Executive Chef, Doylestown Country Club – Doylestown, PA

About the Club: Formed in 1916 when Doylestown featured mostly farms and about 1,600 residents, five founders crafted the original vision of Doylestown Country Club. They secured 71 acres of farmland featuring streams, ponds, and rolling hills, establishing a 9-hole course where sheep and cows occasionally served as hazards. The Club purchased the property in 1945 and expanded to 18 holes in 1963.

More than a century later, Doylestown Country Club continues to honor its history while investing in its future. An $11 million clubhouse renovation and expansion completed in 2024 transformed the member experience with expanded and reimagined dining spaces, a new main bar, outdoor dining, golf simulators, Pro Shop, locker rooms, and improvements to the Club’s culinary facilities.

DCC is located in the heart of Bucks County, approximately one hour north of Philadelphia and two hours from Manhattan. Doylestown combines small-town charm with an affluent, highly educated community and a vibrant, walkable downtown featuring acclaimed restaurants, shops, museums, and cultural attractions. Today, Doylestown Country Club blends its more than 100 years of tradition with modern amenities and a continued commitment to providing one of the premier private-club experiences in Bucks County.

Position Specific: Doylestown Country Club is seeking a team-minded, hands-on culinary leader who is equally passionate about developing people and delivers an exceptional dining experience. The ideal Executive Chef is a coach and mentor who establishes clear expectations, holds the team accountable, and maintains high standards while creating a positive, respectful kitchen culture. The Club prefers a leader who can lead with a “velvet hammer” rather than an “iron fist” or “no questions allowed” mentality.
The Executive Chef will provide vision and direction for the culinary program while demonstrating an ownership mentality—identifying challenges, developing solutions, and bringing thoughtful ideas and recommendations to the General Manager. The Chef should care as much about the overall member dining experience as the presentation on the plate and build strong collaboration between front
- and back-of-house staff and managers.

The successful candidate is strategic-minded, continuously looking for opportunities to enhance the culinary operation through people, systems, menus, programming, equipment, and thoughtful investment rather than maintaining the status quo. As the face of the culinary operation, the Executive Chef will be visible and accessible to the membership at appropriate times.

Note From the General Manager: We have a strong, dedicated culinary team with a mix of young aspiring cooks and more tenured team members. Two cooks have been with the Club for more than 25 years, with another at seven years. In addition, our Chef de Cuisine of 3.5 years has a strong culinary background, along with a “rising star” Sous Chef with significant potential for continued growth.

The Board is supportive of thoughtful investment in the culinary operation and equipment when justified. As a member-owned Club, member feedback and suggestions are important; however, the Executive Chef is empowered to lead the culinary program and maintains primary responsibility for menu development. Our members value and cherish their Club and view the dining experience as a cornerstone of the membership experience. While it may sound cliché, there is very much a “family” feeling among both members and staff, and we are looking for a Chef who will embrace and contribute to that culture.

The best advice we can give to our new Executive Chef is to “build the team first, learn the culture and foster its growth, and the rest will fall into place.”

Candidate Qualifications:

• The position requires an engaged, hands-on leader with a strong culinary vision who will drive dining offerings while ensuring quality, consistency, presentation, and a sense of urgency. The Executive Chef should continuously look for opportunities to improve the culinary operation and maintain high standards of excellence.
• A proven developer of people who takes pride in recruiting, teaching, mentoring, and retaining culinary staff. The Executive Chef establishes clear expectations, provides accountability and feedback, recognizes talent, and creates opportunities for employees to grow into future culinary leaders.
• An organized and detail-oriented professional with strong culinary fundamentals who develops systems and standards that produce consistent results. Maintains standardized recipes, preparation methods, plating and portion specifications, and production procedures across a la carte dining, banquets, and Club events.
• Possesses the culinary versatility to execute Club favorites at a consistently high level while introducing contemporary cuisine, seasonal