Work- Life Balance Do you love the hospitality industry but can't stand the hours? We're on the lookout for an Executive Chef and culinary innovator with a passion for leading a team and creating exceptional dining experiences for our members. Are you ready to elevate your career in a place where extraordinary people come together to make a difference in the lives of seniors? At The Lakes at Litchfield, we pride ourselves on our commitment to putting People First, Always! With six prestigious Industry Best of the Best Awards under our belt, we invite you to be part of something truly special. As our Executive Chef, you will oversee a vibrant, restaurant-style dining department, ensuring that every meal is a memorable experience for our members. You'll manage operations within the approved budget while consistently delivering outstanding service that exceeds expectations. Come discover why The Lakes at Litchfield is recognized as a Great Place to Work ! Your journey to making a meaningful impact starts here. Apply today! POSITION SUMMARY: Possesses a comprehensive knowledge of safe, sanitary food handling procedures, preparation methods, merchandising and supervision. Has knowledge of special diets and all applicable local, state and federal regulations. ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS: Lead and personally contribute to the preparation and cooking of meals for all dining venues in the community. Monitor food production to ensure compliance with Senior Living Communities' standards for quality, presentation, portion control, safety, sanitation, and other appropriate quality and compliance measures. Partner with the Director of Dining Services to create menus and plan for special events. Work closely with the Director of Dining Services to monitor inventory and prepare food and supply orders in order to ensure efficient operations, meet budget expectations, maximize freshness of ingredients, and minimize waste. Lead and/or actively participate in daily production meetings with the team. Provide training, coaching, guidance, and direction to line cooks. Assist the Director of Dining Services in creating and managing schedules to ensure sufficient staffing and adherence to labor budget. Oversee and continuously monitor food preparation, storage and handling to ensure adherence with all proper handling, HACCP, labeling, and storage protocols and ensure compliance with all relevant food service regulations. Follow all safety protocols and set a strong example for practicing a culture of safety. Maintain documentation of temperature charts and records. Maintain an open communication and professional working relationship between front and back of house operations and sister departments. Attend and actively participate in required in-service training and education programs. Other duties as assigned. COMPETENCIES: To perform the job successfully, an individual should demonstrate the following competencies: Technical Skills - Individual must demonstrate current and ongoing competence in tasks assigned which indicates a specialized skill in this area above and beyond the average. Communication - Demonstrates an ability to effectively and regularly transfer information to necessary parties to improve the quality of her work and to provide her supervisor with actionable, accurate data. Initiative - Is self-motivated and personally competitive. Wants to achieve for the good of the Company and her team. Seeks additional work when they have capacity. Demonstrates an ability and desire to bring new ideas and solutions to their supervisor on an ongoing basis. Flexibility - The ability to quickly adapt to changing conditions. The ability to navigate obstacles with ease and professionalism. Interpersonal Skills - Focuses on solving conflict, not blaming; listens to others without interrupting; keeps emotions under control; remains open to ideas and tries new things Teamwork - Balances team and individual responsibilities; encourages others and asks for help when needed. Exhibits patience and compassion. Professionalism - Ensures product is delivered on time and is of the highest quality. Assumes responsibility for mistakes. Presents themselves in a manner which enhances the brand image. Understands that no information is truly private and conducts online or social networking activities accordingly. Ethics - Treats people with respect; keeps commitments; inspires the trust of others; works ethically and with integrity; upholds the Company's Guiding Principles: People First, Always We Exist to Serve our Members We Have a Responsibility to be Full Physical Demands, Work Environment, and Expected Hours of Work: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Capable of standing, maneuvering independently and safety around work area. Capable of standing on a tile floor for an eight-hour shift. Ability to see and hear, or to use prosthetics that will enable these senses to function adequately to assure that position requirements can be fully. Sufficient manual dexterity to operate a fire extinguisher and to manipulate kitchen equipment, including slicer, chopper, processor, knives, etc. Proficient with computers to complete job-related functions. An individual in this position will be required to lift or carry weight up to 50 lbs. Must be free of diseases that can be transmitted in the performance of job responsibilities during the stage of communicability unless the employee can be given duties that minimize the likelihood of transmission. May be exposed to minimal to moderate noise and exposure to blood and/or body fluids. May experience traumatic situations including psychiatric and deceased residents. Subject to moderate physical and emotional stress associated with food service. Performance of job tasks will involve exposure to cleaning chemicals, heat and cold. TRAVEL: Local and out of state travel, including overnight stays, may be required from time to time to attend conferences, training, meetings, and professional development programs. EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS: 2-year culinary degree preferred. Minimum of five years of food preparation experience in a high-volume dining services venue with at least three years in a supervisory capacity; experience in a senior living environment preferred. Possess and maintain Safe Serve certification. Knowledge of proper food handling, storage, and safety protocols and regulations. Ability to read, write and follow directions in a recipe. Ability to lead and direct the work of others. KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES REQUIRED: Ability to read, write, speak and understand English fluently. Ability to meet or exceed the company's attendance and punctuality standards. Ability to use miscellaneous software and office equipment. Ability to understand and follow directions as given. Ability to work with minimal supervision.