About our property:
The Hanover Inn has a rich legacy of hospitality stretching all the way back to its humble beginning back in 1780 when the Inn first welcomed guests as a Tavern. Notable guests have included Presidents Monroe, Wilson, F.D.R., Eisenhower, Nixon, and Reagan. George Washington did not sleep at the inn but Booker T. Washington did. Entertainers have included Kirk Douglas, Ella Fitzgerald, Joan Baez, Art Linkletter, Mary Tyler Moore, Burt Bacharach, Duke Ellington, Lillian Gish and B.B. King. The list of writers includes F. Scott Fitzgerald, J.D. Salinger, Sinclair Lewis, Carl Sandburg, Robert Frost, and Dr. Seuss.
What you will have an opportunity to do:
Our Vision: A Restaurant That Becomes the DestinationThe era of forgettable hotel dining is over. Today's luxury travelers and discerning locals demand more. They want menus that reflect place and season, ingredients that tell a story, presentations that feel like art, and an atmosphere that makes them want to come back, not because they are staying at the hotel, but because the restaurant itself is worth the trip.
We are building a dining experience that feels curated, intentional, and alive, a place where the menu changes with the seasons, where local purveyors are partners, where the cocktail program and the kitchen speak the same creative language, and where every detail, from the table settings to the plating, reflects a commitment to excellence that goes far above standard. We need an Executive Chef who does not just understand this vision, but who can bring it to life.
Your Role: Visionary Culinary LeaderAs Executive Chef, you will be the creative force and operational architect behind our restaurant. You will design the menus, build the strength of the kitchen team, set the standards, and craft the culinary identity that defines our historic and unique Inn. This is where artistry meets execution, you will bring a blend of modern luxury and boutique sensibility to every aspect of the dining experience, elevating our restaurant above the standard hotel offering and positioning it as a true culinary destination.
Culinary Vision & Menu Development- Conceptualize and develop restaurant menu from scratch, creating a culinary identity that blends modern luxury with boutique warmth, seasonality, and a deep connection to local New England ingredients and global culinary trends.
- Design menus that go far above standard hotel fare, think ingredient-driven, story-rich dishes that surprise and delight, plates that are as visually stunning as they are delicious, the kind of food people photograph, share, and remember.
- Develop and oversee all food and beverage offerings across the property, including in-room dining, banquet and event catering, along with bar menu pairings.
- Build strong relationships with local farms, fisheries, artisan producers, and specialty purveyors to ensure the highest quality ingredients and a genuine farm-to-table narrative that guests can taste and feel.
- Create seasonal menu rotations and limited-time experiences, chef's table dinners, tasting menus, collaboration pop-ups, holiday programming, that keep the restaurant dynamic, relevant, and talked about.
- Collaborate closely with the bar and beverage team to ensure the cocktail program, wine list, and non-alcoholic offerings complement and elevate the food, creating a cohesive, immersive dining experience.
Kitchen Operations & Excellence- Design and oversee the full kitchen operation from day one, including kitchen layout consultation, equipment selection, workflow systems, and opening procedures for the brand-new restaurant.
- Manage food costs, labor costs, inventory, and vendor relationships with the financial discipline of a seasoned operator and the creative instinct of a culinary artist. You deliver extraordinary food AND hit your numbers.
- Implement and enforce the highest standards of food safety, sanitation, and regulatory compliance, New Hampshire health codes, ServSafe standards, and allergen management.
- Develop and maintain standardized recipes, plating guides, and prep procedures that ensure consistency across every service, every shift, every plate, without sacrificing creativity or the human touch.
- Leverage culinary technology and modern kitchen systems to increase efficiency, reduce waste, and track performance, while keeping the soul and craft of cooking at the center of everything.
- Oversee all banquet and event catering operations, delivering bespoke culinary experiences for private events, corporate functions, and hotel programming that reinforce the Inn's reputation for excellence.
Build and Lead a World-Class Kitchen Team- Recruit, hire, and retain a diverse, passionate kitchen team that reflects the creativity, energy, and cultural intelligence of the lifestyle hospitality world.
- Design and deliver training programs that go beyond technical skills, teach your team to understand flavor philosophy, presentation standards, guest dietary needs, sustainability practices, and the "why" behind every dish.
- Foster a kitchen culture rooted in respect, mentorship, collaboration, and creative freedom. The days of toxic kitchen culture are over. You build a team people want to be part of.
- Conduct meaningful performance evaluations, provide real coaching, and build career pathways that develop line cooks into sous chefs, and sous chefs into future leaders.
- Collaborate cross-functionally with Front of House, Guest Services, Sales, Marketing, and Events to deliver a seamless, integrated dining experience that feels effortless to the guest and intentional behind the scenes.
What are we looking for?Compensation:$110,000
$125,000
