Executive Chef, Winchester Country Club – Winchester, MA

About the Club: “The entire history of the Winchester Country Club is fraught with evidence that it was founded, and has continued, on the proposition that among the durable satisfactions of life, the chief is human relationships at their best.”

These words from club president Ralph Bonnell, who spoke on the occasion of the club’s 50th anniversary in 1952, continue to resonate today. As Bonnell referenced for members, the land on which the club resides has long brought together people of many walks to share in the blessings of life, nature, and each other.

Position Specific: The Winchester Country Club seeks a highly skilled, forward-thinking Executive Chef who is both a strong culinarian and an inspirational, people-focused leader. The ideal candidate possesses exceptional financial acumen, strong human resources capabilities, and a natural ability to recruit, develop, and retain top culinary talent. A true mentor and “coach at heart,” the Executive Chef fosters a culture of teamwork, professionalism, and continuous improvement.

As the face of culinary operations, and with a new clubhouse and kitchen renovation scheduled for 2027, the Executive Chef must be equally comfortable engaging in the kitchen and the dining rooms, interacting with a wide range of members, guests, and employees. The Executive Chef will understand member dining preferences and continue to develop the culinary program and offerings to meet and/or exceed member expectations.

Serving as a positive catalyst for the club’s culinary program, the Executive Chef is driven by pride and plays a vital role in shaping memorable dining experiences and is an integral contributor to the overall success of the club’s operations.

Note From the General Manager: The Executive Chef will step into a forward-thinking management team that earned exceptional praise from our membership in the 2022 survey—momentum that now propels us into a $19 million clubhouse and kitchen renovation. Among our eight department managers, five have joined within the last four years, bringing fresh energy and innovative ideas that blend seamlessly with the seasoned leadership of our long-tenured team. This is a rare opportunity to help shape the next chapter of a club that is growing, evolving, and firmly committed to excellence.

This team is fully embracing the evolution of the Club: honoring our history and traditions while leaning into a forwardthinking, relevant clubhouse and kitchen design scheduled to begin construction in 2027. Joining us ahead of the renovation will give the successful candidate the opportunity to evaluate our culinary team, influence the final details of the new kitchen layout, and gain valuable insight into the membership’s tastes and preferences over the course of a full season. Our culinary staff is energetic, eager, and enthusiastic about welcoming their next leader. The membership is equally excited and supportive, looking forward to fresh ideas and continued growth.

As with most private clubs, we have established committees that provide strategic guidance while staying out of day-to-day operations.

Candidate Qualifications:

• The Executive Chef develops recipes and techniques for food preparation and presentation which help to assure consistency and high quality; exercises portion control over all items served and assists in establishing menu prices.
• Has the ability to organize and develop systems to ensure a smooth food service operation.
• Ensures that high standards of sanitation, cleanliness, and safety are always maintained throughout all kitchen areas. This includes daily site visits to all outlets.
• Is hands-on and directly supervises the cooking of items that require skillful preparation.
• Evaluates job performance of the culinary staff; coaches and counsels to ensure staff is on right track and rewards and disciplines staff in a fair and appropriate manner.
• Has management and administrative skills with the ability to communicate with staff, other department heads and the membership.
• The successful candidate must demonstrate values, conduct, and integrity consistent with the caring philosophy in place. Sets the example for professionalism when working and communicating with the service and catering staff.
• Prepares Operations and Capital Budgets for submission to the Controller to evaluate before submission to Finance Committee and Board of Directors for their approval.
• Maintains a visible presence in dining room and at events when possible. He or she authors a newsletter column and coordinates occasional member cooking classes.
• Participates in meetings by providing information he/she feels is relevant.
• Must be a good fit for the culture of the Club. He or she must demonstrate values, conduct, and integrity consistent with the clubs mission and values.

Initial Focus:

1. Create New Menus – Leverage Culinary Expertise and develop menus with an emphasis on healthy option, variety, seasonality and high-quality ingredients. Respect for club-classics and ability and translate this to members of all ages.
2. Oversee Design of a New Kitchen – The Executive Chef will be a part of the team to Influence design and renovation oversite of the new kitchen.
3. Engage with the Membership – Interact with members by being visible and engaging. Understand the Club’s culture, its history and traditions.
4. Team Building – Inspire the team and build a strong culinary culture, driven to excellence. Work to deliver exceptional dining experiences for a la carte service, private events, and club functions.
5. Work through Renovation Period – Assist with temporary services while closed for renovation. Help to develop workable facilities and menus that can accommodate members as best as can be during this time.

 Additional Information:

• Annual food sales $2 MM; Total F&B Sales $2.8 MM.
• The Club currently has a 49% food cost with the food cost budget at 48% and a sales mix of 70%, A La Carte and 30% Banquet.
• There are (10) culinary employees and (4) stewards supported by a $970,000 labor budget.
• There are two (2) Sous Chefs, and the Chef does the purchasing.
• The Club has one (1) Kitchen and replaces equipment as needed. A 2,000 sq.ft. kitchen is in the planning stages.
• The Club has one (1) 35,000 sq. ft. Clubhouse with 700 members.
• The Club operates for eleven (11) months annually and closes the month of January. The busy months are May through July. After the golf course closes, the Club operates Lunch & Dinner Wednesday through Sunday.
• The Executive Chef reports to the General Manager and works closely with the F&B Director, Golf Professional, Events Manager, Controller, Human Resource Manager and Facilities Manager.

Dining: (various a La Carte Outlets & Events)

• Porch – Casual with 44 seats, serving lunch and dinner Tuesday through Sunday.
• The Grill – Casual with 32 seats, serving lunch and dinner Tuesday through Sunday.
• Dr/Tr – Casual with 80 seats, serving lunch and dinner Tuesday through Sunday.
• Pergola – Casual with 24 seats, serving lunch and dinner Tuesday through Sunday (Summer Only)
• Private Parties – The Club has three (3) private rooms seating from 20 to 90. The largest sit-down event the Club can accommodate is 90 members/guests. The Front Parlor – is a 30-seat event space.
• Presidents Room – 90 seats for events only.

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

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