EXECUTIVE CHEF PROFILE

THE COUNTRY CLUB OF JACKSON

JACKSON, MS

EXECUTIVE CHEF AT THE COUNTRY CLUB OF JACKSON

The Executive Chef position at The Country Club of Jackson (CCJ) offers an exciting opportunity to lead and enhance the culinary program at a welcoming, family-focused club in a beautiful, affordable, and centrally located part of Mississippi. With over 1,100 member families, this role calls for a leader who is eager to elevate the member dining experience by focusing on quality, consistency, and creating memorable moments. There is room to build on the club’s solid culinary foundation, making this a rewarding opportunity for a chef who values growth and collaboration. CCJ provides a supportive environment where a dedicated leader can give back to a hardworking, high-performing culinary team. The club features a variety of a la carte dining venues, busy banquet operations, and multiple kitchens, and hosts a nationally recognized PGA Tour tournament each year. It has built a foundation of Modern American Cuisine with global influences, offering a strong base for an executive chef to innovate and grow the program further.

The ideal candidate will have experience in a comparable club environment, exceptional culture and team-building skills, and a passion for delivering an exceptional dining experience to members. This role offers the chance to leave a legacy while helping shape the future of the culinary program in a community-oriented club.

ABOUT THE COUNTRY CLUB OF JACKSON & COMMUNITY

In 1914, a small group of businessmen purchased 100 acres off Clinton Boulevard, five miles west of town, to organize The Country Club of Jackson. Over the past 100 years, the Club has grown through a series of renovations and expansions to become what it is today: a full-service, family-centered, destination country club. In 1958, the club purchased cropland near where County Line Road intersected Old Canton Road and constructed a new clubhouse which opened in 1963. Situated on approximately 500 acres of rolling terrain, The Country Club of Jackson is a family-focused, private, member-owned country club. Members enjoy the finest of amenities and services including an expansive clubhouse with both formal and casual dining rooms, a popular adults-only lounge, 27 holes of championship golf complete with a full array of practice facilities, 12 lighted tennis courts (8 soft courts, and 4 hard courts) and 8 pickleball courts, an aquatic center that includes a splash zone and custom-made water slide, croquet and a state-of-the-art fitness center and spa. The Club is home to the annual PGA Tour’s Sanderson Farms Championship each fall.

The city of Jackson, known as the “City with Soul” because of its “perseverance and triumphant spirit,” is steeped in southern culture and is a mecca for artists and musicians (from classical to inspirational, home-grown gospel, blues, jazz, rock ‘n roll, R&B and more). The city also has a vibrant food and cultural scene. The suburbs of Jackson offer a wonderful environment for family living and excellent education options.

MISSION STATEMENT:

The Mission of The Country Club of Jackson is to provide the finest social environment, food, and recreational facilities possible for those individuals who share a common interest.  Membership in the Club is by invitation only, without regard to sex, race, religious affiliation, or national origin.

THE COUNTRY CLUB OF JACKSON BY THE NUMBERS

• 1100 Members Approximately
• $25,000 initiation fee (full member)
• Club Accounting and POS systems are Club Essentials
• $5.4 M F&B volume
• 40% a la carte/60% banquet
• 180 employees /225 seasonal employees
• 36 kitchen employees
• 4 kitchens (a la carte, banquet, Turnhouse, and pool)
• 55 average age of members
• Annual PGA Sanderson Farms Championship
• Upcoming Capital Improvement plan including full a la carte kitchen renovations

THE COUNTRY CLUB OF JACKSON WEBSITE: www.ccjackson.com

FOOD & BEVERAGE OPERATIONS

Magnolia Grill offers a relaxed dining experience for the whole family. In good weather the Terrace is open.   The club offers a Thursday night buffet that features action stations and global cuisine. The Grill seats 96 and in summer months the Terrace additionally seats 72 and is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

The Onyx lounge is a hub of activity for the highly social Membership, taking no reservations this bar and lounge is one of the club’s greatest assets. It is the most popular a la carte dining room at the club and its ambiance is second to none. Members (21 years and older) can relax at the bar or sit by the fireplace and watch their favorite sporting events on one of three flat-screen televisions. The Onyx offers dinner on Tuesday through Sunday and Seats 60.

