Ensures compliance with food handling and sanitation standards.

• Performs all duties of kitchen managers and employees as necessary.

• Recognizes superior quality products, presentations and flavor.

• Ensures compliance with all applicable laws and regulations.

• Follows proper handling and right temperature of all food products.

• Operates and maintains all department equipment and reports malfunctions.

• Checks the quality of raw and cooked food products to ensure that standards are met.

Leading Kitchen Operations

• Supervises and coordinates activities of cooks and workers engaged in food preparation.

• Leads shifts while personally preparing food items and executing requests based on required specifications.

• Utilizes interpersonal and communication skills to lead, influence, and encourage others; advocates sound financial/business decision making; demonstrates honesty/integrity; leads by example.

• Encourages and builds mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.

• Serves as a role model to demonstrate appropriate behaviors.

• Maintains the productivity level of employees.

• Ensures employees understand expectations and parameters.

• Establishes and maintains open, collaborative relationships with employees and ensures employees do the same within the team.

• Ensures property policies are administered fairly and consistently.

• Communicates performance expectations in accordance with job descriptions for each position.

• Recognizes success performance and produces desired results.

Ensuring Exceptional Customer Service

• Provides services that are above and beyond for customer satisfaction and retention.

• Manages day-to-day operations, ensuring the quality, standards and meeting the expectations of the customers on a daily basis.

• Sets a positive example for guest relations.

• Empowers employees to provide excellent customer service.

• Interacts with guests to obtain feedback on product quality and service levels.

• Handles guest problems and complaints.

Maintaining Culinary Goals

• Achieves and exceeds goals including performance goals, budget goals, team goals, etc.

• Develops specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.

• Utilizes the Labor Management System to effectively schedule to business demands and for tracking of employee time and attendance.

• Trains employees in safety procedures.

Managing and Conducting Human Resource Activities 

• Identifies the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.

• Improves service by communicating and assisting individuals to understand guest needs, providing guidance, feedback, and individual coaching when needed.

• Participates in the employee performance appraisal process, providing feedback as needed.

• Brings issues to the attention of the department manager and Human Resources as necessary.

Additional Responsibilities 

• Provides information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.

• Analyzes information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.

• Attends and participates in all pertinent meetings.