Executive Chefs develop menus based on the restaurant’s concept, supervise meal preparation to ensure quality and manage kitchen staff to maintain an efficient work environment.
To help you find an Executive Chef that will enhance your kitchen’s operations and boost your profit, we’re sharing a customizable job description template plus bonus tips.
Example of an Executive Chef Job Description
We are looking for an Executive Chef who can inspire [Company Name]’s kitchen staff, collaborate seamlessly with the Restaurant Manager to ensure menus align with events we organize and manage inventory. We prefer candidates with a minimum of 10 years of experience in a high-volume establishment, knowledge of food costing and excellent problem-solving skills.
Salary: $85,000-$100,000 per year
Schedule: Full-time (minimum of 50 hours per week, may include weekends and holidays)
Employee Perks & Benefits:
- Paid time off
- 401(k) matching
- Health insurance
- Pet insurance
- Tuition reimbursement
- Annual bonus
Duties & Responsibilities:
- Developing menus based on the restaurant’s theme, cuisine and target audience
- Collaborating with the Restaurant Manager to determine prices for menu items
- Overseeing food preparation, cooking and plating
- Establishing good relationships with suppliers to maintain high-quality ingredients
- Monitoring food costs
- Managing a team of professional Cooks, Chefs and other kitchen staff
- Ensuring compliance with the local health and safety regulations
- Staying up to date with culinary trends
Required Skills & Experience:
- At least 10 years of experience as an Executive Chef
- Having catering experience is preferred
- Knowledge of food safety regulations
- Ability to write reports, correspondence and kitchen standard operating procedures
- Expertise in food costing, budgeting and managing inventory
- Good customer service and problem-solving skills
- Excellent leadership skills
- Ability to lift up to 50 pounds
Education & Certifications:
- High school diploma
- State-required food certifications
- Certifications from the American Culinary Federation are advantageous
Why Is Writing a Proper Executive Chef Job Description Important?
A survey says that 52% of new hires leave their roles within the first 90 days due to the job not being a good fit. This often means that they lack the necessary skills, knowledge and experience to do the tasks well.
A job description that clearly states the required attributes, professional experience and list of duties and responsibilities can help filter out unqualified candidates.
In the case of Executive Chefs, below are key skills and experience requirements you might want to include in your job description:
- Minimum of 10 years of experience as an Executive Chef
- Customer service oriented
- Knowledgeable about food safety practices
- Ability to stay calm under pressure
- Leadership skills
For the list of duties and responsibilities, consider prioritizing the following:
- Create restaurant menus
- Manage kitchen staff
- Supervise meal preparation
- Implement food safety protocols
- Control food cost
What To Include Under Executive Chef Education and Certifications?
We curated 30 different employers that offer NYC-based Executive Chef jobs, Miami-based Executive Chef jobs and jobs in other cities within the United States. We found that most employers require a minimum of a high school diploma.
Meanwhile, the majority of employers working in hotels and recruitment companies prefer those with either a bachelor’s degree or an associate’s degree.
What you put under the educational requirements should be reflective of the knowledge and skills needed to do the job well.
Executive Chef Certifications
If you want to attract candidates who show passion for learning and commitment to upholding food safety practices, you can add the following certifications:
Executive Chef Salary Expectations
On average, Executive Chefs in the U.S. earn $80,040 per year or $6,670 a month. High-volume cities and tourist destinations such as New York City ($104,902), Miami ($89,396), Los Angeles ($97,949) and Chicago ($93,483) offer higher wages to match the cost of living, attract and retain the best talents.
Given this data, make sure to consider offering a salary range based on the national wage and factor in details such as economic conditions to create an appealing compensation package.
Similar Job Titles
Executive Chef Job Description FAQs
Yes. An Executive Chef job description and a Head Chef job description can share the same required qualifications, experience and skills. They are both leadership roles in the kitchen with duties that involve handling administrative tasks, managing staff and overseeing food preparation.
Here are some quick tips to help you write a job description for Executive Chefs that stands out:
- Include only the most essential tasks so as not to overwhelm job applicants.
- Add both required and preferred qualifications.
- Mention which staff members they’ll be working with the most, such as Chefs, Line Cooks and Prep Cooks.
- Include salary range and employee benefits.
- Make sure your job summary highlights the three most important responsibilities of the Executive Chef role.
Required years of experience for Executive Chefs can depend on the type of establishment. While hotels and catering companies prefer a minimum of 10 years of experience, there are employers, specifically in smaller restaurants, that accept candidates with only three years of professional experience.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) states that entry-level Chefs and Head Cooks are required to have at least a high school diploma or equivalent.
