Dedicated to strategic airline partner for development of new menus and culinary concepts globally across a range of cuisines (Asian, Modern European and Ethnic etc.) for the client in line with their brand values and corporate identity with the use of approved suppliers taking into account budget, dietary and operational needs. Joint responsibility for kitchen operations globally related to the dedicated customer with influence in training in multiple units to deliver the customers’ expectations whilst ensuring quality and culinary standards are consistently upheld by actively supporting operational execution on a regular basis.
Annual Hiring Range/Hourly Rate:
• $145,000 - $150,000/Per Year
• This position is eligible for incentive pay of 20% of the annual base salary, dependent upon successful attainment of company, team, and individual goals.
Benefits
- Paid time off
- 401k, with company match
- Company sponsored life insurance
- Medical, dental, vision plans
- Voluntary short-term/long-term disability insurance
- Voluntary life, accident, and hospital plans
- Employee Assistance Program
- Commuter benefits
- Employee Discounts
Main Duties and Responsibilities:
- Ensures Gate Gourmet can deliver world class menu development and production services to a strategic customer that reflects the Airlines signature culinary style
- Be the gategroup expert with respect to the customer experience the airline creates and consistently deliver to its passengers through in-flight meals
- Secures the confidence of the customer and strengthen the levels of consistent quality service.
- Assists the customer with the development of food philosophies and standards and ensure gategroup has the capability to deliver consistently against the customers culinary standards
- Builds relationships with Regional Executive Chefs and Airline Unit Chefs to ensure clear communication of expectations and deliverables. Articulate the customer needs with respect to raw materials, identify and secure suppliers to meet the requirements, potentially outside gategroup’s supplier list
- Partners with the Customer Lead Executive Chefs and Regional Executive Chefs to ensure seamless integration of menu requirements into production and ensure menus are consistently executable in-flight via gate gourmet or supplier partner production environment
- Be a trusted point of contact for the customer regarding Menus, Food and Kitchen service requirements.
- Works closely with gategroup’s Total Cost Management (TCM) organization. Assure new specifications, recipes and photos are properly documented and delivered for pricing analysis
- Monitors customer feedback and ensure appropriate corrective actions are taken in a timely manner.
- Measures success based on KPI’s that are mutually agreed by gategroup and the customer including but not limited to margin, customer satisfaction, quality and recipe management
- Travels to designated units and fly specified routes to learn, inspect, audit, train and make recommendations for improvements
- Prepares all culinary aspects of the presentation to the customer during a tender including but not limited to the food presentation, messaging, ingredients and physical appearance of the local kitchen
- Actively participates as a member of the account management team that includes and Executive Management Board sponsor, VP Group Culinary Excellence and Global Account Director making contributions that result in winning, retaining and/or building the business
- Actively participates as a member of the Gate Gourmet global dedicated S.P.I.C.E (Sustaining Progress in Culinary Excellence) program
- Creates a joint responsibility for the customer satisfaction between the local kitchens and the dedicated chef team
- Maintains the standard of skill and service levels of multiple customer dedicated production chefs and support these dotted line reports in the operations at key locations to balance the need to meet the dedicated customers’ requirements
- Develops and refreshes all menus globally in line with the Airlines culinary style to create an appealing customer experience
- Prepares menu and food reports by collecting, analyzing and summarizing food, dining and customer trend data
- Represents the customer and Gate Gourmet at media events, special affairs, inaugural events, food fairs, exhibitions and seminars as requested
- Acts as an Ambassador for gategroup
Qualifications
Education:
- Apprenticeship, AOS or compatible degree in Culinary Arts and/or Bachelor’s Degree in Business and/or Hospitality
- Catering diploma or City and Guilds, or other appropriate qualification
Work Experience:
- 3-5 years of experience within in-flight catering preferred
- 4 years of Menu Development and operational experience
- Global style, proficiency in fusion cooking
- Previous menu development responsibility in a fine dining environment
- A sound knowledge and experience of Asian cuisines and modern European cuisines
- Working knowledge and experience of HACCP stands and equivalent
- Experience presenting to clients/customers and building/maintaining appropriate relationships
Skills and Knowledge:
- Strong Culinary Background
- Understanding of large scale production and assembly
- Clear understanding of Hospitality and Service and the Customer Experience
- Ability to present a culinary vision utilizing all 5 senses
- Project Management Skills
- Diverse/multi-cultural Interpersonal Skills
- Independent and Pro-active Leader
- Process Oriented and Results Driven
- Capability to keep the hand on the pulse of the culinary world including trends, organizations and personnel
- Passionate about food and teaching culinary techniques
- Current in the latest food production techniques
- Current in the latest food trends
- Aware of Super Food and Functional Food principles
- Aware of caloric intake and basic dietary requirements
- Aware of religious meal requirements including HALAL, Kosher, Hindu
- Proficient in Microsoft Office
Language / Communication Skills:
- Relationship and Strategic Account Management Skills
- Capacity to manage the movement and schedules of colleagues and customers globally
- Able to speak publicly and represent Gate Gourmet with confidence and professionalism
- Proficient culinary knowledge of terms, procedures and practices and be able to teach these techniques
- Excellent customer interaction and presentation skills and be able to teach these techniques
- Good interoffice skills, pleasant, professional office demeanor
- Must exhibit patience and “mentor-like” abilities
- English language skills required, additional languages a plus
Job Dimensions
Geographic Responsibility: Global responsibility for Gate Gourmet/Airline customer locations
Type of Employment: Full-time
Travel %: Up to 60% (Domestic and International)
Exemption Classification: Exempt
Internal Relationships: Culinary teams, unit chefs and other internal contacts as needed
External Relationships: Customer and others as needed
Work Environment / Requirements of the Job:
- Must be able to regularly stand, bend, lift, and move intermittently during work schedules of 10+ hours
- Must be able to withstand a normal production kitchen facility where there may be physical discomfort due to varying temperature and noise levels
- Must be able to lift, push, pull and move product, equipment, supplies, etc., in excess of twenty five (25) pounds
- Occasionally requires working weekends and holidays
gategroup Competencies Required to be Successful in the Job:
- Thinking – Information Search and analysis & problem resolution skills
- Engaging – Understanding others, Team Leadership and Developing People
- Inspiring – Influencing and building relationships, Motivating and Inspiring, Communicating effectively
- Achieving – Delivering business results under pressure, Championing Performance Improvement and Customer Focus
