Director of Culinary Operations at Reynolds Lake Oconee – Greensboro, GA

About Reynolds Lake Oconee: About 85 miles east of Atlanta lies a community on 12,000 acres of brilliant lakefront property. Reynolds Lake Oconee features six carefully crafted golf courses, 11 restaurants, a unique sporting ground, one of the only lakefront Ritz-Carltons in the world and all the recreational and culinary amenities befitting a world-class private club. Life has a cadence all its own, here and only here.

Dating back 100 years as a family retreat along the shores of the Oconee River, the striking beauty of the river and the Oconee Forest created a natural haven that felt like a world apart. Many quickly decided to “linger longer,” and short one- or two-day visits became three-, four- and five-day family excursions.

By 1982, the river had become Lake Oconee, offering more than four times the shoreline of Georgia’s Atlantic coastline, and the Reynolds club and community was founded. Since that day, it has evolved into a globally recognized resort and club defined by extraordinary recreational and culinary amenities, an authentic spirit of Southern hospitality, and the consistent rhythms of the Oconee Forest and its magnificent lake.

Position Specific: Reynolds Lake Oconee is looking for a Director of Culinary Operations who is an experienced leader whose primary leadership focuses on moving the Culinary program forward by:

• Developing and mentoring a talented team of Chefs and line cooks.
• Managing the human capital strategies required to keep all of the teams built for success.
• Building and practicing a culture that is always aligned with core values of Integrity, Exceptional Quality, and Commitment.
• Overall menu concept development in collaboration with our Executive Chefs. Focusing on healthy options and diversity of cultures/cuisine.
• Always thinking long-term strategic planning as the Club and the Culinary program continue to grow.
• Participate in the occasional cooking opportunities associated with media visits, high-touch wine events and training and development activities.
• Embracing the role as Culinary Ambassador and being the face of the Culinary program.

RLO is not necessarily seeking a young, up and coming individual as they currently have several Chefs on the rise within the organization. They are seeking an individual who is organized and detail-oriented without an ego driven approach. A seasoned veteran who is extremely passionate about mentoring and developing by sharing his/her knowledge, skills and experience with our highly driven team of Chefs.

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VISION & VALUES

Our VISION is to create an ideal community with the services, amenities
and quality of life that exceed the expectations of all who come to
Reynolds Lake Oconee to live, work and visit.

Core Values
Integrity – Exceptional Quality – Commitment

We measure our Integrity by the levels of trust and mutual respect
we develop among our co-workers, property owners, guest,
shareholders, partners and suppliers.

We are dedicated to the passionate pursuit of Exceptional Quality
in all aspects of our business.

We have unerring Commitment to each other, the community around us
and the responsible stewardship of our environment.

Credo
“Creating life as it ought to be”

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On a Personal Note: Members – Reynolds Lake Oconee is a large Club community that serves a Membership that is comprised 50% of those from the surrounding southeast region, and 50% from the rest of the country from coast to coast. The Membership culinarily embraces everything from casual, familiar comfort to progressive, cutting-edge creativity and flair. It is such a large canvas that allows for talent and creativity across many different platforms.

Staff- The culinary leadership team is made up largely of young, talented, motivated and driven Chefs who aspire to one day direct a program like Reynolds. Their goals include career growth and progression, Michelin stars and JBF awards. As an organization we have invested vast resources into building a positive, sustainable team culture that values each other above all else. Our next Chef will need to be aligned with this vision and excited to lead us into the future.

Candidate Qualifications & Requirements:

• The ideal candidate is a seasoned Chef who understands the members’ diverse preferences and the ideology that Food and Beverage is an amenity. He/she should have high-end experience.
• The Director of Culinary Operations must have the ability to lead the culinary team through vision and passion and alignment with the culinary teams goals. He/she must oversee the development of subordinates and further strengthen the culinary team.
• Develops SOP’s, 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 Director of Culinary Operations is the department head and leader of the culinary operation. He/she should understand administrative requirements and compliance with Human Resource policies.
• The Director of Culinary Operations is successful by being present in restaurants and at events, responding to culinary feedback which is both positive and constructive.
• The Director of Culinary Operations along with the Director of Food and Beverage is responsible for creating annual restaurant and banquet budgets and managing the operation to those goals.
• The Director of Culinary Operations participates in committee meetings to provide staffing and updating the group with menu changes, discussing necessary feedback and talking about food trends and other outside influences.

Additional Information:

• Annual food sales $11 MM; Total F&B Sales $15,700 MM.
• The Club currently has a 34% food cost with a food cost goal at 35% with a sales mix of 82% A La Carte and 18% Banquet.
• There are 83 culinary staff and 20 stewards supported by a $4.8 MM Labor Budget.
• Culinary staffing includes 1 – Assistant Director of Culinary Operations; 8 Exec Chefs of Restaurants; 1-Banquet Chef; 1-Pastry Chef; 1-Exec Chef of Golf; 1-Chef de Cuisine, Kathy’s Cafe & Banquets; 1 Chef Tournant; 1-Sushi Chef; 1-Sushi Sous Chef; 3-Senior Sous Chefs; 9-Sous Chefs.
• There are thirteen (13) Kitchens throughout the property. Management rates the condition as a 4 out of 5. RLO continues to upgrade equipment on an annual basis as needed.
• RLO has (7) seven Clubhouse’s with over 50,000 sq. ft. There are 7,000 plus members whose average age is 58.
• Overnight Guest Rooms – RLO has 60 cottages & condos that overlook the lake.
• The Club has five (6) private rooms with seating from 20 to 30 guests. The largest sit-down event the Club can accommodate is 500 Guests.
• The Reynolds Lake Oconee Club & Resort operates (12) twelve months annually. The busy months are March – December.
• The Executive Chef reports to the General Manager and works with the Director of Food & Beverage, Director of Banquets, Director of Golf, Director of Catering & Events, VP, Human Resources and VP, Controller.

Initial Focus:

1. Accept Role as “Culinary Ambassador” – Take time to get comfortable with surroundings. Seamlessly integrate into the Director of Culinary Operations position and be the face of all food service.
2. Adapt and Contribute to RLC’s Strong Culture – Ensure your leadership aligns with its Mission, Vision, and Values. Understand and embrace the scale and scope of the property and manage it accordingly.
3. Learn the History of Culinary Program – Study its evolution, and embrace its current and future goals. Continue the acclaimed excellence of Reynolds Lake Oconee.
4. Build Trust and Integrity with Management Staff – Build a strong relationship with the Director of Food and Beverage. The DCO has a “leadership by example” mentality. Earn the confidence and respect of management by maintaining and promoting positive relationships.
5. Team Development – Inspire the team and build a strong culinary culture driven to excellence. Serve as coach and mentor and lead by example in all ways to craft a culinary training and development program that promotes the long-term health of the culinary program.

Dining at Reynolds Lake Oconee

Reynolds Lake Oconee offers a generous base salary, performance bonus and benefits package including a 401k, health /life insurance, ACF Dues and Conference. Relocation allowance is available. Interested individuals should send resumes, a well-conceived cover letter, and supporting information (a digital Portfolio is encouraged).

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