Find & Apply For Chef Jobs in New Glarus, Wisconsin

The New Glarus Hotel has stood at the center of this village since 1853. Built by Swiss immigrants who came to Wisconsin to make it home, it has been a gathering place, a dining room, a stage, and a community anchor for generations. The building is being fully restored — listed on the National Historic Registry — and reopening in Q4 2026. This is not a new concept looking for an audience. It is a 170-year-old story looking for the right people to carry it forward. We believe the best hospitality is the kind nobody asked for. Executive Chef - New Hotel Restaurant Opening We are seeking a dynamic, experienced, and approachable Executive Chef to lead the culinary opening of an exciting new restaurant within a hotel environment. This is a hands-on leadership position for a chef who thrives in a fast-paced hospitality setting and understands the flexibility, energy, and commitment required to launch a new operation successfully. During the pre-opening and opening periods, schedules may fluctuate and working hours may be longer than usual. The ideal candidate will remain calm, organized, collaborative, and solutions-focused—even during high-pressure moments. The Executive Chef will oversee all culinary operations, recruit and develop the kitchen team, collaborate closely with restaurant and hotel leadership, and ensure every dish reflects our standards for quality, consistency, presentation, and value. Creative input is welcomed and encouraged. We are looking for a thoughtful culinary leader who is excited to help shape menus, operating procedures, kitchen culture, banquet and event offerings, and the overall guest experience from the ground up. Key Responsibilities Lead culinary pre-opening and opening activities, including menu & recipe development, kitchen setup, equipment testing, vendor coordination, employee training, and the establishment of culinary standards and procedures. Develop and execute distinctive, appealing, and financially responsible menus for regular dining, private events, special events, hotel functions, and entertainment programming. Oversee all daily kitchen operations, including food preparation, production, service, sanitation, opening and closing procedures, and shift execution. Recruit, interview, onboard, schedule, train, coach, and develop a high-performing culinary team. Create a positive kitchen culture based on teamwork, accountability, clear communication, mutual respect, and hospitality. Maintain a calm, professional, and supportive presence during high-volume service periods and operational challenges. Establish standardized recipes, portion specifications, plating guidelines, preparation methods, and quality-control procedures. Monitor food quality, flavor, consistency, freshness, presentation, and ticket times throughout service. Coordinate closely with restaurant management, hotel leadership, banquet teams, and other departments to ensure timely food delivery and seamless guest experiences. Plan and execute culinary service for private dining, banquets, special events, live entertainment, and other hotel or restaurant programming. Communicate professionally with event clients, vendors, suppliers, performers, and internal departments when culinary coordination is required. Oversee food purchasing, receiving, storage, rotation, inventory, and supplier relationships. Manage food and labor costs, control waste, establish appropriate pars, and support the restaurant's profitability goals. Review operating reports, budgets, forecasts, and profit-and-loss statements to identify opportunities to improve performance. Ensure compliance with food safety, sanitation, allergen-control, workplace-safety, and food-handling requirements. Maintain a clean, organized, safe, and inspection-ready kitchen at all times. Ensure kitchen equipment is properly operated and maintained, coordinating repairs or replacements when necessary. Support the use of the Toast POS system by maintaining accurate menu information and coordinating kitchen-related operational functions. Respond professionally to guest feedback and work collaboratively with front-of-house leadership to resolve quality or service concerns. Contribute creative ideas that improve menus, workflow, employee engagement, event programming, operational efficiency, and the guest experience. Support hotel and restaurant leadership and assume additional responsibilities as operational needs evolve. Opening-Team Expectations As part of a new restaurant and hotel opening, this position requires adaptability, resilience, and a strong sense of ownership.

Candidates should understand that:

Hours may be longer and schedules may change during pre-opening, training, launch, events, entertainment nights, and other high-demand periods. Evening, weekend, and holiday availability will be required based on business needs. Responsibilities may evolve as menus, operating systems, and service standards are established. Leaders are expected to remain composed, welcoming, and supportive while working through the normal challenges of opening a new operation. The Executive Chef is expected to work alongside the culinary team and provide hands-on support whenever needed. Thoughtful creative input is encouraged, particularly regarding menu development, kitchen culture, workflow, events, and the overall guest experience. Qualifications Previous Executive Chef, Executive Sous Chef, Chef de Cuisine, or comparable culinary leadership experience in a restaurant, hotel, resort, banquet, or hospitality environment. Experience supporting a restaurant opening, hotel opening, or other new hospitality operation is strongly preferred. Strong culinary knowledge and demonstrated success developing and executing high-quality, consistent menus. Experience with restaurant dining, private events, banquets, catering, live entertainment, or hotel food-and-beverage operations is a plus. Thorough knowledge of food safety, sanitation, allergen management, food storage, and safe food-handling procedures. Demonstrated ability to recruit, train, coach, develop, and motivate a diverse culinary team. Experience with purchasing, inventory control, recipe costing, budgeting, labor management, waste reduction, and profit-and-loss analysis. Ability to balance culinary creativity with consistency, operational practicality, and financial performance. Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple priorities during busy production and service periods. Excellent problem-solving, decision-making, and time-management skills. Effective verbal and written communication skills. A consistently calm, respectful, patient, and professional demeanor. Ability to communicate effectively with guests, event clients, vendors, suppliers, and internal teams. Experience with Toast POS or a comparable restaurant-management system is preferred. Flexibility to work extended hours, evenings, weekends, and holidays as required. Current food-safety certification—or the ability to obtain one within the required timeframe. A collaborative leadership style and genuine enthusiasm for creating memorable hospitality experiences. Leadership and Culture We value leaders who bring positive energy, sound judgment, creativity, accountability, and genuine care to their work. The successful candidate will lead by example, welcome new ideas, treat guests and colleagues with respect, and build a culinary culture grounded in teamwork, professionalism, and excellence. Join us at the beginning of something special. Your culinary leadership and creative contributions will play an essential role in shaping our restaurant, developing our team, creating memorable menus and events, and delivering an exceptional experience for hotel guests, local diners, and visitors.

Pay:

$65,000.00 - $75,000.00 per year

Benefits:

Dental insurance Flexible schedule Health insurance Paid time off Vision insurance

Work Location:

In person