Executive Chef

EXECUTIVE SEARCH –

POSITION TITLE:  EXECUTIVE CHEF

VAQUERO CLUB

WESTLAKE, TEXAS (DALLAS / FT WORTH - METRO AREA)

REPORTS TO: GENERAL MANAGER, CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER

https://www.vaqueroclub.com/

 Established in 2001, Vaquero occupies 525 acres of what was once the Hunt brothers’ Circle T Ranch in Westlake, Texas. Discovery Land Company purchased the Ranch and developed it into an intimate, utterly private Club community.

The secluded property features rolling hills, a newly renovated and expanded 42,000 square-foot Club House, and a golf course designed by Tom Fazio. Vaquero is located 15 minutes from the Dallas/Fort Worth Airport and offers ample shopping and dining in the neighboring towns of Southlake, Trophy Club, and Roanoke.

For members, the Vaquero Clubhouse is a second home. This luxurious yet comfortable setting is where members live, work, and play. A member can work out in the morning, play golf, and enjoy lunch or dinner with family and friends. Vaquero offers members the ultimate lifestyle. Once a member enters the gates, the staff is present for everything a member or guest may need. The team is dedicated to helping members enjoy the things that truly matter, friends and family. The Vaquero Club offers a limited number of private Equity Golf and Social Memberships.

VAQUERO CLUB BY THE NUMBERS:

• 423 total member families
• Tom Fazio 18 Hole Championship Golf Course, PAR 71
• An Indoor Golf Teaching Center
• 3 - Dining areas: Clubhouse, Ranch House, and Pool Grill
• Men’s Locker Room Lounge and Women’s Locker Room Lounge
• 4 - Tennis Courts, and 3 -Pickleball Courts
• Swimming Pool, Youth Recreation, 2 - Event Lawns, and Kids Club
• Spa and Fitness Center
• Family events, fishing, paddleboats, or canoeing

DINING FACILITIES:

• 1 formal dining room that seats - 60
• 1 lounge/bar to enjoy drinks and casual dining - 50
• 1 Ranch House that seats - 125
• 1 Clubhouse outdoor patio that seats - 60
• 2 outdoor event lawns to host large events
• 4 Kitchens (Clubhouse, Ranch house, Pool Grill and Vaqueroville)
• Food & Beverage Delivery and Take Out services (24% of a la carte revenues)
• Total food and beverage revenues - $2.6M
• 80% a la carte / 20% banquets and special events (pre-covid)
• 18 number of employees reporting to the Executive Chef Position
• The Club is open 6 days per week, 12 months a year

POSITION SUMMARY:

 The Vaquero Club Executive Chef (EC) candidates must possess and be able to exhibit a charismatic, coach training, “heart of a teacher” leadership style. Must be proficient and skilled in culinary leadership and production, including setting standards, best practices, standardized recipes, team development, member and guest customer relations. The EC will be the key leader known to the employees and the membership as the responsible party for all culinary offerings at the Club. The EC must be visible and present in all food and beverage operations on a regular daily basis. The EC must demonstrate an open-door, approachable demeanor that leads and guides all culinary team members in an equal and proactive manner. The EC must be structured and organized to implement defined goals and initiatives to achieve the culinary brand, vision, and standard of offering an unparalleled Club dining experience in the DFW marketplace.

The EC will manage all culinary aspects of the Club’s restaurants, bars, private events, special events, cooking demonstrations and member cooking event instruction, in-home, and off-site events, and a Chef herb and vegetable garden.  The EC will lead, motivate, and inspire a fun and thriving culinary mentorship culture while overseeing all hiring, training, supervision, and performance of team members.

EC candidates must deliver every day the highest in food quality and taste in all culinary offerings. Our members are world traveled and have dined in some of the world's finest restaurants and expect no less at their Club. Consistency through training, mentoring, standardized recipes, plating guides, proper food timing, taste, and finish are the key talent characteristic that the General Manager / COO and the Club are looking for in this position.

The EC's top goal is to develop and maintain a world-class, world-renowned culinary and service experience for Vaquero members and their guest's exclusive use while fostering a working environment in keeping with the theme, values, and vision statement of Vaquero. “Treating others, the way you would like to be treated,” for all members, guests, teammates, and vendor partners.

All employees of The Vaquero Club ensure that the highest level of service is offered to The Vaquero Club members by providing members with personal, gracious, and professional service at all times.

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

•  Focus on details to provide the highest in quality products and service to members.
• Strive for continuous improvement in knowledge, quality, consistency, service, products, work environment, financial metrics, safety, wellness, and member satisfaction.
• Directs the operation of all kitchen areas and Culinary staff members.  Works with Clubhouse Manager, Food & Beverage Director, and associates to execute the F&B strategy and focus on meeting or exceeding goals.
• Oversees and plans menus and manages food production at all outlets at the Club.
• Continuously strives to improve the quality of food products provided by the kitchen and understands the members’ expectations.
• Schedules and coordinates the work of Sous Chefs, Line Cooks, Pastry Chef, and Kitchen Assistants/Dishwashers to assure that food preparation is economical and technically correct and within budgeted labor goals.
• Develops standard recipes and techniques for food preparation and presentation, ensuring consistency, high quality, and controlling food costs.
• Cooks or directly supervises the purchasing, preparation, and cooking of items that require skillful preparation.
• Evaluates food products to ensure that only the highest quality standards are attained.
• Participates in developing the annual budget related to functional areas of responsibility; provides management with continuous planning, forecasting, and monitoring of financial detail to verify adherence to plan. Manages and maintains inventory control, standardized recipes, plating guidelines, and costing programs.
• Responsible for all inventory cost controls as set forth by The Vaquero Club inventory standards as developed by and with the Controller and General Manager / COO.
• Defines the standards and approves the requisition of products and other necessary food supplies.
• Ensures that high standards of sanitation, cleanliness, and safety are maintained throughout all kitchen areas at all times.
• Establishes and maintains a regular cleaning and maintenance schedule for all kitchen areas and equipment.
• Plans and manages the employee meal program to ensure quality healthy meals are offered to staff associates at all times.
• Attends all Food & Beverage staff and Club management meetings.
• Works with the Event Coordinator about food production aspects for all special events that are planned.
• Interacts with the Clubhouse Manager to ensure that food production consistently exceeds member's and guests' expectations.
• Attends service lineups and ensures that other representatives from kitchen staff attend those lineups.
• Periodically visits the dining area to greet members on a daily/nightly basis.
• Hires, trains, develops, supervises, and evaluates the performance of all kitchen personnel
• Motivates and develops staff, including cross-training and promotion of personnel.
• Takes initiative to provide relational service to members and guests and instill this in the kitchen staff. Must become known as the “house of yes” to special member requests whenever possible.
• Maintains professional standards and codes of conduct as set forth by The Vaquero Club Employee Handbook.