A Restaurant or Food Service Manager oversees daily operations at a restaurant or an institution that serves meals such as a college or hospital. Hires, trains and supervises food service workers, manages meal and work schedules, supervises supply orders, food preparation and the quality of food and service, and monitors compliance with health regulations.
Sugar Hollow Retreat is seeking an experienced, hospitality-driven Chef & Food and Beverage Manager to direct our farm-to-table culinary program and wedding beverage operations. Located just outside the Boone and Blowing Rock area, our mountain venue hosts multi-day destination weddings, private group retreats, and bespoke events. The ideal candidate pairs culinary expertise—spanning upscale farm-to-table service, family-style weekend feasts, and multi-course plated dinners—with hands-on management of couple-curated wine, beer, and spirits programs.
Design and execute high-standard meal programs across multi-day wedding weekends, including welcome dinners, family-style group buffets, elevated multi-course plated receptions, and post-event brunches.
Local Sourcing & Farm Partnerships:
Establish, manage, and maintain strong relationships with regional farms and purveyors to drive an authentic, seasonal farm-to-table culinary identity.
Curated Beverage Program Management:
Partner with couples and clients to plan, source, and manage custom wine, craft beer, and liquor selections for their private bar setups and banquet services.
Event Service Coordination:
Bridge back-of-house culinary execution with front-of-house hospitality, ensuring seamless meal timing, polished bar service, and exceptional guest care throughout full retreat itineraries.
Financial & Inventory Control:
Oversee menu costing, vendor ordering, inventory tracking, and waste reduction to maintain target margins across both food and beverage operations.
Kitchen Sanitation & Compliance:
Maintain full compliance with local health department regulations, food safety handling protocols, and responsible alcohol service standards.
Staff Leadership:
Supervise, train, and mentor seasonal and event kitchen crew and service staff, fostering a professional, dependable team environment.
4+ years of culinary leadership with proven experience in dual kitchen and F&B management within a boutique retreat, luxury event venue, high-end catering company, or private resort setting.
Versatile Execution:
Demonstrated mastery in both intimate, multi-course plated fine dining and large-scale, high-end family-style catering formats.
Farm-to-Table Focus:
Genuine passion and experience in hyper-local sourcing, seasonal ingredient utilization, and local purveyor relationship management.
Beverage Knowledge:
Solid foundation in wine pairing, craft beer selection, and classic/custom spirits coordination.
Certifications:
ServSafe Manager certification (or state equivalent) and Responsible Alcohol Service certification (e.g., TIPS/ServSafe Alcohol) required.
Logistics & Organization:
Strong organizational, communication, and time-management skills tailored to managing dynamic, multi-day retreat event schedules.
Location & Commute Primary Target Area:
High Country /
Boone & Blowing Rock Area Work Location:
Sugar Hollow Retreat (conveniently located ~30-35 minutes from downtown Boone and Blowing Rock).
Schedule:
Event-driven schedule centered around multi-day weekend weddings, private retreats, and advance prep/tastings. Reliable personal transportation is required.
