Kitchen Manager - Village Inn

Visit www.FresquezCompanies.com

Team Fresquez is a family owned and operated business that operates over 20 restaurants in New Mexico, Texas, and Colorado. "Doing business with integrity, while serving our guests exceptionally" is our mission statement. We seek to give back and reinvest into the communities where we are present, fulfilling a simple passion to serve all those that we come in touch with.

We value our team, our customers and our community while committing to providing growth opportunities from within. We live in Limitless possibilities and encourage our team to Dare to Dream Big and achieve their career goals.  Everyone is a leader at Fresquez Companies, we have the power to positively influence others through our words and actions.  We are looking for friendly, hardworking team members who have Passion and Creativity to serve and who have the Courage to rise to the next level of excellence. We believe you are the CEO of your growth and success and your contribution always matters. Our restaurants are very busy therefore, being on time, responsible, dependable, and respectful of others is a must! Join our amazing team and build Trust, Collaborate and achieve your goals, One step at a time. 

Why Join Our Team? 

• Referral Bonus
• Full or Part Time Available
• Flexible Scheduling
• Medical, Dental and Vision
• 401(K)
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Competitive Pay
• Meal Discounts
• We promote within
• PTO Paid Time Off
• Life Insurance 20K Coverage - Company Paid

Summary/Objective:  “At Fresquez Companies, we empower the lives of people by providing authentic, impactful and exceptional experiences (one team member and guest at a time.)"  

The ideal candidate for this position will be a natural leader who always has a finger on the pulse of current culinary trends. The Chef/Head Baker will be responsible for assigning work in the kitchen, preparing meals for our diners, interviewing and training staff, kitchen inventory management and partnering with the managment to come up with delectable new dishes to add to our growing menu. 

Essential Functions:  

1. Acts as a leadership role model while consistently exhibiting our company's Vision, Mission and Values.  

2. Participates in recruitment efforts of non-exempt staff; assists with pre-employment process such as interviewing and sending for drug screen. 

3. Accomplishes restaurant objectives by training new staff members, communicating job expectations, shift scheduling, coach, counsel, and disciplining employees. 

4. New Employee monitoring, appraising, and reviewing job contributions while enforcing policies and procedures. 

5. Achieves restaurant operational objectives by contributing information and recommendations to strategic plans and reviews; preparing and completing action plans; implementing production, productivity, quality, and customer-service standards; resolving problems; completing inventory and audits; identifying trends; determining system improvements; implementing change. 

6. Meets restaurant financial objectives by forecasting requirements; achieving sales and labor goals; scheduling expenditures; analyzing variances; initiating corrective actions. 

7. Estimates food costs and profits; adjusts menus. 

8. Controls costs by reviewing portion control and quantities of preparation; minimizing waste; ensuring high quality of preparation. 

9. Develops, implements and maintains product specification and recipe books, to ensure product consistency across all restaurant concepts. 

10. Obtains SERV Safe certification, as a Chef, ensure that the restaurant is in compliance with FDA food code. 

11. Maintains safe, secure, and healthy environment by establishing, following, and enforcing sanitation standards and procedures. 

12. Comply with legal regulations and maintains security of employees. 

13. Develops, implements and maintains product specification and recipe books, to ensure product consistency across all restaurant concepts. 

14. Assists department in carrying out various operational programs and procedures for all company employees. 

15. Support employee development and team building. 

16. Performs all duties in compliance with internal procedures, external regulations and brings compliance issues to upper management and Human Resources. 

17. Performs other related duties as requested.

18. This is a safety sensitive position. 

Preferred Qualifications: 

• Strong business acumen and leadership experience with a proven track record of acting as a strategic business partner in an operations environment. 
• Ability to lead though influence in a collaborate environment. 
• Demonstrated experience partnering with clients on solving business/operational issues. 
• Demonstrated communication abilities at multiple levels of the organization. 
• Demonstrated organization skills leading to the ability to successfully manage multiple priorities in a dynamic environment. 

Experience

• 5+ years’ experience as a Chef in a Full-Service Restaurant. 

• 2+ years’ experience in a supervisory role

Education

• Associate Degree in Culinary Arts or comparable experience will be accepted 

License and Certification

• SERV Safe certification 

Mandatory Skills and Qualifications

• Able to work in a fast-paced environment with ability to multitask. 
• Extensive knowledge of ingredients, what the shelf life is and how they interact with one another. 
• Master of food preparation and quality control of products being made. 
• Ability to suggest new recipes by using your culinary expertise. 
• Master of baking pastries using various techniques. 
• Organization and prioritization of crew schedules.  
• Inventory control management, coodinating with the purchasing department. 
• Verbal and Written communication proficiency with attention to details. 
• Basic operation of a workstation (turning on/off, knowledge of basic functions and components). 
• Computer-related problem-solving skills through the use of available trainings and help desk. 
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite; Microsoft Word; Microsoft Excel and internet software. 
• Obtains Feedback from the Guests. 
• A record of satisfactory performance in all prior and current employment as evidenced by positive employment references from previous and current employers. 

Work Environment

Chefs use sharp utensils, work close to heating elements and may have to work on slippery surfaces. Most kitchens are tight-knit quarters, so the staff must be able to function as a cohesive group. They often spend their time on their feet and work irregular hours, such as early mornings or late evenings to accommodate operational needs and food vendors.  This position may require working holidays or working within a blackout period. This position often requires working long shifts to keep the main bakery running smoothly and safely.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the primary functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the Chef may be required to frequently stand for a long period of time, walk, sit, bend, twist, talk, use their hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls, hear and perform repetitive motions. There may be prolonged periods of sitting, keyboarding, reading. Specific vision abilities required by this job include reading, distance, computer and color vision. Talking and hearing are essential to communicate with customers, vendors and staff. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

Mental Demand

There are a number of deadlines associated with the Chef position. The Chef must be able to handle frequent interruptions and must also multi-task and interact with a wider variety of people on various and, at times, complicated issues. 

Position Type and Expected Hours of Work: 

This is an exempt-level position. Scheduled hours vary by restaurant needs, including necessary adjustments made during high and low seasonal changes. Typical days and hours of work for this position is minimum 50 hours per week (varying shifts). Other days/hours and holidays required as needed or assigned. 

Work Authorization/Security Clearance: 

1. Satisfactory completion of a pre-employment drug screening. 

2. Satisfactory completion of a criminal background check. 

Language Ability: 

Ability to read, analyze, interpret general business rules and technical procedures. 

Ability to clearly and effectively communicate information and respond to questions from management and team members. 

Other (Secondary) Responsibilities: 

Assist with other restaurant functions including other assigned duties as needed. This may include prep-cook, cook, dish-washing, maintenance, bar-tending, serving, and cleanliness of equipment and facility. Must be able to fulfill all roles within the restaurant(s) as necessary. 

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice. 

EOE Statement: 

Fresquez, Inc., Fresquez Concessions, Inc., NM Restaurant Investors Inc. DBA Village Inn, and LF Operations, LLC is an equal opportunity employer. It is our policy not to discriminate against any Employee or Applicant. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, age, status as a protected veteran, among other things, or status as a qualified individual with a disability. The policy of nondiscrimination in employment includes but is not limited to, recruitment, hiring, placement, promotion, transfer, employment advertising or solicitations, compensation, layoff or termination of employment.