Chef of Culinary Development - Cache Creek Casino Resort

Being a part of the Cache Creek team comes with amazing benefits:

• Great Pay
• Opportunities to Grow
• Gas Discounts
• Dental Insurance
• Life Insurance
• Paid Time Off (PTO)
• Recognition Program
• Free meals in our Employee Dining Room 
• Weekly Paychecks
• Affordable Healthcare
• Medical Insurance
• Vision Care Insurance
• 401k Savings Plan
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Employee Discounts
• Direct Deposit

Summary

The Chef of Culinary Development is responsible for developing, delivering, and maintaining a comprehensive training program for culinary staff across nine diverse restaurants within the casino. This role ensures that all team members are equipped with the necessary skills, knowledge, and techniques to maintain the highest standards of food quality, safety, and presentation. Additionally, the Chef of Culinary Development will ensure seamless kitchen operations, including but not limited to, ordering, scheduling, disciplinary/corrective action and accountability, or any other responsibilities deemed necessary by the Executive Chef. Chef of Culinary Development will work closely with and report to the Executive Chef and Executive Sous Chefs for the implementation and oversight of training initiatives, collaborating to create a consistent culinary experience for guests while fostering a culture of continuous learning and development.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

Training Program Development

• Design and implement training programs for culinary staff, including new hires, ongoing training, and specialized skills development.
• Create training materials, manuals, and guides that align with the casino’s culinary standards and brand identity.
• Develop a standardized onboarding process for all new culinary team members. 

Training Delivery

• Conduct hands-on training sessions in various kitchen environments, including line cooking, prep work, plating, and specialty cuisine techniques.
• Organize workshops, demonstrations, and cross-training sessions to enhance team members’ skills and knowledge.
• Provide one-on-one coaching and mentorship to team members, identifying areas for improvement and growth.

Quality Control & Compliance

• Ensure that all culinary staff adhere to food safety, sanitation, and hygiene regulations, including HACCP guidelines.
• Conduct regular assessments of kitchen operations to ensure consistency in food preparation, presentation, and service.
• Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of training programs, adjusting as needed to meet operational goals.

Collaboration & Communication

• Work closely with the Executive Chef and Executive Sous Chefs to understand specific training needs and implement training programs accordingly.
• Ensure clear communication and alignment with the Executive Chef and Executive Sous Chefs on all training initiatives and coverage plans.
• Collaborate with the executive culinary team department to track training progress and maintain detailed records of all training activities.
• Participate in menu development and updates, ensuring that all staff are trained on new dishes and techniques. 

Continuous Improvement

• Stay updated on industry trends, culinary techniques, and best practices to incorporate into training programs.
• Foster a positive learning environment that encourages creativity, innovation, and a commitment to excellence.
• Provide feedback to the management team on training outcomes and recommend improvements to enhance the overall guest experience.

Skills

• Extensive knowledge of various cuisines, cooking techniques, and kitchen operations.
• Strong leadership, communication, and organizational skills.
• Ability to develop and deliver engaging training programs to a diverse team.
• Proficiency in food safety regulations and kitchen best practices.
• Excellent problem-solving skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to step into various chef roles as needed and lead kitchen teams effectively.

Supervisory Responsibilities

This job has no supervisory responsibilities.

Qualifications

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily with or without reasonable accommodations. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required.

Education and/or Experience

Culinary degree or equivalent professional training from an accredited institution. Minimum of 5 years of experience in a high-volume culinary environment, preferably within a casino, resort, or multi-outlet operation. Prior experience in a training or supervisory role within a culinary setting.

Language Skills                                            

Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations. Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals.  Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, clients, customers, and the general public.

Mathematical Skills                                                 

Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as discounts, interest, commissions, proportions, percentages, area, circumference, and volume.

Reasoning Ability                                                     

Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.

Age Requirement

Must be at least 21 years of age.

Certificates, Licenses, Registrations

Cache Creek Casino Resort Tribal Gaming License

Serv Safe Certification

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job with or without reasonable accommodations.

While performing the duties of this Job, the employee is regularly required to stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; talk or hear and taste or smell. The employee is occasionally required to sit; climb or balance and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must regularly lift and /or move up to 25 pounds, frequently lift and/or move up to 50 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 100 pounds.  Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.

Work Environment

The work environment characteristics described are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job with or without reasonable accommodations.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently exposed to moving mechanical parts. The employee is occasionally exposed to wet and/or humid conditions; fumes or airborne particles; extreme cold; extreme heat and risk of electrical shock. The noise level in the work environment is usually loud.