Summary: The Chef de Cuisine is responsible for the leadership, management, and execution of all culinary operations for Tía Carmen and Carmocha at Grand Hyatt Indian Wells Resort & Villas. While these signature restaurant concepts are affiliated with a third-party restaurant brand, the Chef de Cuisine serves as a key member of the Grand Hyatt culinary leadership team and is responsible for maintaining both brand standards and Hyatt operational excellence.
Reporting directly to the Executive Chef, this position oversees all aspects of restaurant culinary operations including food quality, menu execution, financial performance, productivity management, colleague development, sanitation compliance, and guest satisfaction. The Chef de Cuisine is expected to drive operational efficiency, labor productivity, and cross-functional collaboration while delivering exceptional dining experiences that reflect the standards of both the restaurant concept and Grand Hyatt Indian Wells.
The salary range for this position is $95,000 - $120,000, which is the range Grand Hyatt Indian Wells reasonably expects to pay. Decisions regarding individual salaries will be based on factors such as experience and education.
Essential Responsibilities Culinary Leadership- Lead all culinary operations for Tía Carmen and Carmocha, ensuring consistency, creativity, and excellence across all meal periods.
- Execute menus, recipes, and culinary standards established by the restaurant concept while maintaining Hyatt service and operational expectations.
- Ensure the highest levels of food quality, presentation, taste, and consistency.
- Collaborate with the Executive Chef and restaurant leadership to develop seasonal features, culinary promotions, and special events.
- Maintain a culture of culinary excellence, accountability, and continuous improvement.
Team Leadership & Development- Recruit, hire, train, mentor, and develop culinary colleagues at all levels.
- Provide daily coaching and performance feedback to Sous Chefs, cooks, and culinary support staff.
- Foster a positive and inclusive work environment that promotes teamwork, engagement, and professional growth.
- Conduct performance evaluations and implement colleague development plans.
- Maintain high standards of professionalism, attendance, safety, and workplace conduct.
Operational Excellence- Oversee daily production, service execution, inventory management, and kitchen organization.
- Ensure all restaurant service periods are executed efficiently and in accordance with established standards.
- Manage prep schedules, production planning, and operational readiness to support business demands.
- Maintain proper staffing levels and deployment strategies to optimize service and productivity.
- Partner closely with Front-of-House leadership to ensure a seamless and exceptional guest experience.
Productivity & Financial Performance- Drive labor productivity through effective scheduling, staffing alignment, and operational planning.
- Monitor and manage labor cost, food cost, overtime, waste, and controllable expenses in accordance with budget expectations.
- Analyze key performance indicators including labor productivity, food cost percentages, inventory variances, and operational efficiencies.
- Develop and implement action plans to improve profitability while maintaining quality and service standards.
- Utilize forecasting tools and business trends to align labor and production with anticipated demand.
- Lead initiatives focused on workflow optimization, menu engineering, purchasing efficiencies, and waste reduction.
- Ensure department performance consistently meets or exceeds established financial and productivity goals.
Cross-Departmental Leadership & Resort Support- Collaborate with Banquets, Stewarding, Purchasing, Engineering, Human Resources, Front Office, and Food & Beverage leadership to support overall resort objectives.
- Provide culinary leadership and operational support across multiple outlets and resort initiatives as business levels require.
- Assist with banquet functions, holiday activations, VIP events, catering programs, and special resort events.
- Partner with fellow culinary leaders to ensure consistency, resource sharing, and operational success across the property.
- Support resort-wide initiatives designed to improve colleague engagement, guest satisfaction, productivity, and financial performance.
- Participate in leadership meetings and contribute to strategic planning efforts that support the success of the Culinary and Food & Beverage divisions.
Food Safety & Sanitation- Ensure full compliance with Hyatt standards and all local, state, and federal health and safety regulations.
- Maintain exceptional sanitation standards throughout all culinary areas.
- Enforce proper food handling, storage, HACCP procedures, and safety practices.
- Lead preparation for health inspections, internal audits, and quality assurance reviews.
- Promote a safe working environment through training, adherence to policies, and continuous monitoring.
Brand Partnership & Concept Execution- Serve as the primary culinary liaison between Grand Hyatt Indian Wells and the affiliated restaurant brand.
- Maintain integrity of recipes, menu specifications, presentation standards, and culinary philosophy.
- Collaborate with corporate and brand representatives to ensure successful implementation of brand initiatives.
- Support culinary activations, media events, and promotional programs that enhance awareness and performance of both restaurant concepts.
Qualifications:- Minimum five (5) years of progressive culinary leadership experience in upscale, luxury, or high-volume restaurant environments.
- Minimum two (2) years of experience as a Sous Chef, Executive Sous Chef, or Chef de Cuisine.
- Strong knowledge of culinary techniques, kitchen operations, food cost controls, labor management, and productivity metrics.
- Demonstrated ability to lead, motivate, and develop high-performing culinary teams.
- Strong financial acumen and understanding of restaurant profitability, labor productivity, and cost management.
- Excellent communication, organizational, problem-solving, and leadership skills.
- ServSafe Manager Certification, or ability to obtain upon hire.
- Ability to work flexible schedules including evenings, weekends, and holidays.
