Chef - DoubleTree West Kelowna

A Day in YOUR Life as a Chef

This role at our DoubleTree by Hilton hotel includes the oversight of the Kitchen team that delivers lunch and dinner through our branded restaurant Turtle Jack’s Kitchen and Bar West Kelowna, creates and oversees the restaurant breakfast menu ensuring that it meets and exceeds the Hilton Standards and creates and oversees the catering menu program.

Every person that enters our restaurant or banquet rooms should be greeted and feel like a guest! This is YOU on your first day of work and every work day after that. You walk in with a smile, say hello to passing guests and acknowledge your colleagues, perhaps with a smile, nod or salutation. You already have a feel for how your day is going to unfold based on the flow and noise level in the lobby and you aren’t even in your chef whites yet! You make your way to the back of house and transform into to your professional chef whites and energetically join your team in the kitchen.

You may be preparing to join your crew mid-shift or open the kitchen, either way preparing great dishes, supervising and assisting your team is paramount. Regardless of the time of day or length of shift, you are ready to meet every guest with exceptional service and care!

As the day begins, you go over the reservation sheet and the organize specials of the day. You may be checking to ensure the produce delivery has come in, run an inventory inspection and ensure you have enough supplies needed for the day/week. You closely inspect the freshness of ingredients and especially the quality of any raw ingredients such as meat and fish. You create a timeline of tasks and delegate them to each line cook. You efficiently plan your day for reservations and a la carte service. Time is so crucial to every aspect of your work, and it can be stressful. You ensure that the entire kitchen flow is set to run smoothly and won’t get delayed. You can cover all sections of the line with confidence and professionalism, but know your cooks have it covered. No one wants to find out about a lack of garnishes or missing sauces for the main course menu during the dinner rush! You know that a detailed attention to preparation is the key to saving time during service. Once the restaurant opens, orders keep pouring in. You focus on inspecting dishes prior to being served and ensure your teams workstations are organized as this minimizes chances of miscommunication. You work together with your team to coordinate dishes so that they are served to guests in a timely fashion. It's important to have your line has the timing right to ensure all items are ready at the same time. Orders pile up quickly and you may see a bit of a hiccup, but you can manage the chaos of a kitchen running full speed in a successful manner. Your standards are high, and you take pride in your job in the kitchen and the restaurant. You are a team player and always look for opportunities to assist your teammates, throughout the hotel. As your team manages the food service, you set your sights on creating new and exciting menu options with a focus on maintaining strong food costs, perhaps some seasonal dishes or dishes catering to a large group coming in for a multi-day meeting. A Vegan group is arriving next week and you want to wow them with some spectacular, creative menu choices!

By the time you leave, you are more than satisfied that your guests are all taken care of and having a great time in our F&B establishments.

A little more information about Turtle Jack’s the brand…

At Turtle Jack’s Kitchen & Bar, we embrace an All In attitude when it comes to providing our guests with a true casual fine dining experience. Serving an abundance of fresh homemade signature items, dockside/poolside inspired cocktails, crisp cold draught and a fun relaxed atmosphere our guests are sure to relax, indulge and have a great time.

Who you are and why is this important…

• Enthusiastic, Attentive and Approachable
  • Ensuring our guests and team mates feel comfortable.
• Organized & Communicative
  • Clear, concise communication between team members and guests alike creates a smooth operation.
• Effective Multi-Tasker
  • Personal interactions, phones, emails and on-going projects are always in play.

What happens behind the scenes of all those interactions…

• You follow company and brand policies such as food safety protocols, operating equipment properly and any other requirements for the processes as outlined by your leaders;
• Possess thorough knowledge of superior quality food production, preparation and presentation techniques and methods;
• Train and mentor new and existing employees in all aspects of culinary development in all kitchen food service areas;
• Maintaining food cost goals and a focus on meeting budget requirements;
• Possess thorough knowledge of Sanitation and Food Safe procedures as established by the Health Board and hotel policies and procedures;
• Maintain a calm and welcoming demeanor while multitasking to handle team interactions at the same time as your daily tasks;
• Follow all company and brand standards;

What are we looking for…

• Three to five years of culinary experience working in a high volume kitchen.
• Flexibility to work a variety of shifts.
• Ability to work well under pressure in a fast paced environment.
• Strong organizational and decision-making skills.
• The understanding that SERVICE is the key to any successful business.
• Red Seal Certification an asset.
• Serving it Right (BC) or ProServe (AB) certification.