 T.J.’s 19^th Hole, which seats 72, is open for lunch and dinner, Tuesday through Sunday.

Golfers playing on the Dogwood, Azalea, or Cypress can enjoy a quick snack at The Turnhouse which is located on the bottom floor of the fitness center; between holes # 9 and # 10. It is open every day in season and serves breakfast, lunch, and early dinner; closing at 6:30 p.m.

The pool snack bar is open from Memorial Day to Labor Day on Tuesdays through Sundays for lunch and dinner. It has seating for approximately 100 members and guests.

Café 1914 is open Tuesday – Sunday 7 am – 9 pm and features a patio and areas for Members to work while enjoying Coffee from a barista, grab-n-go, pastries, house-made ice cream, and cookies.

Banquet operations at the Country Club of Jackson are an important segment and a sense of pride. The CCJ does not use hot boxes.  They “plate and go,” providing members and their guests with fresh, quality, hot food. The CCJ receives high marks for their food and service, particularly in the banquet department. The Club is known in the market as the best for event food quality and service.  The CCJ’s private dining rooms include the Meridian Room (seats 60), Tupelo Room (seats 60), Biloxi Room (seats 60), and the Laurel Room (seats 120). These four rooms have air walls that can be opened to create the Main Ballroom which seats up to 550. Additional private dining rooms include the Natchez Room (seats 64), Faulkner Lounge (seats 56), Vicksburg Room (seats 96), and the Executive Room (seats 16). The Foyer, Reception, and Lobby are used for cocktail reception areas prior to events. Receptions can range from 12 people to over 1,200 people. The Ballroom is set up on Sundays for the CCJ’s popular Sunday Brunch Buffet featuring omelet and waffle stations.

The Country Club of Jackson hosts the PGA Tour’s Sanderson Farms Championship each fall which on average draws 5,000 spectators per day. Typically, this event generates over $1M in F&B revenue for the week in the banquet business! The club hosts an average of 15 weddings a year.

EXECUTIVE CHEF - POSITION OVERVIEW

The Executive Chef at The Country Club of Jackson is the "face and ambassador of all things culinary" at the Club. This experienced professional is responsible for leading the entire culinary operation, including hiring, training, retaining, and inspiring a team that includes an Executive Sous Chef, three Sous Chefs, and a Pastry Team.

The Club features four kitchens: the a la carte and banquet kitchens in the main clubhouse, as well as satellite kitchens at the Turnhouse and pool. While the kitchens were last renovated in 2008, the a la carte kitchen is included in a capital improvement plan currently in its conceptual phase, providing an exciting opportunity for the Executive Chef to help shape the future of the Club’s culinary operations.

As dining is a core amenity at the Club, the Executive Chef must be highly visible, approachable, and effective in communicating expectations to staff and members. Collaboration with clubhouse operations, F&B teams, and the General Manager is essential to deliver a cohesive and elevated dining program.

Reporting directly to the General Manager, and sitting on the House Committee, the Executive Chef plays a vital leadership role.

Leadership

• Be a collaborative team player who is willing to work with and train the team each day doing whatever it takes to deliver the best Member experience.
• Empower the culinary team and delegate appropriately, so they can focus on growth.
• Be an active recruiter of team members and someone who inherently enjoys developing and building his/her team and leading them to significant, positive membership satisfaction outcomes.
• Have a passion and aptitude for teaching and training all food service personnel. 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.
• Maintain existing 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 continually exceeds the expectations of Members and guests.
• Maintain physical presence during times of high business volume.
• Have a sense of “fun and approachability” and maintain a calm under pressure “cool demeanor” in all situations, the club and culinary team have a strong family culture.

