Executive Banquet Chef

Overview:

Fort Lauderdale Hotel

Opening in Fall 2025, Omni Fort Lauderdale will provide South Florida with 120,000 square feet of event space, new food and beverage options, a Natural Spring inspired full-service spa and entertainment pedestrian plaza featuring high-end shopping, amphitheater, charter boat docking and beautiful promenade. The new iconic landmark offers unforgettable views of the Atlantic paired with unrivalled convenience and intelligently designed meeting spaces. The hotel will be directly connected to the Broward County Convention Center, immediately adjacent to Port Everglades cruise terminal and less than two miles from Fort Lauderdale Airport.

Job Description:

Be a part of the pre-opening team for the Omni Ft. Lauderdale Hotel

Opening Fall 2025, the Omni Ft. Lauderdale Hotel is a 29-story hotel, located at 1950 Eisenhower Blvd, and connected directly to the Broward County Convention. The property offers 801 guest rooms and suites, multiple restaurants, a vibrant rooftop bar, a sprawling pool, spa, and fitness center. The hotel will also have over 120,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting and event space, including a grand ballroom, junior ballroom, 25 breakout rooms and pre-function meeting space with waterfront views.

Responsible for directing, coordinating, training, and supervising the Banquet culinary team. To provide technical and administrative assistance to ensure efficient, effective operation of the kitchen and food production outlets.

Responsibilities:

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

• Responsible for planning, evaluating, organizing, hiring, and directing the activities of Banquets culinary team to includes Sous Chefs, and line level culinarians.
• Ensures that all policies, procedures, and guidelines are followed by department personnel.
• Provides the necessary training, motivation, and leadership for all department personnel.
• Coordinate with catering and event manager to meet client expectations and special dietary needs.
• Responsible for efficient food and labor cost.
• Responsible for overseeing equipment maintenance and safety in all food service areas.
• Training and education of staff from the basics of cooking, organization, cleaning and food safety to advanced cooking techniques and culinary knowledge.
• Monitor china, glass and silver usage/breakage and inventory. Able to source product and specs for any needed equipment.
• Responsible for all administrative duties which are necessary in the functioning of the department.
• Responsible for cleanliness and organization of all walk-in coolers and freezers, to include pastry, all reach in coolers, dry storage, and public use areas of kitchen. This is a daily task that must be completed.
• Control food safety and sanitation within the entire kitchen, educate and train in needed areas. Check dates and quality of all areas of food service.
• Oversees and participates in food production.
• Attends BEO meetings to ensure guarantees and food products are correct. Must communicate all guarantees and food changes to appropriate culinary areas.
• Works one to two days ahead of his operation to ensure product delivery is on time and to insure on his days off anyone covering has what they need to operate.
• Responsible for overall banquet food operation to ensure quality and quantity.
• Develop strong working relation with the Banquet, Stewarding, Catering, and Conventions Services teams, and remain in constant communication to ensure clients needs are met always.
• Able to expedite and perform all station or line cook functions.
• Completes daily production list for line staff and delegates assigned duties, follow purchasing and ordering established guidelines.
• Responsible for all sauce, stock, dressings and butchery production according to kitchen standards and specifications.
• Works with staff on mise en place and checks each station for completion and quality prior to service.
• Current with food industry, broad, advanced culinary knowledge, and cooking skills, able to teach.
• Able to develop recipes, food cost analysis and menu development across all meal periods.
• Able to write, develop, and execute a special function menu within budget for banquets with the current food philosophy and technique established.
• Fluent in all areas of food safety and health department as determined by the Florida Department of Health and corporate mandated ECOSURE.
• Involved with work- and work-related issues, communicates with other managers outside of Food & Beverage Department to contribute to a smooth hotel operation.
• Reads and is well versed on industry related journals to include popular magazines, food writing, media, and industry related functions.
• Maintains a positive attitude and positive, inspiring, motivated, kitchen environment.
• Anticipates needs, forecasts results, and analyzes work processes for personnel in the department.
• Ensures outlet meets budgeted levels, and manages department payroll on a weekly basis
• Performs any other duties assigned by management.

Qualifications:

QUALIFICATIONS:

• 3+ years previous culinary leadership experience in a high-volume Banquet kitchen within a hotel operation required.
• Associates degree or higher preferred in Culinary Arts.
• Serve Safe certified food manager.
• Candidate must have proven leadership skills and must be able to delegate, effectively train, develop and motivate staff. Ability to effectively mentor leadership positions, to include sous chefs, culinary supervisors and J-1 participants.
• Ability to work well under pressure, think clearly, quickly and make concise decisions in a fast-paced environment.
• Highly developed customer service skills; possessing a friendly approachable demeanor and strong problem-solving abilities, with a keen eye for detail.
• Ability to teach employees importance of, and how to interact with internal/external guests and courteously solve internal requests.
• Ability to train a staff to produce high volumes of work while maintaining quality per Omni standards.
• Ability to clearly, professionally and pleasantly communicate both verbally and in writing in English with guests, management and co-workers, both in person and by telephone.
• Excellent knowledge of food handling and presentation.
• Candidate must be creative and up to speed on new concepts and food trends.
• Computer proficiencies including Microsoft office and payroll software experience.
• Must have basic mathematical skills and be able to create and understand financial reports.
• Must have experience managing payroll and scheduling.
• Maintain a professional business appearance, attitude, and performance.
• Must have a flexible schedule and be willing to work nights, weekends, and holidays when necessary.
• Ability to work early mornings, evenings, weekends, and holidays as needed

ENVIRONMENT & POSITION ANALYSIS:

• Must be able to lift and carry up to 50 lbs.
• Must be able to push and pull carts and items weighing up to 100 lbs.
• Must be able to walk/stand for extended periods of time, with frequent bending, twisting and going up and down stairs.
• Most be able to perform all duties in outdoor settings.
• Must be able to utilize culinary tools (knives, commercial equipment, etc) and taste/smell.
• Requires repetitive motion of arms, and hands.

TOOLS & EQUIPMENT:

• Cooking utensils and equipment, pots, pans, dishware, silverware, glassware, food slicing machine, knives, oven, grill/stove burners, microwave appliances
• Desktop computer (Synergy, Microsoft Office, Kronos, Birchstreet), printer, telephone, copier, fax machine, two-way radio dispatch, scanner.

Omni Hotels & Resorts is an equal opportunity employer. The EEO is the Law poster and its supplement are available using the following links: EEOC is the Law Poster and the following link is the OFCCP's Pay Transparency Nondiscrimination policy statement

If you are interested in applying for employment with Omni Hotels & Resorts and need special assistance to apply for a posted position, please send an email to