Executive Chef

Recognized as one of Top 21 Iconic Hotels in the World by National Geographic Traveler magazine, honoured with Travel + Leisure Magazine’s World’s Best Award for Top 10 City Hotels in Canada, and awarded Best Historic Hotel in the Americas, Fairmont Empress is located in Victoria, BC overlooking the city’s sparkling Inner Harbour.

This Forbes Four-Star, 4-Diamond property offers 464 beautifully appointed guest rooms and suites, Willow Stream Spa with signature West Coast experiences, Q at the Empress Restaurant featuring Pacific Northwest cuisine and award winning wine list, and Q Bar with its regionally focused cocktail culture was recently named to Canada’s 50 Best Bars list. World famous Tea at the Empress is a bucket list experience in the hotel’s sophisticated Lobby Lounge. Located on Vancouver Island, Canada’s Castle on the Coast is the ideal starting point to explore British Columbia’s stunning natural beauty.

Executive Chef

Reporting to the Director of Food & Beverage, the Executive Chef is responsible for all Culinary and Stewarding operations, including the overall growth in all areas of guest satisfaction and colleague satisfaction.  The successful candidate will continue to improve food quality and offerings that will add to Fairmont Empress’ reputation as a recognized Food and Beverage destination. This position will require a 'hands on' approach providing coaching and guidance to all leaders and colleagues in the kitchen. In addition, the Executive Chef will be an ambassador for Fairmont Empress’ and will be involved in interviews and cooking demonstrations with various clients & media outlets.

What is in it for you: 

• Employee benefit card offering discounted rates at Accor properties worldwide 
• 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
• Opportunity to develop your talent and grow within your property and across the world! 
• 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, and complimentary counseling, wellness sessions, financial and family planning through LifeWorks
• Access to our company-matched Defined Contribution Pension Plan (DCPP)
• Opportunity to develop your talent through coaching and our Leadership Mentoring Programs
• A competitive salary starting at $138,000 with annual compensation reviews based on market, performance, and capabilities. 

What you will be doing:

• Oversee the daily operations of the Kitchen, Stewarding and Cafeteria departments, including scheduling, performance management and employee training and development.
• Understand and execute on Accor Hotels Food & Beverage vision
• Promote strong commitment to Fairmont Food and Beverage Standards
• Develop and prepare menus suitable to each area of Food & Beverage, balancing creativity and guest requests while ensuring leading-edge presentation and food quality. 

• Exhibit culinary talents by personally performing day-to-day tasks while leading the staff and managing all food related functions
• Ensure and enhance quality of all ingredients, preparation, and plating of food items
• Contribute to the profitability of Food & Beverage division through strategic and innovative promotional initiatives and monitoring cost of inventory, orders and supplies
• Developing a culinary plan to ensure quality satisfaction with both long- and short-term goals
• Control labor and operating expenses through effective planning, budgeting, purchasing decisions, and inventory control while focusing on creative cost control and revenue generation solutions to maximize profit
• Collaborate on kitchen and food and beverage capital plans in a proactive manner
• Be visible in the restaurant and events in banquets providing recognition to guests, promoting positive public relations, handling special requests
• Oversee the operations of the Staff Cafeteria to ensure the highest quality of product and service for our internal customers
• Actively participate in sustainability initiatives with a focus on minimizing food waste, and sourcing local products
• Actively participates in the hotel's Leadership & Food & Beverage Meetings, holds regular departmental communication meetings and supports participation of employees in the various hotel committees.
• Participate in media and community opportunities to showcase food and beverage products and promote Fairmont Empress
• Coach and teach the team by working side by side with them as needed to teach different techniques, prepare new items, etc.
• Coordinate the selection, training, coaching, development, motivation, and evaluation of employees to ensure exceptional service for our guests
• Work as an active member of the management team. Creating professional relationships and active involvement with all hotel operations, including but not limited to; daily, and weekly management meetings, and support to all team members, including Manager on Duty Shifts.
• Establish and maintain strong relationships with vendors and suppliers
• Ensure that sanitation standards as set forth by local and provincial regulations are met and in compliance as well as the cleanliness and organization of the kitchen and its equipment.
• Monitor and maintain the use of safe food handling procedures as well as a safe working environment by using correct food-handling skills and food safety guidelines.
• Ensure that all kitchen equipment is in good working order and is properly maintained.
• Other duties as assigned

Your experience and skills include:

• Minimum 8-10 years’ experience in the culinary field required
• Minimum 3-5 years in an Executive Chef role with a similar hotel brand is required including experience in a large luxury banquet operation
• Diploma in Culinary Management (or comparable) and Red Seal Certificate required
• Demonstrated knowledge of budget planning and financial controls required
• Demonstrated financial acumen, capable of providing strong P&L financial leadership and delivering results
• Previous experience in a well-established unionized environment an asset
• Well-developed capacity for strategic decision making and a track record of proven results within: guest and employee satisfaction, operational excellence and revenues and profit
• Excellent knowledge of food safety and hygiene standards
• Excellent knowledge of food and beverage products, marketplace trends and service standards essential
• Strong creative drive with specific strengths in quality production and innovative style
• Visible, pro-active, personally involved in the operation with excellent organizational and problem-solving skills
• Responsive, engaged and interactive with proven ability to build strong relationships and manage through influence
• Energetic, flexible and self-motivated
• Must possess excellent interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to speak effectively with internal and external guests
• Ability to focus attention on guest needs, remaining calm and courteous at all times
• Proficient in the use of Microsoft Office applications, Birchstreet, etc. and possesses the ability to create and interpret documents such as spreadsheets and accounting information

Physical Aspects of Position (include but are not limited to):         

• Frequent standing and walking throughout shift
• Frequent lifting and carrying up to 30lbs
• Occasional kneeling, pushing and pulling
• Occasional ascending or descending ladders, stairs and ramps

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