Executive Chef | Hawaii Convention Center F&B

Legends Global is a world-class company recognized as the premier partner to some of the greatest live events, venues, and brands globally. With a vast network spanning 450 venues worldwide, Legends Global hosts approximately 20,000 events annually and entertains over 165 million guests. The company offers a fully integrated suite of premium services, including feasibility and consulting, owner's representation, sales, partnerships, hospitality, merchandise, venue management, and content and booking. Their white-label approach ensures that their partners remain central to the live event experience, delivering exceptional and seamless service. Their culture is rooted in respect, ambitious thinking, collaboration, and bold action, fostering an inclusive workplace where individuals can be authentic, make a significant impact, and grow their careers. Winning is embedded in their everyday ethos, achieved through a unified team approach that values and celebrates every success.

The role of the Executive Chef at Legends Global is a senior leadership position responsible for the strategic and daily execution of all culinary operations at the Raising Cane's River Center. This role encompasses oversight of concessions, catering and banquets, premium and VIP services, and special events. It requires driving culinary vision, operational excellence, and financial performance while fostering talent development and ensuring outstanding food quality, consistency, sanitation, and guest satisfaction. The Executive Chef will work in a fast-paced, high-volume live events environment, collaborating closely with the General Manager, Director of Food and Beverage, Sales and Catering teams, Operations, and Facility Maintenance. The role demands delivering memorable guest experiences, surpassing client expectations, and ensuring peak operational efficiency.

The Executive Chef leads all back-of-house culinary operations, ensuring perfect execution during event days and non-event periods. They oversee menu execution with a focus on quality, speed, and consistency across all service areas such as concessions, banquets, VIP sections, and special events. Responsibilities include conducting line checks, tastings, and quality assurance reviews emphasizing flavor, portion control, presentation, and serving temperature. A key element of the role is developing creative, trend-forward menus that incorporate local and seasonal ingredients, which align with the River Center's brand and event mix. Collaboration with the Sales and Catering teams on client proposals, tastings, and banquet event order (BEO) execution is fundamental.

Financial stewardship is a priority where the Executive Chef manages all facets of culinary cost performance, including food and labor costs, waste management, and operating within approved budgets to maximize margins. Planning and scheduling are aligned with event forecasts to optimize staffing while controlling overtime. The role also entails managing purchasing, receiving, storage, and inventory controls, fostering strong vendor relationships, and employing disciplined ordering practices to reduce spoilage and waste through smart par levels and effective rotation.

Leadership is critical, recruiting and developing a highly skilled culinary and stewarding team. The Executive Chef cultivates a culture of accountability, pride, teamwork, safety, and continuous improvement, ensuring clear station expectations and cross-training to fortify team depth and execution reliability. Performance management includes providing constructive feedback, enforcing corrective actions, and recognition compliant with policies and laws.

Maintaining compliance with local health codes, food safety standards, and company policies around sanitation and HACCP practices is integral. The Executive Chef leads initiatives that support strong inspection and audit outcomes, ensures proper food labeling, storage, and temperature logging, and champions workplace safety by preventing accidents and encouraging safe equipment use.

Operational readiness is maintained through the cleanliness, organization, and upkeep of kitchen facilities and equipment. This role works closely with Facility Maintenance to manage preventative maintenance and respond swiftly to equipment needs. The Executive Chef actively partners with Operations, Sales, and Event Management teams to anticipate requirements and deliver flawless event execution. They also maintain an active presence in the local culinary and hospitality community, representing the venue positively and fostering community engagement.

The role offers a competitive salary range of $120,000 to $150,000, commensurate with experience, along with an attractive benefits package including medical, dental, vision, life and disability insurance, paid vacation, and a 401k plan. This position is located on-site at the Hawaii Convention Center and requires working a flexible schedule due to event-driven demands, including nights, weekends, and holidays. This challenging and rewarding role is an excellent opportunity for an experienced culinary leader to thrive in a dynamic, high-volume environment with a leading company in the live events industry.