An Executive Chef is the head of the kitchen in a restaurant or hotel. They run the kitchen, manage the team, create menus and ensure food quality and safety standards are met. Executive Chefs also do the budgeting, inventory and supplier relationships.
This is the key to hospitality because the Executive Chef is the one who shapes the whole dining experience. They impact the restaurant’s reputation, profitability and customer satisfaction through their culinary direction and leadership. Their menu planning, cost control and team management skills affect the success of the food and beverage operation.
Let’s say you’re a sous chef in a busy hotel restaurant. Your Executive Chef has just been told a famous food critic is dining in the restaurant tonight. The Executive Chef calls the kitchen team together, adjusts the evening’s menu to feature the best of the season, assigns tasks to each team member and talks to the front of house staff to ensure a smooth service. Throughout the evening, the Executive Chef checks every dish that goes out of the kitchen to make sure it meets their high standards. This is how an Executive Chef’s leadership, creativity and attention to detail can make or break a restaurant.'