Restaurant Chef, Italian

Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort Position Description

POSITION TITLE:            Restaurant Chef
DEPARTMENT:    Employee Cafeteria, Selu Garden Café, The Smokehouse Coop, Gordon Ramsay, Guy Fieri, Italian
GRADE/FLSA STATUS:        S18- Exempt
BADGE TYPE/COLOR:            Key - Blue 
REPORTS TO:                Executive Chef 
SUPERVISES:                Sous Chef

JOB SUMMARY:
Manage the day-to-day preparation of food and supervision of kitchen employees while working as a team with the Restaurant Manager to deliver a high quality dining experience to all guests.

JOB ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONISIBILITIES: 
    Responsible for overall daily food preparation in assigned area ensuring meal preparation meets established standards
    Responsible for requisitioning of food supplies
    Exhibit sound culinary knowledge as well as understanding food cost and margins and how to best control them
    Perform daily checks to insure the quality of the line set up
    Maintain the budgeted food cost by adhering to recipe standards, maintaining correct inventory levels in coolers and storerooms
    Plan or participate in planning menus, preparing and apportioning foods, and utilizing food surpluses and leftovers
    Understand profit and loss statements
    Able to work all stations on the line to assist the cooks when busy or provide breaks
    Operate a productive, sanitary, team oriented working environment within budgeted guidelines
    Serve as a leader for employees by exhibiting sound decision making while fostering teamwork, employee morale, motivation and open communication
    Act as a role model and coach employees while developing their skills by providing direction and support for all staff to achieve goals and objectives through a fair application of policies and procedure
    Train subordinates, providing each with the knowledge, development and appropriate direction to perform his/her responsibilities
    Provide appropriate recognition and rewards to individuals and groups when consistent superior performance is attained as well as providing corrective actions when necessary
    Responsible for interviewing, selecting, hiring, promotion, demotion, and termination of employees
    Prepare schedules and station breakdowns in accordance to the daily need of assigned area and monitor the daily labor hours scheduled and consumed
    Conduct pre-shift meetings to communicate important information
    Build relationships with customers with periodic tableside visits during shift
    Provide the highest quality of service to customers and associates at all times
    Prepare prep lists and production sheets
    Serve as communication liaison to subordinates and to Executive Chef
    Complete end of shift logs in a timely and accurate manner
    Ensure all required log books and temperature logs, are maintained and verified 
    Responsible for local sanitation, health code laws, and weights and measures requirements 
    Receive and examine inventory and supplies to ensure quality and quantity meet established standards and specifications
    Properly maintain and store company inventory including utensils, cookware and machinery 
    Ensure staff  maintain and calibrate pH meters and thermometers 
    Protect all company assets in regard to waste, breakage, and theft
    Ensure timely and accurate performance appraisals and accurate work history entries
    Able to plan and prepare VIP and special menus when necessary
    Current on food trends and be “cutting edge” focused with food presentations, flavor profiles and technology
    Responsible for, or actively participates in, the initiation of personnel actions including but not limited to: interviews, training, candidate selection, terminations, performance reviews, promotions, transfers and disciplinary actions
    Adhere to regulatory, departmental and company policies/procedures in an ethical manner
    Establish and endorse the business objectives, ethics and values of Caesars Entertainment in accordance with the Code of Commitment and Mission, Vision and Values

    If assigned to EDR:
    Adhere to internal control regulations in regards to variances
    Able to run cash register
                                
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
    High school diploma or GED required
    Five years managerial culinary experience required including two years executive culinary experience in a high volume, multi outlet operation required 
    Two years culinary arts program training/certification and ten years of  supervisory/technical experience in food operations preferred
    Serve Safe certified required
    Must demonstrate the following essential knowledge and skills
    Knowledge of food preparation