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CHEF | Saratoga Arms Hotel | Saratoga Springs, NY If you love cooking from scratch, care where your ingredients come from, and want more creative freedom than the typical restaurant kitchen allows, we should talk. Saratoga Arms is a 30-room luxury boutique hotel in downtown Saratoga Springs, and we're looking for an experienced, confident chef to join our culinary team. This isn't a kitchen where you'll cook the same station and the same menu every night. One morning, you'll be on the line executing a busy breakfast service. Another day might mean preparing an elegant private dinner, developing a seasonal special, building a beautiful afternoon tea menu, creating hors d'oeuvres for a cocktail reception, or working with the team on a completely new guest experience. We're looking for someone who genuinely loves food — and wants to have a hand in creating it.

THE FOOD

Our kitchen is rooted in thoughtful, scratch cooking and excellent ingredients. We care about seasonality. We care about sourcing. We care about the farms, makers and purveyors behind what we serve. And we want chefs who are curious about those things too.

Our culinary program includes:

A busy, full-service breakfast Seasonal breakfast and cocktail-hour specials Private dinners and rehearsal dinners Bridal and baby showers Corporate dinners and retreats Afternoon and high tea Cocktail receptions and special events Holiday and ticketed dining experiences House-made baked goods and guest amenities Seasonal menu development There is plenty of structure here — but there is also room to create. Have an idea for a special? We want to hear it. Found an incredible local ingredient you want to build something around? Bring it in. Want to rethink a dish, contribute to an event menu or introduce us to a producer you love? That's exactly the kind of culinary curiosity we're looking for.

WHO THRIVES HERE

You may be coming from a restaurant, hotel, club, catering operation or private events background. The specific path matters less to us than your ability to cook exceptionally well and operate independently. You'll likely be a great fit if you: Are an experienced cook or chef who is confident working a busy line Can execute a high-volume breakfast service with consistency and composure Have strong fundamentals and excellent technique Enjoy cooking across different styles, menus and meal periods Get excited about beautiful private dinners and special events Care about ingredients, sourcing and relationships with purveyors Can prep thoughtfully, stay organized and manage your own work Have high standards for cleanliness, consistency and presentation Enjoy contributing ideas instead of simply being handed recipes Can move comfortably between execution and creativity Take pride in the details even when no one is watching Want to be part of a professional, collaborative kitchen Most importantly, we're looking for someone who doesn't need to be micromanaged. We want experienced people we can trust — people who see what needs to happen, take ownership of their work and care deeply about the food leaving the kitchen.

A DIFFERENT KIND OF KITCHEN

We take our food seriously. We don't believe that requires creating a miserable place to work. Our kitchen has high standards without the screaming, ego or chaos that has become normalized in too many professional kitchens. We believe talented hospitality professionals should be able to do ambitious work and have a life outside of work. You'll join a small team where your contribution matters, your ideas can actually make it onto the menu, and you'll have the opportunity to cook for everything from a packed breakfast service to an intimate celebration dinner. Because we're a boutique hotel rather than a traditional dinner restaurant, the rhythm of the job is different, too. While flexibility across meal periods and events is important, we're intentional about scheduling, communication and creating a sustainable working environment.

THIS ROLE IS PROBABLY NOT FOR YOU

IF... You're looking for a position where you simply arrive, work one station, follow the same recipes and leave. We're looking for someone more curious than that. We want the chef who notices the first great local strawberries of the season and immediately starts thinking about what to do with them. The chef who gets excited about designing a beautiful tea sandwich. The chef who can crush a Saturday breakfast service and still care deeply about the sauce accompanying a private dinner that evening. The chef who wants to know the farmer, the baker, the cheesemaker and the person delivering the mushrooms. If that's how you think about food, we'd really like to meet you.

WHAT YOU'LL FIND HERE

Creative freedom. Your ideas are welcome, and you'll have opportunities to influence specials, menus and culinary experiences. Variety. Breakfast, private dinners, afternoon tea, cocktail receptions, special events, baking, seasonal projects and more. Excellent ingredients. We value thoughtful sourcing and want to continue strengthening our relationships with local farms, producers and purveyors. High standards. We're a luxury hotel, and details matter here — from the seasoning on the plate to the way the final dish is presented to a guest. A healthy kitchen culture. Professional, respectful and collaborative. Great food doesn't require burnout. A small team where you matter. This isn't a massive hotel operation where you're one cook among dozens. You'll know the people you're cooking for, work closely with our culinary and hospitality teams, and have a meaningful voice in what we create next.

EXPERIENCE

Professional culinary experience is required. We're particularly interested in candidates with strong line experience who are comfortable working independently and have experience with some combination of breakfast, upscale dining, catering, banquets, private events or hotels. Culinary school is welcome but absolutely not required. Great cooks come from many different kitchens. If you're a seasoned culinary professional looking for serious food, creative opportunity, high standards and a kitchen where having a life outside of work isn't considered a lack of ambition, we'd love to hear from you.

Pay:

$25.00 - $30.00 per hour Expected hours: 40.0 per week

Benefits:

401(k) 401(k) matching Dental insurance Health insurance Paid time off Referral program Vision insurance

Work Location:

In person