Executive Chef

The Westin Chattanooga is a prestigious full-service hotel known for its exceptional hospitality and culinary experiences. Nestled in the heart of Chattanooga, Tennessee, this establishment combines Southern charm with upscale amenities to provide guests with memorable dining and accommodation options. The hotel features a diverse range of food and beverage outlets, including a full-service restaurant, rooftop and lobby bars, a patio, a 24-hour Marketplace, and extensive catering services. This variety ensures an exciting and dynamic work environment for culinary professionals who thrive on variety and creativity. The Westin Chattanooga prides itself on a respectful, upbeat, and collaborative team culture that values dedication, craftsmanship, and leadership. The hotel operates under the renowned Westin and Marriott brand guidelines, ensuring high standards in both service and dining quality while emphasizing wellness and brand consistency.

The role of Executive Chef at the Westin Chattanooga is a hands-on leadership position central to the success of the hotel's culinary operations. This role demands an individual who is not only a skilled culinary expert but also a committed leader who thrives on being actively involved in the kitchen alongside their team. Unlike typical executive roles confined to offices, this position requires the Executive Chef to lead from the front by coaching staff, overseeing multiple food outlets, and directly managing day-to-day kitchen activities. The Executive Chef is responsible for supervising all back-of-house operations across the restaurant, catering services, bars, and banquets, ensuring that every culinary offering exceeds brand standards and guest expectations.

In addition to hands-on kitchen management, the Executive Chef will play a critical role in menu development, pricing, and quality control programs that span multiple dining concepts. With creative input across diverse outlets, the Executive Chef can influence specials, condiment programs, and culinary concepts, providing stability and consistency alongside opportunities for innovation. The role includes vital operational responsibilities such as budget management, labor cost control, scheduling, procurement, and compliance with health regulations and brand policies. Partnering closely with the General Manager and Events team, the Executive Chef ensures flawless food execution for both intimate dinners and large banquets while maintaining food and labor costs within set budgets.

Leadership is a core component of this role; the Executive Chef will be tasked with hiring, training, and developing culinary staff while fostering an environment of respect and collaboration. This leader must be capable of handling performance conversations and making informed decisions that protect the team culture and uphold the hotel’s culinary standards. Equipped with a culinary degree or equivalent experience and several years in kitchen leadership roles, the successful candidate will have a strong background in full-service hotel kitchens, food cost controls, menu development, and managing budgets. This position requires flexibility to work varying schedules, including weekends and holidays, and involves possible shifts as Manager on Duty.

Overall, the Executive Chef role at the Westin Chattanooga presents a unique career opportunity to lead an accomplished culinary team in a vibrant, multi-outlet hotel environment. It offers the chance to influence creative menu direction while handling essential operational duties in a supportive and collaborative workplace. If you are passionate about culinary excellence, people leadership, and fiscal responsibility, this role promises both professional growth and the fulfillment of contributing meaningfully to a respected hospitality brand.