EXECUTIVE CHEF PROFILE:

TPC SAWGRASS

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, FL 

THE EXECUTIVE CHEF OPPORTUNITY AT TPC SAWGRASS

World-renowned TPC Sawgrass is searching for an executive chef to lead their five-star culinary operations. The successful candidate can ensure that the culinary program matches the level of notoriety of THE PLAYERS Stadium Course’s famous #17 island green. If you have a successful track record of leading multi outlet, high-volume, high-quality culinary operations in a luxury hotel/resort or Platinum club, read on!

TPC SAWGRASS

TPC Sawgrass is home to THE PLAYERS Championship, the birthplace of the TPC Network, and the backdrop to the PGA TOUR headquarters. The history of TPC Sawgrass is synonymous with the history of the TPC Network itself. The club was born from the dream of then PGA TOUR Commissioner Deane Beman to create a special and unique host site for THE PLAYERS Championship.

The TPC Sawgrass golf course is perhaps the world’s most famous golf course. Golf enthusiasts will find not one, but two PGA TOUR championship courses at the club, both designed by world-renowned architect Pete Dye. THE PLAYERS Stadium Course and Dye’s Valley Course offer two perfectly balanced game experiences.

TPC Sawgrass is not only one of the top Florida golf resorts, but it is recognized nationally by multiple golf publications as a destination. THE PLAYERS Stadium Course is ranked the No. 2 golf course in Florida by Golf Digestmagazine and it ranks consistently among Golf Digest’s top 50 golf courses in the country.

The Mediterranean-style, 77,000-square-foot clubhouse provides PGA TOUR players, families, executives, members and guests with truly memorable culinary and service experiences within multiple dining outlets, beautifully appointed banquet and meeting spaces, and an expansive gallery.

TPC Sawgrass is in picturesque Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. Situated between Jacksonville and St. Augustine. The area provides the perfect blend of small town charm and big city sophistication. Ponte Vedra Beach is graced with miles of white sandy beaches that provide beachgoers year-round opportunities to enjoy the abundant Florida sunshine and a variety of water sports.

TPC MISSION

The PGA TOUR's TPC Network is the golf industry leader that passionately supports the efforts of the PGA TOUR by engaging TOUR partners, hosting TOUR events, and serving TOUR players, members and guests at the highest level, all while making a financial contribution back to the PGA TOUR.

TPC CORE VALUES

LEADERSHIP: Our clubs and courses represent the leaders of the game of golf- the people who are a part of the PGA TOUR. We continually innovate and evolve to ensure that the experience at every TPC extends and enhances the stature of the TOUR. We are engaged and committed to doing the work that it takes to be great, ensuring that we accomplish more together than as individuals.

COMMUNITY: The TPC Network is committed to adding value to our communities. Whether it is generating revenue, being a meaningful philanthropic force, or simply creating the experiences that turn into lasting memories, our success is measured by our impact on the communities we serve.

EXCELLENCE: This is the standard we live up to, and all of our efforts are driven to achieve it. From the condition of our courses and how we respond to a member request, to the smallest detail associated with the clubhouse experience, everything we do is underscored by our pursuit of excellence. We will surround ourselves with people who share this passion for greatness, and will hold each other accountable for delivering excellence every day.

SERVICE: We are here to serve. We serve the PGA TOUR by generating financial support that adds value to the members of the TOUR and by acting as the public voice of the TOUR in our local communities. We serve our members and guests by creating outstanding experiences every time they visit one of our clubs. We also serve each other, collaborating, supporting, and helping one another accomplish our goals.

THE GAME: Golf’s rich heritage is steeped in tradition. The game embodies many positive values, including integrity, honesty, responsibility and fair play- ideals that can be applied to every aspect of one's life. Through the PGA TOUR, we represent golf at its highest level – this is at the heart of who we are and what we do every day. We create environments and experiences that encourage this reverence. We live the values of the game through our actions and remember that it is a privilege to be a part of this game every day.

TPC SAWGRASS BY THE NUMBERS:

• $10.1M annual F&B ($8M Food & 2.1M Beverage)
• 40% a la carte vs. 60% banquet business
• Target 27% Food Cost (Actual 25%)
• Target 36.3% Labor Cost (Actual 29.7%)
• 35 kitchen employees (250 total employees at the Club)
• 2 kitchens – Main level and second floor banquet kitchen
• 2019 date the kitchen was last renovated
• 8 dining outlets plus small meeting rooms
• 250,000 covers per year
• 30 weddings a year (average)
• 58 average age of members
• 25000 people per day during the Players Championship week, every March totaling $3.5M F&B Revenue
• For Profit F&B Operations

Please visit the TPC SAWGRASS website here.

