Estero, Florida
Moscow, Idaho
BATESBURG, South Carolina
Flagstaff, Arizona
Posted: 08-Mar-25
Location: Estero, Florida
Type: Full Time
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EXECUTIVE CHEF PROFILE:
WILDCAT RUN GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB
ESTERO, FL
THE EXECUTIVE CHEF OPPORTUNITY AT WILDCAT RUN GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB
The Executive Chef position at Wildcat Run Country Club in Estero, FL, presents an exceptional opportunity for a culinary professional to lead in this dynamic club. The Club is seeking a chef with demonstrated expertise in banquet and a la carte services and a strong understanding of operational logistics, ensuring food and beverage offerings are delivered seamlessly across the club's facilities.
This role offers opportunities to build upon and enhance the current offerings while fostering a fun, collaborative environment built on strong communication, accountability, and ownership. The Executive Chef will recruit, develop, and mentor a talented culinary team, as building and maintaining a strong, cohesive staff is vital to the Club’s success. The ideal candidate will bring a blend of creativity and innovation to elevate the club’s culinary experience while respecting its favorites.
This position is ideal for an Executive Chef who is very hands-on and actively involved in all phases of the culinary operation. Given the club’s size and scope, the Executive Chef will oversee two kitchens, support various dining venues, and work closely with a dedicated team to consistently provide outstanding service to the Club’s members and their families. This role provides a unique opportunity to make a meaningful impact on Wildcat Run Country Club’s culinary program while contributing to its continued growth and success.
ABOUT WILDCAT RUN GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB
Wildcat Run Golf & Country Club is a private, gated community located in Southwest Florida, featuring 450 homes set on spacious, beautifully landscaped lots. The club offers a newly renovated, Arnold Palmer-designed 18-hole golf course, providing both a challenging and enjoyable experience. Members also have access to top-tier practice facilities and expert golf instruction.
In addition to golf, Wildcat Run provides a variety of amenities for an active lifestyle, including tennis, four new pickleball courts, bocce, and a state-of-the-art fitness and wellness center. The club fosters a vibrant social atmosphere, offering engaging events that create a well-rounded experience for all members.
Dining at Wildcat Run is exceptional, with upscale dining available in the clubhouse and a relaxed Grill Room featuring an indoor-outdoor bar. Whether enjoying gourmet meals or casual fare, members indulge in expertly crafted cuisine in an inviting and comfortable setting.
With its combination of world-class golf, active living, and exceptional dining, Wildcat Run offers a premier lifestyle for its members, ensuring a unique and fulfilling experience in a picturesque, well-maintained environment.
WILDCAT RUN GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB WEBSITE: www.wildcatruncc.com
WILDCAT RUN GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB BY THE NUMBERS:
- 471 members
- 69 average member age
- $9.4M Approximate Annual Gross Volume
- $1.7M Approximate Annual Food & Beverage Volume
- 65% a la carte and 35% banquets
- 47% food cost (target 46%)
- 58% Kitchen labor cost
- Daily Covers: B-40, L-70, D-132 ?
- 20 FTE Kitchen Employees (1 Sous Chef/Pastry Chef)
- 2 kitchens (Main Clubhouse – Grill Room)
- POS System used: Jonas
- 501(c) (7) Tax Status
FOOD & BEVERAGE OPERATIONS
Clubhouse Dining – the dining space is in the main clubhouse, with perfect views of the golf course. This space is for evening dinner, a la carte, and special events for membership. A center-place bar is in the middle of the dining space. Perfect for celebration-style dining for membership and the family. The dining space has a direct pathway to the main kitchen.
Grill Room – newly designed with ideal zoning of dining space. This energy-filled casual dining space features a centerpiece bar, patio, and casual dining space. This space also has a sliding private dining space perfect for member social events. The patio has direct access to a large patio with bocce ball courts, a golf short course, and visually stunning views of the golf course. The dining space has a direct pathway to the grill room kitchen, which was newly created.
Snack Bar - walk-up counter-style dining space for grab-and-go dishes. This space in located between key tennis and golf locations of the club footprint. This area is in the fitness building.
EXECUTIVE CHEF POSITION OVERVIEW
The Executive Chef at Wildcat Run Golf & Country Club is responsible for the overall leadership, mentoring, and development of the culinary team and all food production of the club’s Food and Beverage. He or she develops menus, food purchase specifications, and recipes, and develops and monitors food and labor budgets for the department.
KEY PRIORITIES FOR SUCCESS
LEADERSHIP
- Take full ownership of the culinary team; build trust with them by engaging, observing, learning, and listening to their wisdom, experience, and needs.