Operations

• Maintain existing standard recipes and techniques for food preparation and presentation that help to assure consistent high-quality food.
• Maintain a rotation of varied food offerings that feature global cuisines. Evaluate food products to assure that quality standards are always attained.
• Maintain opening and closing cleaning checklists for each area/station within the kitchen and develop a weekly/monthly cleaning checklist.
• Safeguard all food-preparation employees by implementing training to increase their knowledge about safety, sanitation, and accident-prevention principles.
• Maintain safety training programs; manage OSHA-related aspects of kitchen safety and maintain MSDSs in easily accessible locations.

Membership

• Have a heart for hospitality, embrace, appreciate, promote, and elevate the friendly, sophisticated, and grace of the team at CCJ Club.
• Be comfortable and happy engaging with Membership with menu planning and throughout the F&B outlets at the Club, visiting tables engaging with Members welcoming all feedback.
• Be creative and responsive to Members’ requests for menu selections, event planning, etc.

Financial

• Consistently monitor payroll and labor resource allocations to ensure they are in line with financial forecasting and goals, the club has a strong finance department that provides monthly and bimonthly updates to the EC.
• 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.

INITIAL PRIORITIES OF THE EXECUTIVE CHEF

• Build strong relationships with the Culinary and FOH teams by understanding their backgrounds and continuing the club’s care-driven culture.
• Engage with staff & members to learn names, preferences, and unique dining needs, ensuring personalized service.
• Focus on enhancing a la carte operations by balancing well-executed Club favorites with innovative menu options.
• Elevate events with creative and varied offerings that enhance Club traditions.
• Maintain industry connections for recruitment through networking with local and national organizations like the CIA and ACF.

CANDIDATE QUALIFICATIONS

• Has 5+ years of luxury culinary experience as an Executive Chef or an Executive Sous Chef in a large operation, multi-outlet experience a must. Preferably, has a culinary or related degree.
• Successful experience in both a la carte and banquet operations.

EDUCATIONAL & CERTIFICATION QUALIFICATIONS

• A culinary arts degree from an accredited school is preferred.
• Certified Executive Chef (ACF) or Pro Chef (CIA) certification is preferred.
• Certification in food safety is mandatory

EMPLOYMENT ELIGIBILITY VERIFICATION

In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification form upon hire.

 SALARY AND BENEFITS

Salary is open and commensurate with qualifications and experience CCJ Club offers an excellent bonus and benefit package including professional development. 

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 on your LinkedIn Profile.

Prepare a thoughtful cover letter addressed to The Country Club of Jackson search committee/Bryan Aumiller, GM/COO. Clearly articulate your alignment with this role, why you want to be considered for this position at this stage of your career, and why TCCJ and the Jackson, MS area will benefit you, your family, your career, and the Club if selected.

You must apply for this role as soon as possible but no later than Friday, January 31st.  Candidate selections will occur a week later, with the first Interviews expected in late February 2025 and the second interviews a short time later.  The new candidate should assume his/her role in early April of 2025.

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

“Last Name, First Name - Resume” &

“Last Name, First Name - Cover Letter – CC of Jackson”

(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 Bethany Taylor: bethany@kkandw.com 

LEAD SEARCH EXECUTIVES

Annette Whittley, Search Executive ? 561-827-1945 (M) ? annette@kkandw.com

Lawrence McFadden CMC, Search Executive ? 239-963-6888 (M) ? lawrence@kkandw.com

About Kopplin Kuebler & Wallace

KK&W is the leading recruiting and consulting firm in the private club sector and voted “Best Search Firm of the Year” every year since 2006 by The Boardroom magazine. We continue to lead the industry in the placement of executive chef, GM/COO, AGM/clubhouse manager, director of food and beverage, executive chef, director of golf/head golf professional, golf course superintendent/director of agronomy, director of tennis/director of racquets, fitness & wellness director, chief financial officer/controller, membership director and marketing directors for private, resort and developer owned properties, clubs and communities as well as senior living communities and property owners associations. We are the leaders in executive placement by providing our clients with exceptional candidates who are ethical, competent and capable. The KK&W team possess more than 400 years of combined experience managing all areas of the club world. Our experience and expertise have provided us with a proven track record of placing candidates who possess integrity, competence, and compatibility with a club’s culture and environment.

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