FOOD & BEVERAGE OPERATIONS

The food and beverage experience is on par with the two PGA TOUR championship courses, featuring outstanding dining venues offering delicious fare. It is the perfect place to host special events and celebrations in an upscale and gorgeous locale, overlooking the famous fairways of THE PLAYERS Stadium Course.

NINETEEN, which is open from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., seats 175 and features a creative array of freshly prepared American and Continental cuisine in a warm, inviting ambiance. Menus change seasonally to take advantage of the freshest local fare; the restaurant’s outdoor veranda offers panoramic views of the expansive presentation lawn and both the 9th and 18th holes.

There are several banquet rooms located on the second level including Ponte Vedra which seats 266, Blue Heron which seats 93, Osprey which seats 93 and Sunset which seats 131. Additional private dining rooms include Live Oak, THE PLAYERS Library, Board Room, and Champions.

ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE

The Executive Chef reports to the F&B Director. Managers that report directly to the Executive Chef include an Executive sous chef, sous chefs, the banquet chef, chef de partie, stewarding manager, and purchasing manager.

EXECUTIVE CHEF JOB DESCRIPTION

The Executive Chef (EC) at TPC Sawgrass is responsible for planning and managing all aspects of food and pastry production for the Club’s restaurants, lounges, snack bars, banquets, and employee dining room. He or she establishes and develops culinary strategies to meet business needs and exceed member and guest expectations. The EC has the vision and the ability to lead and maximize team members’ potentials by mentoring and inspiring both heart-of-house and front-of-house staff. He or she lives TPC’s core values of leadership, community, excellence, service, and “the game.”

Leadership

• Take full ownership of the culinary team.Engage with, observe, learn, and listen to the Members and staff. Earn Member trust by instilling confidence through continued enhanced operations, interaction, and visibility.
• Is a strong and passionate leader and culinary professional with a proven track record of providing high-level services with a personality that is commensurately appropriate to TPC Sawgrass.
• Successfully leads a dynamic and high-volume culinary operation with multiple dining outlets.
• Create a fun collaborative work environment while being willing to be “hands on” when necessary but understanding when to step back and lead the team.
• Involve associates in the decision-making process of how ‘work gets done’ and create a work environment of mutual respect in which people want to come to and participate every day.
• Have a passion and aptitude for teaching and training all food service personnel, working, as necessary, with the staff directly responsible for operations, setting clear direction and holding the team accountable.
• Be a focused and consistent evaluator of personnel, ensuring that standards of conduct and delivery are met; this includes oversight of high standards of appearance, hospitality, service, and cleanliness of the kitchen facilities.
• Be an active and dynamic recruiter of team members and someone who inherently enjoys developing and building his/her team and leading them to significant, positive membership satisfaction outcomes.
• Establish and consistently enhance operating standards for personnel in areas of responsibility and consistently evaluate knowledge, understanding, and execution to these high standards.
• Work closely with the front of house food and beverage managers to assure a cohesive experience that consistently exceeds the expectations of Members and guests.
• Hold daily/weekly staff briefings and line-ups with direct reports to keep them informed of necessary and relevant activities and expectations at the Club. Assist in planning and be responsible for ensuring special Club events are well-conceived and executed.

Operations

• Develop and maintain standard recipes and techniques for food preparation and presentation that help to assure consistent, high quality and minimize food costs; exercise portion control for all items served and assist in establishing menu selling prices.
• Evaluate food products to assure that the highest quality standards are consistently attained.
• Ensure that high standards of sanitation, cleanliness and safety are always maintained throughout all kitchen areas. Establish controls to minimize food and supply waste and theft.
• Safeguard all food-preparation employees by implementing training to increase their knowledge about safety, sanitation, and accident-prevention principles.
• Maintain safety training programs; manages OSHA-related aspects of kitchen safety and maintain MSDS’s in easily accessible location.

Membership 

• Have a heart of hospitality, embrace, appreciate, promote, and elevate the warmth and culture of TPC Sawgrass.
• Be visible and engaged with Membership throughout the F&B outlets and during events at the Club.
• Welcome, encourage and engage in regular feedback from Members.
• Be responsive to Members’ requests for menu selections, event planning, etc., and strive to find creative ways to accommodate reasonable requests.
• Drive consistent innovation, elevate, and build exciting food programs for Members to enjoy.
• Create a menu that the Membership has a hard time choosing from with regular innovative features and specials.

