Executive Chef, The Union Club of Cleveland – Cleveland, OH

About the Club

The Union Club of Cleveland is the grande dame of downtown clubs. Founded in 1872, it traces its roots back to the 1830s when the first Union Club in Cleveland was a troop of armed farmers protecting the village from horse and cattle thieves. Throughout the good times and bad, members saw themselves as stewards, responsible for preserving their cherished Club so entwined in Cleveland’s history. The clubhouse stands as a true testament to the past, present, and future of the membership as well as to the commitment of excellence the Union Club of Cleveland has always portrayed.

Today, members enjoy dynamic programming and events, a strong and diverse membership, three restaurants each with distinct cuisine, executive fitness center, 10,000 square feet total of private meeting spaces, ten overnight guest rooms, and reciprocity at over 140 private clubs across the world.

Chef Position Specific

The Union Club of Cleveland is looking for an Executive Chef who can lead a team and build a culture of excellence in the kitchen. The Executive Chef will always look for improvement while continuing to maintain the high standards of excellence already instilled in the kitchen operation. The ideal candidate will possess a true passion for professional cooking and have a proven and stable history of culinary excellence. A Certified Executive Chef (CEC) is preferred.

This individual has a strong culinary ability to execute a quality food operation on a high level, which is the cornerstone for member satisfaction at the Union Club.

A Note from the General Manager/CEO

“We have a great membership that supports the Club and the staff. The kitchen needs a true leader that can direct, set the standard when it comes to food and hold the team accountable when the standard is not met. We need a Chef who can lead the team and build a culture of excellence in the kitchen.”

The ‘Best Advice’ I can give the new Chef is, “You have the support of the Clubs leadership, we will do what it takes for your success. Follow Club standards and be yourself and become a part of our team.

Qualifications:

• The Club is looking for a long-term fit; the right individual who is initiative-taking and possesses a creative approach to menu planning with continually.
• The new Executive Chef will get to know the membership and give them what they want – traditional fare makes it the best it can be. (Members appreciate some comfort foods and the option of being wowed by daily specials and special events.)
• The new Executive Chef should have solid culinary knowledge and is well-rounded in both a la carte and banquet operations and works closely with the CEO and management team to introduce new ideas, and party themes etc. to create a fresh culinary experience.
• He/she displays exceptional leadership by providing a positive work environment, counseling employees as appropriate and demonstrating a dedicated and professional approach to management and service staff.
• This individual has the ability to demonstrate good judgment, problem solving, and decision-making skills.
• The Executive Chef is expected to evaluate and improve the menu variety focusing on fresh farm-to-table and sustainable ingredients. (Aware of culinary trends and members historical preferences in dining.) Writes monthly Newsletter article.
• The Executive Chef is successful at being visible around the Club, especially at Club events and private parties.
• The Executive Chef helps to prepare the annual operating budget, with recommendations for needed capital expenditures.

Initial Focus:

1. Build a strong Culinary Team – Make sure the Club has the right team in place. Inspire the team and build a strong culinary culture driven to excellence. Serve as coach and mentor and lead by example while ensuring the team has what they need to be successful.
2. Communications – With this appointment the Club is looking for an Executive Chef who is sincere and communicates well. Is able to create a positive dialog with the FOH, relates to and is responsive to all key management staff and engages with the membership.
3. Get to know the Club and Members – Interact with members, listen to them, and learn what they want. Be visible and engaging with the membership and serve as UC’s ‘Ambassador of Culinary’
4. Understand the Budget – The Executive Chef is expected to evaluate current operations, staffing, purchasing and provide recommendations for enhanced systems, controls, product, and services in all areas.
5. Establish New Standards – The Executive Chef has a “leadership by example” mentality and earns the confidence of the members and the respect of the staff.

Additional Information:

• Annual food sales $1,950,000; Total F&B Sales are $2,585,000. The Club subsidized F&B -$560,000 in most recent FY.
• The Club currently has a 39% food cost (budget 37%) with a sales mix of 33% A La Carte and 67% Banquet.
• There are approximately 15 culinary staff and 6 steward supported by the Labor Budget.
• There are (2) Sous Chefs, (Executive Sous and Banquet Sous) Pastry Chef, Banquet Chef, Chief Steward and Purchasing Manager.
• The Club supports one (1) Kitchen located on the third floor. Management rates the condition as a 5 out of 5.The kitchen is in great shape as we have updated most of the equipment in the last few years.
• The Union Club has (1) one 94,158 sq. ft. Clubhouse with 760 members whose average age is 63.
• The Club operates (12) twelve months annually. The busy months are September through December. The Club closes the last week of December and the week of the 4th of July.
• The Executive Chef reports to the CEO and works closely with the Clubhouse Manager, Director of Catering and Catering Manager, Beverage Manager, Controller and Purchasing.
• The departing Chef was with the Club for two years.

A la Carte Dining:

Grille Room – Casual with 60 seats, serving Lunch & Dinner, Monday – Friday.
Main Dining Room – Formal with 60-100 seats, serving Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, Monday – Friday.
Private Parties – The Club has twelve (12) private rooms with seating from 2 to 50 guests. The largest sit-down event the Club can accommodate is 350 Guests.

Guest Rooms – The UC has ten (10) overnight hotel rooms.

The Club offers a generous base salary, performance bonus and benefits package including a 401k plan, health with dependent coverage, life & dental insurance, ACF Dues and Conference. A (CEC) is preferred. Relocation is available. Interested individuals should send resumes, a well-conceived cover letter, and supporting information (a digital Portfolio is encouraged)