Position Summary The Chef leads daily kitchen operations for Casa Morada boutique hotel in Islamorada, supporting a café with approximately 20 seats and a pool and bar operation with approximately 120 seats. The role is responsible for consistent food quality, timely execution, kitchen organization, food safety, and effective control of food and kitchen labor costs. This is a hands-on working Chef position requiring active participation in preparation and service, along with the experience to run a small kitchen and lead its team. Reporting to the General Manager, the Chef works closely with the Food and Beverage Manager to align food production with service needs, guest expectations, and approved budgets. Kitchen Operations and Service Execution

• Lead daily preparation, cooking, plating, and kitchen service; work alongside the team during preparation and peak service periods.
• Organize stations, preparation lists, production quantities, and opening and closing duties to support efficient service.
• Plan production around occupancy, anticipated covers, reservations, seasonality, and menu demand while minimizing overproduction.
• Coordinate with the Food and Beverage Manager on menu availability, order flow, ticket times, guest feedback, and service priorities.
• Maintain sufficient preparation and stock for each service, communicate unavailable items promptly, and resolve production delays.
• Support kitchen opening readiness, including equipment checks, initial inventory, operating procedures, recipes, and team training. Food Quality and Consistency
• Ensure dishes consistently meet approved standards for flavor, freshness, temperature, portion size, and presentation.
• Develop and maintain standardized recipes, preparation methods, yields, portion guides, and plating instructions.
• Taste and inspect food throughout preparation and service; correct quality issues before dishes reach guests.
• Train the team to follow recipes and standards consistently across shifts and monitor execution through regular checks.
• Recommend practical menu improvements with the Food and Beverage Manager and General Manager, considering guest preferences, seasonality, kitchen capacity, and profitability.
• Handle dietary requests and allergen information through established procedures; communicate limitations and prevent cross-contact using appropriate controls. Food Cost and Inventory Control
• Cost recipes and monitor ingredient costs, yields, portions, and waste against approved food cost targets.
• Manage food ordering, stock levels, and preparation quantities to balance product availability with freshness and cost control.
• Inspect deliveries for quality, quantity, temperature, and pricing; document discrepancies and coordinate resolutions with suppliers.
• Maintain organized storage, labeling, date marking, product rotation, and accurate inventory records.
• Track spoilage, overproduction, returns, and other waste; investigate cost variances and implement corrective actions.
• Use approved purchasing and supplier procedures; obtain required approval for menu, product, or purchasing changes. Labor Planning and Team Leadership
• Prepare kitchen schedules and daily assignments based on business volume and approved labor budgets.
• Monitor kitchen labor hours, overtime, productivity, and staffing needs; adjust deployment while maintaining food quality and service coverage.
• Cross-train employees and organize preparation and station responsibilities to improve efficiency in a small kitchen.
• Recruit, onboard, train, and coach kitchen employees in coordination with the General Manager and Human Resources.
• Set clear expectations for attendance, performance, cleanliness, food handling, and conduct; document coaching and concerns with HR guidance.
• Build a respectful, accountable kitchen culture and maintain clear communication with the service team. Food Safety and Kitchen Upkeep
• Maintain food handling, temperature control, storage, sanitation, and cleaning practices in accordance with applicable requirements and company standards.
• Ensure required logs and records are completed accurately, including temperature checks, cleaning schedules, and corrective actions.
• Oversee kitchen and dishwashing cleanliness, safe chemical handling, and orderly work areas; support pest prevention and inspections.
• Inspect kitchen equipment, report maintenance needs promptly, and coordinate repairs with the Hotel Manager.
• Train employees on safe equipment use, incident reporting, and emergency procedures; address hazards immediately.
• Support hurricane and severe weather preparation, including safe storage, inventory protection, and recovery of kitchen operations. Reporting and Performance Accountability
• Review food cost, kitchen labor cost, inventory, waste, ticket times, and guest feedback with the General Manager and Food and Beverage Manager.
• Provide timely explanations for variances and practical plans to improve cost control, consistency, and service execution.
• Maintain recipe, purchasing, inventory, schedule, and training records to support reliable operations. Qualifications and Experience
• Minimum three years of professional kitchen experience, including experience leading daily kitchen operations as a Chef, Kitchen Manager, Sous Chef, or comparable role.
• Demonstrated ability to run preparation and service, supervise a small team, and maintain consistent quality across shifts.
• Practical experience with recipe costing, purchasing, inventory, portion control, waste reduction, scheduling, and kitchen labor management.
• Strong cooking skills and ability to execute café and poolside menus efficiently in a boutique hotel setting.
• Boutique hotel, small resort, or independent restaurant experience preferred; opening and island or coastal hospitality experience are advantages.
• Working knowledge of food safety, sanitation, allergen procedures, and safe equipment operation; required food safety certification or ability to obtain it before assuming applicable duties.
• Comfort with inventory, scheduling, point of sale reporting, and basic spreadsheet tools; culinary education or equivalent practical experience preferred.

Working Expectations This position requires an on-site presence in Islamorada and flexibility to work mornings, evenings, weekends, and holidays. Work includes extended periods standing, cooking in a hot kitchen, using kitchen equipment, and moving food and supplies. Essential duties may be performed with reasonable accommodation.

Pay:

$75,000.00 - $80,000.00 per year

Work Location:

In person