Executive Chef, Waynesborough Country Club, Paoli, PA

Waynesborough Country Club (WCC) was established in 1965 and is situated on 200 picturesque acres in the heart of Chester County, Pennsylvania. The highlight of Waynesborough is its renowned 18-hole championship golf course, designed by George Fazio and extensively renovated in 2022 by Andrew Green. The classic Chester County farmhouse-inspired clubhouse, which underwent a comprehensive renovation in December 2019, features various dining options. These include The Pub, offering casual fare, The Fireplace Lounge with stunning views of the 10th fairway and 18th green, and dining options on the sunlit porch and terrace of The Fairway Grille, the bar and lounge area known for attracting members for informal social gatherings and club events with a panoramic view of the golf course. In addition, the clubhouse is well-equipped to host a range of small- and large-scale events.

WCC is a par 71 design, featuring four challenging, picturesque par 3’s. A new world-class short game area, ‘The Triangle’, was also added during the renovation by Andrew Green. It features three greens and four bunkers, allowing members to practice shots up to 115 yards while also being utilized as a short course for members as well as Waynesborough’s robust junior golf program. Waynesborough offers exceptional amenities, including a two-story Tennis Pavilion that accommodates a fully equipped Tennis Shop, along with 10 meticulously maintained Har-Tru tennis courts and two hard courts. The Club has one of the largest subscribed paddle programs in the Philadelphia area fielding the largest number of men’s and women’s interclub teams and the only program in the region with 6 courts and 4 dedicated pros. Pickleball is experiencing rapid growth at Waynesborough, and currently five pickleball courts are being built. The Swimming Complex underwent complete renovation in 2020. It features 3 separate pool areas – a zero-entry baby pool, dual section main pool and dedicated diving well. Members may dine and relax at the two-story Pool Pavilion with family-friendly Grille downstairs featuring a full kitchen and gourmet pizza oven and adults-only Bar upstairs. WCC’s mission is to create a gathering place for families to forge lasting relationships and traditions through recreation and relaxation, while providing exceptional services, facilities and activities that are responsive to membership. WCC has invested close to $18 million dollars in campus improvements over the past 5 years and currently enjoys a 1% attrition rate and is well positioned to be the premier family country club of choice in the Main Line area for years to come.

Position Specific: Waynesborough Country Club is seeking an Executive Chef who emulates the well-balanced leadership style of a manager, that has the ability to push his/her team to new limits, understand club operational needs, while always placing the needs of the membership first. Our goal is to create a culture of food and beverage excellence with consistent daily delivery.

The Club’s food and beverage program is seeking a fresh perspective to rebuild the dining experience and restore the confidence of its membership, making Waynesborough every member’s first choice for dining. Our current team, along with the new General Manager and Assistant General Manager, has great potential. With the right Executive Chef’s leadership, we aim to provide our members with a consistently high-quality and expertly executed dining experience.

In The GM’s Own Words: I was chosen in early 2024 as the General Manager to lead Waynesborough toward its goal of exceptional member experience. The Culinary is intentionally focused on enhancing the member experience and after two months into my position here as GM I can say with complete certainty that I made the right decision to join this incredible team and serve our warm and welcoming membership. The Club is focused on enhancing the member experience and defining its culture as a family-friendly environment with robust offerings and programming. The membership has been both welcoming and supportive, showing a strong commitment to the Club and actively participating in its activities during the season. The team here is composed of talented individuals, and those in leadership roles—such as the Director of Golf, Course Superintendent, and Catering Director—bring significant tenure and dedication, having made Waynesborough their home. Our club has the potential to be one of the best on the Main Line. With the addition of our final team member, the Executive Chef, we will be well equipped to achieve this goal together.

Candidate Qualifications:

• Has the ability to demonstrate good judgment, problem solving, and decision-making skills.
• Develop recipes, standards and techniques for food preparation and presentation, and ensures the staff is trained to ensure a high-quality product is served on a consistent basis.
• The Executive Chef serves as a role model and sets the standard for culinary employees to maintain high-quality services and products in a consistent manner.
• The Executive Chef is expected to maintain visibility in Dining Rooms, At WCC, we value our relationship with the membership and strive to provide exceptional food and beverages, events, and programming. We work as a team to collaborate, communicate, and execute effectively.
• The budgeting process is well planned and inclusive, involving active participation from all department heads who are held accountable for their budgets. The fiscal year Jan to Dec with the budget presented to the Finance Committee in Oct prior to seeking approval from the Board of Governors in Nov.
• The Executive Chef is expected to play an active role in the House Committee, communicating our collaborative efforts to provide exceptional member experiences. Additionally, the Chef will communicate their management of the operational needs of the club and fiscal responsibilities.

