Executive Chef

Executive Chef, Common House Richmond

Reports to: Director of Operations, Common House Richmond

Direct Reports: Chef de Cuisine, Sous Chefs

Who we are

Common House is a modern social club with locations in Richmond, VA, Charlottesville, VA, Chattanooga, TN, and New Orleans, LA. More than a membership, the Houses provide inclusive spaces to dine, work, and discover through daily programming, unique amenities, and connection opportunities with members.

Position & Candidate Description

Common House is seeking an experienced kitchen professional to oversee the culinary program at Common House Richmond and its public-facing restaurant, Birdie’s. The Executive Chef is responsible for creating an approachable yet elevated dining experience for all food and beverage outlets. This role will hire, onboard, train, and manage all members of the back-of-house team, from the Chef de Cuisine, Sous Chefs, line cooks, and dishwashers. The Executive Chef is responsible for ensuring that all proper food safety and environmental standards are met, that food is served in a timely manner, and that it meets high-quality expectations. This role will also collaborate with the General Manager and other departments to create memorable and unique Food and Beverage experiences for members and guests alike. This is an onsite, full time position based in Richmond, Virginia.

Responsibilities of the Executive Chef include but are not limited to:

• Menu Development & COGS Management
  • Collaborate with the Director of Operations and General Manager to write seasonal menus for all F&B outlets, banquet menus, and weekly specials.
  • Ensure all recipes are costed according to budget and inputted into required platforms.
  • Create prep lists, order guides, and clear protocols for prep, yield, and waste management.
  • Manage monthly inventory and meet Cost of Goods budgets/forecast
  • Seek out and vet producers to source the highest quality local product
• Maintenance & Compliance
  • Schedule and oversee necessary cleaning and preventive maintenance plans.
  • Ensure a daily sanitation plan is in place and oversee the team's compliance with the sanitation protocol.
  • Ensure the team is aware of and complying with all local Health Department protocols.
  • Maintain all necessary kitchen-related health records, including tracking health department visits, permit renewals, and food safety certifications.
  • Work with the Director of Operations/General Manager to ensure a HAACP plan is in place as needed.
• Service, Staffing & People Management
  • Responsible for hiring all culinary personnel, scheduling, and ensuring the team can execute while keeping labor costs on budget
  • Train, teach, and mentor BOH staff of all skill levels, creating opportunities for both professional and personal development.
  • Maintain a positive working environment in the kitchen, expediting food and working stations as necessary and ensuring that service and the team are running smoothly.
• Inter-Department Collaboration
  • Work closely with all other department managers to ensure a seamless experience for employees and members or guests alike.
  • Partner with on-site leaders to ensure all F&B-related member events are successfully executed. This may occasionally involve hosting special dinners, teaching classes, and other similar activities.
  • Lead culinary discussions for the weekly BEO meeting, ensuring all departments are prepared for any forthcoming Private and Member Events.
  • Monitor ongoing Member feedback via various platforms, creating action plans to address deficiencies and recognize successes in reporting.
  • Attend weekly team meetings, updating the agenda with necessary updates, clarifying questions, and addressing other team-related matters.

What you bring to Common House:

• At least 7+ years of culinary management experience
• ServSafe or other Food Safety Handler certification
• Documented history of successful ala carte and banquet menu development and operations
• Quantifiable success in assembling high-performing teams
• Strong skills in managing food and labor costs, providing examples of skills used
• Teamwork mentality between FOH, BOH, and admin team
• Preferred background in both a la carte and banquet meal preparation, ideally in a club or hotel environment

Physical Requirements:

• The ability to work nights, weekends, and holidays.
• The ability to stand for extended periods, frequently bend and reach, lift heavy pots and pans (up to 50 pounds), and perform repetitive hand movements.

In exchange for talented skills and contributions, Common House offers all employees a dynamic work environment, fun co-workers and a competitive salary package. Additionally, we also offer our team members a comprehensive benefits package including:

• Diverse and inclusive colleagues
• Generous Health, Dental, Vision, and Reserve Leave Coverage
• 401k Option
• Generous Time Off
• Parental Leave
• Monthly membership at Common House (and your partner/spouse gets one, too!)
• 50% employee discount on food and non-alcoholic purchases

Common House is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, race, color, age, national origin, religion, physical and mental disability, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity/assignment, citizenship, pregnancy or maternity, protected veteran status, or any other status prohibited by applicable national, federal, state or local law.

Don’t meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every. single. qualification. At Common House, we are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive and just workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with 100% of the qualifications listed, we encourage you to still apply. Our hiring philosophy looks to weed people INTO our process, not weed them out! Who knows, you may be just the right candidate for a future role at Common House. Just go for it... submit your resume!