- Create a productive relationship with the current club leadership to include (beverage manager, DFB, and various club leadership)
- Earn members’ trust by instilling confidence through continued enhanced operations, interaction, and visibility.
- Create a fun collaborative work environment.
- 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.
- Be a focused and consistent evaluator of personnel, ensuring that standards of conduct and delivery are met; this includes an 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.
- The EC reports directly to the GM, who has tremendous food & beverage experience in the private club sector.
- Work closely and collaboratively with the FB Director, together plan menus for all food outlets in the club and special occasions and events.
- 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
- Experience with seasonal business levels, in South Florida or other regional areas. The EC must be able to shift, organize, and plan for the high season, as well as adjust for the shoulder months of the operation.
- Plan, organize, and run busy, multiple events happening at the same time across multiple locations as well as a la carte dining.
- Develop standard recipes and techniques for food preparation/presentation to help assure consistently high quality and to minimize food costs; exercises portion control and assist in establishing menu selling prices.
- Evaluate food products to ensure 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.
- Maintain safety training programs; manages OSHA-related aspects of kitchen safety and maintain MSDS’s in an easily accessible location.
- Maintain a positive culture of healthy employee meals and understand the importance they have over the morale of the team.
MEMBERSHIP
- Have a heart for hospitality, embrace, appreciate, promote, and elevate the warmth and culture of Wildcat Run Golf & Country Club.
- 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. Wildcat Run Golf & Country Club prides itself on having a “say yes” culture.
- Create a menu that the membership has a hard time choosing from with regular innovative features and specials.
FINANCIAL
- Clearly understand the metrics for the successful attainment of financial goals and objectives in F&B operations and consistently review these expectations with their direct reports to ensure understanding and ‘buy-in’.
- 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 schedules for all facilities and functions while balancing financial objectives with member satisfaction goals.
- Embrace the use of systems 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 ensure that financial goals are met.
- Review and approve product purchase specifications and maintain excellent vendor relationships.
INITIAL PRIORITIES OF NEW EXECUTIVE CHEF
- Build relationships with the team. Listen, observe, and seek to understand. This includes building a strong foundation of relationships with the executive team, front-of-house leaders, and all members of their team.
- Treat others with respect, listen, show humility, and promote a positive, fair, and professional work environment.
- Clearly take a “lead role” in the team building of the Front and Back of House relationship. The EC is expected to communicate, educate, and be present with service and catering.
- This is a “hands-on” working Executive Chef, while administrative must be prioritized, the EC is a key part of the delivery of the culinary product of the membership.
- Enjoy interaction with the membership, highlighted by engagement of feedback, and make appropriate adjustments and adaptations based on sound data and careful thought.
- Innovation and trends in lifestyle dining habits are a must. EC must be able to balance both classic tastes with today’s emerging wellness and clean food movements.
- Evaluate current operations and set appropriate and necessary standards of operation, processes, execution, and delivery within the culinary operation, taking ownership for the entire experience, while working closely and positively with the front-of-house team.
- Evaluate and continue to develop, train, and mentor the culinary team. The Wildcat Run EC is expected to create disciples and populate the local area culinary industry as a key influencer of the market.
CANDIDATE QUALIFICATIONS
- Has five years’ experience in an Executive Sous Chef or Executive Chef role in a private club or luxury brand.
- 10 years of relevant experience; or any equivalent combination of experience and training that provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities.
EDUCATIONAL AND CERTIFICATION QUALIFICATIONS
- Has achieved or is interested in additional industry Certified Executive Chef (CEC) certification through the American Culinary Federation (ACF) or Pro Chef II certification through the Culinary Institute of America.
- Having a degree in Culinary Arts and/or other Hospitality Management focus is a plus
- Food safety certification.
SALARY AND BENEFITS
The salary is open and commensurate with qualifications and experience. The club offers an excellent bonus and benefits package including association membership.
INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO APPLY
Please upload your resume and cover letter, in that order, using the link below. You should have 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 Wildcat Run Golf & Country Club General Manager/COO, Mr. Robert DiBiase, CCM. Clearly articulate your alignment with this role, why you want to be considered for this position at this stage of your career, and why WRGCC and the Estero, FL 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 the beginning of April 2025. Candidate selections will occur mid-April, with the first Interviews expected in the end of April and the second interviews a short time later. The new candidate should assume his/her role in early June.
IMPORTANT: Save your resume and letter in the following manner:
“Last Name, First Name - Resume” &
“Last Name, First Name - Cover Letter – Wildcat Run”
(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