Executive Chef, Huntingdon Valley Country Club – Huntingdon Valley, PA

About the Club: Huntingdon Valley Country Club is a private, family oriented Club founded in 1897 by a group of prominent Philadelphians with a focus on providing incomparable service to its members.

Located outside of Philadelphia, members of Huntingdon Valley enjoy a 27-hole golf course, tennis, squash, paddle tennis, swimming and shooting, along with other pastimes such as bridge, dining, and a fitness center. Huntingdon Valley has a wonderful mix of young, middle age and older members and there is a true sense of common purpose throughout the membership and the Club’s professional staff.

Position Specific: Huntingdon Country Club is looking for an Executive Chef who is a leader and willing to operate as part of a larger leadership team which takes into consideration all operations of the Club. Someone who is willing to develop and train team members and has a culture of mentorship. The ideal candidate will possess a true passion for professional cooking and have a proven and stable track record of culinary excellence.

This individual should be an effective communicator who is mature and poised in dealing with conflict and feedback and has a reputation for team-building and exceptional culinary skills, whether it’s preparing comfort food or a wine dinner.

Initial Focus:

1. Learn Culture/Get to know the Membership – Take time to understand the culture of the Club and staff. Interact with members, listen to them, and learn what they want. Be visible and engaging with the membership.
2. Assess the Member Experience – Review all menus, member programs and events and find ways to upgrade the experience in all areas. Collaborate with other department managers and work as a team making improvements.
3. Audit the Operation & Establish Standards – The new Executive Chef is expected to evaluate current operations, products, and staffing and provide recommendations for enhanced systems, controls, products and services in all areas.
4. Review and Refine Current Menu Offerings– Focus on menu development and planning. Address balanced feedback on the menus to build trust and confidence within the membership. Create new items on the menu that will bring members to enjoy their Club.

Candidate Qualifications:

• The Executive Chef is responsible for providing overall leadership and management for all food production and presentation. He/she demonstrates good judgment, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
• The position requires an engaged leader who has trend awareness, culinary expertise and masterful technique.
• The Executive Chef provides mentoring leadership and fosters a culture of continuing education and development for future, up-and-coming culinarians.
• The Executive Chef evaluates job performance of culinary staff; coaches and counsels to ensure staff is on track. Rewards and disciplines staff in a fair and appropriate manner.
• The Executive Chef should have management and administrative skills with the ability to communicate with staff, other department heads and membership.
• The Chef is hands-on, serves as a role model and sets the standard for all employees to maintain high-quality and consistent member service.
• The Executive Chef is directly involved in the budgeting process presenting both operational and capital needs from the culinary department and ensuring these align with the overall financial plan and into any dues considerations for the membership. The Chef is also responsible for developing a comprehensive staffing and payroll matrix, which forms a critical part of the club’s financial planning.
• The Executive Chef attends Committee meetings to interact with members of the committee, provide updates and answer questions.
• The Executive Chef is visible and engaging with the membership and walks the dining room, is on-floor during signature member events, provides cooking classes, authors newsletter articles and is involved with committees working on menu development for Club events.
• Ensure that the highest standards of sanitation, cleanliness, and safety are maintained throughout all food service areas at all times.

Additional Information:

• Annual food sales $2,286,000 MM; Total F&B Sales $3,257,000MM. In the most recent FY, the Club subsidized F&B ($57,000).
• The Club currently has a 44% food cost and the food cost budget at 41% with a sales mix of 35%, A La Carte and 65% Banquet.
• There are (11) culinary employees and (4) stewards supported by a $753,000 labor budget.
• There are two (2) Sous Chef’s (Executive Sous & Sous), the Chef does the purchasing.
• There are three (3) Kitchens; A la Carte, Banquet and Pool Snack Bar (Seasonal). Management rates the condition as a 2 out of 5. Summary: A la Carte Kitchen Renovated in 2017 – Pool Snack Bar Renovated in 2015 – Equipment replaced as needed in annual capital budgeting process funded by capital dues.
• The Club has one Clubhouse with 672 members whose average age is 57.
• The Club operates for twelve (12) months annually and closes two weeks in January (partial). The busy months are April through June & September & December. During the off-season, dining hours decrease slightly.
• The Executive Chef reports to the General Manager and works closely with the Assistant General Manager, Catering Sales Manager, Communications Manager, and Member Events Manager.
• The previous Chef was employed by the Club for two years.

Dining (A La Carte Outlets):

• Toomey Grille & Patio – Casual, serving lunch and dinner Tuesday through Sunday.
• Flynn Grille (19th Hole) – Casual, serving lunch and dinner Tuesday through Sunday.
• Pool Snack Bar – Casual, serving lunch and dinner Monday through Sunday during the Summer.
• Private Parties – The Club has five (5) private rooms seating from 10 to 200. The largest sit-down event the Club can accommodate is 300 members/guests.

The Club offers a competitive base salary, performance bonus and benefits package including a 401k plan, health, life & dental insurance, ACF Dues and Conference and dining allowance. Interested individuals should send resumes, a well-conceived cover letter, and supporting information (a digital Portfolio is encouraged).