Financial

• Clearly understand the metrics for successful attainment of financial goals and objectives in F&B operations, and consistently review these expectations with his or her direct reports to ensure understanding and ‘buy-in’ from those contributing to their attainment.
• Consistently monitor payroll and labor resource allocations to ensure they are in line with financial forecasting and goals. Produce variance reports for monthly financial statements.
• Ensure effective and efficient staffing and scheduling for all facilities and functions while balancing financial objectives with Member satisfaction goals.
• Embrace the use of systems (including regular inventory processes) and technology to assist in the management of the kitchen and the financial performance of the operation.
• Prepare necessary data for applicable parts of the budget; project annual food, labor and other costs and monitor actual financial results; take corrective action as necessary to help assure that financial goals are met.
• Review and approve product purchase specifications and maintain excellent vendor relationships.

INITIAL PRIORITIES OF THE EXECUTIVE CHEF

• Evaluate train and mentor the culinary staff.
• Understand the dynamic between Members, Players, Families, PGA Tour Executives and Guests
• Understand the logistics of the Player’s Championship and begin planning.
• Deliver consistency and high quality in a la carte and banquet operations.
• Listen to guests, members and staff and learn names as well as culinary and dining requirements (allergies, etc.) and preferences. Ensure that this information is recorded and used at all dining outlets.
• Evaluate, create, document and execute standards of operation and delivery; taking ownership for the entire experience from production to final delivery of the end-product, while working closely with the FOH management team.
• Review and evaluate menus and dining outlets and make changes as needed to embody the “TPC Sawgrass culinary experience.”
• Manage to budget food and labor goals.

CANDIDATE QUALIFICATIONS

The successful candidate:

• Has a degree in Culinary Arts and/or other Hospitality Management focus.
• Has a minimum eight years of food production and management experience.
• Has experience in large and complex multi outlet for profit organizations within the luxury hospitality and club industry. Tournament or large event experience is preferred
• Has experiences with clearly defined standards, systems, and processes.
• Has a proven track record of writing and managing a budget of food, labor, capital, and miscellaneous expenses.
• Embodies the values that form the foundation of the game of golf including integrity, honesty, responsibility, and fair play; and ensures that his or her team members reflect these values through their actions as well.
• Executive Chef of TPC Sawgrass is an important and positive face of culinary operations. He or she is an integral part of the overall success of the operation and is a strong influencer on each constituency he or she interfaces with while performing his or her duties. The responsibility to lead this facet of the organization from a passionate, creative, supportive, progressive, and team-focused perspective is of critical importance for long-term success.
• Is experienced with technology including, Jonas, and Microsoft Excel, Word, Outlook, etc.

TPC SAWGRASS COVID REQUIREMENTS

The Club currently does not require staff to be fully vaccinated as a provision of employment

SALARY & BENEFITS

Salary is open and commensurate with qualifications and experience. TPC Sawgrass offers an excellent bonus and benefit package including ACF membership as well as matching 401(k) and pension plans.

INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO APPLY

Please upload your resume and cover letter (in that order) using the link below.  You should have your documents fully prepared to be attached when prompted for them during the online application process.  Please be sure your image is not present on your resume or cover letter; that should be used in your LinkedIn Profile.

Preparing a thoughtful letter of interest and alignment, clearly articulating your “fit” with the profile and the above noted expectations and requirements is necessary.  Your letter should be addressed to Mohammad Azhur Corporate Executive Chef and clearly articulate why you want to be considered for this position at this stage of your career and why and the Ponte Vedra, Florida area will likely be a “fit” to you, your family and the Club if selected.

You must apply for this role as soon as possible but no later than September 1st. Candidate selections will occur in Early September with first Interviews expected in Mid-September and second interviews a short time later.  The new candidate should assume his/her role in Early- Mid October.

IMPORTANT:  Save your resume and letter in the following manner:

“Last Name, First Name - Resume” &

“Last Name, First Name - Cover Letter TPC Sawgrass”

(These documents should be in Word or PDF format)

Note: Once you complete the application process for this search, you are not able to go back in and add additional documents.

Click here to upload your resume and cover letter.

If you have any questions, please email Holly Weiss: holly@kkandw.com

LEAD SEARCH EXECUTIVE

Annette Whittley, Search Executive

561-827-1945 (M)

annette@kkandw.com