Contractual Golf Course Chef Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Established in 2023 and located in Naples, Florida, The Gate Golf Club ("The Gate") is a non-profit organization driven by a shared love for golf and a commitment to creating a lasting impact on the community. Scheduled to open in late 2026, The Gate consists of a 175-seat freestanding full-service restaurant, pavilion bar, concessions snack bar, 30-bay state-of-the-art practice range with Trackman technology, expansive putting course, and a Jacobsen-Hardy-designed 9-hole regulation-length golf course. Recognizing the limited availability of public courses in Southwest Florida, The Gate Golf Club is dedicated to making the sport more accessible for families and players of all skill levels.

Reporting to the General Manager, the Executive Chef will interact frequently with department heads to execute the mission of The Gate Golf Club. The Gate strives to accomplish three things: provide high-quality experiences at affordable rates to members of the greater Naples (SWFL) community, educate and train the next generation of the hospitality and golf workforce, and introduce golfers to the game through the integration of First Tee programming.

The Executive Chef is accountable for the overall success of the daily and long-term kitchen operations. The Executive Chef exhibits culinary talent by personally performing tasks while leading the staff and managing all food-related functions, working to continually improve guest and employee satisfaction while maximizing financial performance in all areas of responsibility.

The Executive Chef will supervise all kitchen areas to ensure a consistent, high-quality product is produced and is responsible for guiding and developing staff, including direct reports. High sanitation and food standards must be achieved and always maintained. Areas of responsibility comprise overseeing all food preparation areas (e.g., events, Oakwood Grill, The Gimme (concession), The Pavilion and The Bays, and employee meals) and supporting all areas (e.g., dish room and purchasing).

Kitchen Operations

· Leads kitchen management team and provides direction for all day-to-day operations

· Understands employee positions and can perform duties in employee absence or determine appropriate replacement to fill gaps

· Provides guidance and direction to staff, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance

· Utilizes interpersonal and communication skills to lead, influence, and encourage others; advocates sound financial/business decision making; demonstrates honesty/integrity; leads by example

· Encourages and builds mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members

· Serves as a role model to demonstrate appropriate behaviors

· Ensures property policies are administered fairly and consistently

· Reviews staffing levels to ensure that guest service, operational needs and financial objectives are met

· Establishes and maintains open, collaborative relationships with employees and ensures employees do the same within the team

· Solicits employee feedback, utilizes an "open door" policy, and reviews employee satisfaction results to identify and address employee problems or concerns

· Supervises and coordinates activities of cooks and workers engaged in food preparation

· Demonstrate new cooking techniques and equipment for staff

Culinary Function and Activities

· Develops and implements guidelines and control procedures for purchasing and receiving areas

· Establish goals including performance goals, budget goals and team goals

· Communicates the importance of safety procedures, detailing procedure codes, ensuring employee understanding of safety codes, monitoring processes and procedures related to safety

· Manages department controllable expenses including food cost, supplies, uniforms and equipment

· Participates in the budgeting process for areas of responsibility

· Understands and implements The Gate Golf Club's safety standards

Culinary Standards and Responsibilities

· Provides direction for menu development

· Monitors the quality of raw and cooked food products to ensure that standards are met

· Determine how food should be presented and create decorative food displays

· Recognizes superior quality products, presentations, and flavor

· Ensures compliance with food handling and sanitation standards; follows proper handling and correct temperatures for all food products

· Ensures that employees maintain required food handling and sanitation certifications

· Maintains purchasing, receiving, and food storage standards

· Prepares and cooks food of all types, either on a regular basis or for special guests or events

Customer Service

· Provides and supports exceptional customer service behaviors that are above and beyond for customer satisfaction and retention

· Improves service by communicating and assisting individuals to understand guest needs, providing guidance, feedback, and individual coaching as needed

· Manages day-to-day operations, ensuring the quality, standards and meeting the expectations of the customers

· Displays leadership in guest hospitality, exemplifies excellent customer service and creates a positive atmosphere for guest relations

· Interact frequently with guests in the venues to obtain feedback on product quality and service levels

· Interact with VIP and Board Members on every visit to obtain feedback on product, quality and service levels

· Responds to and handles guest problems and complaints

· Empowers employees to provide excellent customer service; establishes guidelines so employees understand expectations and parameters and ensures employees receive on-going training to understand guest expectations

· Reviews comment cards, guest satisfaction results and other data to identify areas of improvement

Managing and Conducting Human Resource Activities

· Identifies developmental needs of staff; Coaches and mentors to help others to improve their knowledge or skills

· Ensures employees are treated fairly and equitably

· Trains kitchen associates on the fundamentals of good cooking and excellent plate presentations

· Administers the performance appraisal process for direct report managers

· Interacts with the Banquet Chef and Catering department on training regarding food knowledge and menu composition

· Observes service behaviors of employees and provides feedback to individuals and managers

· Manages employee progressive discipline procedures for areas of responsibility

· Ensures disciplinary procedures and documentation are completed according to Standard and Local Operating Procedures (SOPs and LSOPs) and supports the Peer Review Process

Minimum Qualifications

· 6 years of experience in a high-volume culinary department in a multi-unit business model

· 2-year degree from an accredited college preferred, ideally in Culinary Arts

· New property launch experience strongly preferred

· Availability to work flexible hours, including weekends and holidays

· Proficient in Microsoft Office and facility-based point-of-sale systems

Core Competencies

· Deep understanding of multi-outlet hospitality operations in a seasonal environment and the ability to manage cross-functional teams

· Passionate about delivering high-quality service and fostering a strong team culture

Physical Demands and Work Environment

· Regular exposure to outdoor conditions including heat, cold, and precipitation

· Ability to lift up to 50 pounds, bend, stoop, climb, and work near moving equipment

· Occasional exposure to mechanical parts, fumes, or hazardous materials

· Able to meet the physical and scheduling requirements of a busy public golf facility

This job description is not intended to contain a comprehensive list of all activities, duties and responsibilities that are required. Activities, duties, and responsibilities may change, or new ones may be added at any time, with or without notice.