Executive Chef

Job Description

Nationwide Hotel and Conference Center, located in Lewis Center, Ohio, is searching for an Executive Chef to join our team!

Tucked in a 15-acre park-like setting just North of Columbus, Ohio, our property offers a complete collection of services and amenities for an all-inclusive experience. Our hotel has 193 stylishly appointed guest rooms and suites to delight leisure travelers, while our 45,000 square feet of customizable meeting spaces are sophisticated yet comfortable and offer state-of-the-art technology to create a dynamic setting for meetings and special events

Job Summary:

The Executive Chef is responsible for leading the overall culinary direction of the property. This includes menu planning, recipe development, food production, and inventory management, while maintaining strict adherence to budgeted food and labor costs. The role requires strong leadership, creativity, and organizational skills to ensure excellence in product quality, consistency, and presentation. The Executive Chef will also be responsible for recruiting, training, mentoring, and developing a high-performing culinary and stewarding team.

Essential Functions:

Provide leadership and oversight of all culinary operations, ensuring accurate and timely production for catering, restaurants, conference services, pub, room service, and employee dining.

Monitor industry trends, competitive offerings, and evolving guest needs to recommend and implement innovative menus, services, and operational improvements.

Design daily, seasonal, and event-specific menus to maximize guest satisfaction and revenue opportunities.

Collaborate with clients as needed to deliver customized culinary experiences.

Establish and enforce standards for quality, presentation, portioning, and consistency across all outlets.

Train, mentor, and supervise staff on menu execution, new recipes, and culinary techniques, with ongoing evaluation of performance.

Develop training and career progression plans to support team member growth.

Oversee kitchen operations, including equipment maintenance, sanitation, and safety compliance across all culinary and stewarding areas.

Conduct regular inspections to ensure compliance with hotel standards, state health codes, and safety regulations.

Manage food and labor costs through accurate forecasting, scheduling, and inventory control.

Recruit, hire, train, and develop team members while fostering a culture of accountability, recognition, and professional growth.

Prepare and submit reports in accordance with company requirements.

Lead and participate in daily, weekly, and monthly meetings to align with organizational goals.

Serve as a member of the Executive Committee, actively contributing to overall property leadership.

Perform additional duties as assigned by senior management.

Physical Requirements:

Ability to work in extreme temperatures and high-pressure kitchen environments.

Ability to stand and walk for extended periods.

Ability to lift up to 25 lbs. regularly and up to 55 lbs. occasionally; as Manager on Duty (MOD), may be required to exert up to 100 lbs. of force.

Requires manual dexterity for equipment operation and the ability to perform repetitive motions, bending, climbing, and lifting.

Must possess full range of vision, hearing, and communication abilities.

Experience, Education, Qualifications and Skills:

Minimum of 2 years’ experience as an Executive Chef or Executive Sous Chef in a multi-outlet, upscale, full-service operation with annual food and beverage revenue of $4M or more.

Culinary degree from an accredited institution and/or ACF Executive Chef certification preferred.

Demonstrated expertise in menu creation, recipe development, and food presentation.

Proven ability to manage food and labor costs within budget.

Exceptional organizational, communication, and leadership skills.

Strong financial acumen, including cost control and forecasting.

Proficiency with basic computer applications and culinary management systems.

Strong customer service orientation with the ability to build positive guest and client relationships.

Travel:

This position requires the successful candidate to have a valid Ohio Driver’s license. The successful candidate would have to provide proof that s/he has a valid driver’s license upon being hired.

Our attractive compensation package includes medical, dental, vision, life, 401k with match, STD/LTD, vacation, PTO, dining and travel discounts, special offers from our business partners, and discount programs for selected cell phone providers.

Nationwide Hotel and Conference Center is managed by Columbus Hospitality Management, a company committed to providing quality service and memorable guest experiences in a positive and welcoming work environment. We are focused on supporting the needs of our team through our commitment to the family/work life balance and by providing development opportunities.

We are proud to be a Drug Free Workplace/EOE. All applicants will be required to submit to a background check prior to employment.

Full-time