Initial Focus:

1. Learning the Team & Club – Interact with members, observe/assess the team and F&B operations. Be visible and engaging, work to exceed member expectations. Understand the Club’s culture, its history and traditions.
2. Leverage Culinary Expertise – Inspire the team and build a strong culinary culture driven to excellence. Use exceptional culinary skills to execute consistent basics and create enticing new dishes.
3. Financial Assessment along with the GM – The new Executive Chef is expected to evaluate current operations and exhibit strong financial acumen that can oversee purchasing within budget and manage inventories, without sacrificing food quality.
4. Create Operational Plan for 2025: Build Strategy for leveraging the Club’s current infrastructure and culinary team to consistently deliver excellence across the main dining room, pub, pool, and catering events.

Candidate Qualifications:

• Has the ability to demonstrate good judgment, problem solving, and decision-making skills.
• Develop recipes, standards and techniques for food preparation and presentation, and ensures the staff is trained to ensure a high-quality product is served on a consistent basis.
• The Executive Chef serves as a role model and sets the standard for culinary employees to maintain high-quality services and products in a consistent manner.
• The Executive Chef is expected to maintain visibility in Dining Rooms, At WCC, we value our relationship with the membership and strive to provide exceptional food and beverages, events, and programming. We work as a team to collaborate, communicate, and execute effectively.
• The budgeting process is well planned and inclusive, involving active participation from all department heads who are held accountable for their budgets. The fiscal year Jan to Dec with the budget presented to the Finance Committee in Oct prior to seeking approval from the Board of Governors in Nov.
• The Executive Chef is expected to play an active role in the House Committee, communicating our collaborative efforts to provide exceptional member experiences. Additionally, the Chef will communicate their management of the operational needs of the club and fiscal responsibilities.

Additional Information:

• Annual food sales $2.2 MM; Total F&B Sales $3.3 MM.
• The Club currently has a 42% food cost with a food cost goal at 36% with a sales mix of 75% A La Carte and 25% Banquet.
• There are 13 culinary staff and 5 stewards supported by a $820,000 Labor Budget.
• There are (3) Sous Chef’s (Banquet Chef, Executive Sous Chef, AM Sous Chef.) The Chef does the Purchasing.
• The Club supports three (3) Kitchens. The main level kitchen services all dining venues and banquets. The lower-level kitchen originated for Pub- limited-service and is no longer utilized since the pandemic. Management rates the condition as a 3 out of 5.
• WCC has one 41,000 sq. ft. Clubhouse with 800 members whose average age is 56.
• The Club operates (12) twelve months annually. Closed for three weeks in February. Busy months are May – October.
• The Executive Chef reports to the General Manager and works closely with the Assistant General Manager, Director or Catering, Accounting, Maintenance and Golf.

Dining: (A La Carte Outlets & Events)

Fairway Grille – Upscale Casual with 95/105 seats, serving Lunch & Dinner, six days per week.

Mad Anthony’s Pub – Casual with 50/60 seats, Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, six days per week.

The Terrace – Upscale Casual with 50/60 seats, serving Lunch & Dinner, six days per week.

Pub Patio – Casual with 75/100 seats, serving Lunch & Dinner, six days per week.

Snack Shack- Pool – Casual with 100/120 seats, serving Lunch & Dinner seven days per week.

Private Parties – The Club has seven (7) private rooms with seating from 2 to 225 guests. The largest sit-down event the Club can accommodate is 225 members/guests.

Summary: There is a unique opportunity WCC with a new GM, AGM and Executive Chef  working together as a ‘Team’ to provide the membership with the very best experience possible. The Club is building the foundation of F&B Program excellence and have the opportunity to create something Special!

The Club offers a competitive base salary, performance bonus and benefits package including a 401k, health, life & dental insurance, ACF Dues and Conference. Relocation allowance is available. A (CEC) is preferred. Interested individuals should send resumes, a well-conceived cover letter, and supporting information (a digital Portfolio is encouraged by Clicking Here to upload your information.

Work with Denise Zanchelli and Team DZA, a team of proven culinary professionals to help advance your career.

Contact Daniel Hugelier​, CMC, Bill Schulz, MCM​ or Denise Zanchelli directly noting we welcome your reaching out and make a personal connection with TeamDZA by writing either Daniel Hugelier, CMC  or Bill Schulz, MCM​  or Denise Zanchelli

Contact Daniel Hugelier​, CMC, Bill Schulz, MCM​ or Denise Zanchelli directly noting we welcome your reaching out and make a personal connection with TeamDZA by writing either Daniel Hugelier, CMC  or Bill Schulz, MCM​  or Denise Zanchelli