Chef De Cuisine Full-time

Recognized as the #1 Best Canadian Hotel in Travel + Leisure's 2024 World's Best Awards, Fairmont Empress is located in Victoria, BC, overlooking the city's sparkling Inner Harbour. A Forbes recommended and MICHELIN key hotel that offers 431 beautifully appointed guest rooms and suites, Fairmont Spa with signature West Coast experiences, and Q at the Empress featuring Pacific Northwest cuisine, an award-winning wine list, and regionally focused cocktail culture. World-famous Tea at the Empress is served in the Lobby Lounge with stunning harbour views.

The magnificent property completed a $60+ million restoration in 2017 that celebrated its proud history while moving the hotel into a new era of modern luxury and transforming the iconic property into a must-visit destination. In 2023, the property introduced a revamped Fairmont Gold Experience, including a major renovation to the Fairmont Gold floor. 88 Fairmont Gold rooms and a newly renovated lounge are ready to accommodate guests. Located on Vancouver Island, Canada's Castle on the Coast is the ideal starting point to explore British Columbia's stunning natural and expansive beauty. Historic Hotels Worldwide recognizes the property's prestigious grounds as the Top 25 Most Magnificent Gardens in the World.

What is in it for you:

• Wonderful company culture – our colleagues are at the heart of all we do
• Excellent training with the opportunity to build a successful career
• Career development opportunities with national and international promotion opportunities 
• Learning programs through our Academies designed to sharpen your skills
• Ability to make a difference through our Corporate Social Responsibility activities
• Employee benefit card offering discounted rates at Accor properties worldwide and additional benefits for Fairmont and Raffles colleagues  
• Exclusive Employee and Friends & Family Discounts at Fairmont Empress 
• Exclusive access to the Pacific Northwest Food & Beverage Discount Program with 50% off at our dining destinations in Vancouver, Victoria, and Whistler
• Complimentary meal during your shift through our Colleague Dining Program 
• Complimentary uniform laundering
• Access to our comprehensive benefits and wellness programs, including extended healthcare benefits and RMT, dental, vision.
• Complimentary counseling, wellness sessions, financial and family planning through our Employee Assistance Program
• Access to our company-matched Defined Contribution Pension Plan (DCPP)
• Opportunity to develop your talent through coaching and our Leadership Mentoring Programs
• Opportunity to participate in our Leadership Incentive Program
• Competitive salary starting at 87,000

What you will be doing:

• Reporting to the Executive Chef, as Chef de Cuisine, your creative flair and passion for food will inspire the culinary team to deliver world class food for our guests. Through your effective leadership and innovation, you will create concept driven menus that reflect Q at the Empress’ position as a leader in pacific northwest cuisine. The Chef de Cuisine will:

• Work in partnership with the Executive Chef you will execute the smooth and flawless culinary operation of the Restaurant, Bar, In Room Dining venues and Special Events.
• Be accountable for managing the day to day operations of the restaurant kitchen, and be an active presence on the floor, leading your team to deliver service excellence
• Be accountable for driving revenue and profit through the development and implementation of menu design, strategies, practices and promotions while keeping with the overall concept
• Effectively  participate in managing the departmental budget through purchasing,  inventory management, pricing, and labour cost controls 
• Participate in the recruitment and onboarding of new colleagues 
• Train and lead the team in all aspects of the department and ensure service standards are followed 
• Promote the growth and development of internal talent 
• Participate in managing the restaurant social media accounts in partnership with the Restaurant GM, and Marketing Manager, in accordance with marketing standards (i.e. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter) 
• Maintain the safety and sanitation of the kitchen 
• Collaborate with other departments to ensure effective operation of the hotel 
• Work in partnership with the Restaurant GM, create and maintain all restaurant menus in keeping with the overall restaurant concept 
• Constantly drive innovation to be the "Hottest Place in Town" by actively promoting your restaurant within the community 
• Adhere to all Company policies, procedures and values 
• Other duties as assigned. 

Qualifications:

• 6+ years’ experience in kitchen leadership roles.  A combination of both stand alone and luxury hotel experience is an asset.
• Demonstrated passion for the industry and guests
• Knowledge of current culinary and restaurant  trends
• Proven ability to drive revenues and profit, without sacrificing colleague and customer experiences
• Proven ability in menu concept and design
• Strong business acumen
• Excellent communication and organizational skills
• Strong interpersonal and problem solving abilities
• Excellent work ethic with a high degree of responsibility
• Ability to work cohesively as part of a team and build relationships

Visa Requirements: Must be legally eligible to work in Canada. The hotel is unable to assist candidates in obtaining Canadian work authorization.

Your team and working environment: Welcome to Canada’s Castle on the Coast. The Empress Hotel sits proudly at the centre of culture and history in Victoria, British Columbia. This is the best of all worlds – where contrast meets distinction, opulence blends harmoniously with the understated and fabled history meshes with contemporary affairs. This award-winning Victoria hotel and National Historic Site is an alluring blend of classic and contemporary, vintage and cutting-edge: Where Modern meets Iconic. Come join our wonderful team of hospitality experts!

Our commitment to Diversity & Inclusion:
We are an inclusive company and our ambition is to attract, recruit and promote diverse talent.

Why work for Accor?
We are far more than a worldwide leader. We welcome you as you are and you can find a job and brand that matches your personality. We support you to grow and learn every day, making sure that work brings purpose to your life, so that during your journey with us, you can continue to explore Accor’s limitless possibilities.
By joining Accor, every chapter of your story is yours to write and together we can imagine tomorrow's hospitality. Discover the life that awaits you at Accor, visit https://careers.accor.com/

Do what you love, care for the world, dare to challenge the status quo! #BELIMITLESS