Careers

Chef

Early Mountain has an immediate opening for a Chef to manage all aspects of our culinary program, including our Tasting Room restaurant (~120 seats) and catering department that supports our wedding and private event business.

Job description

Our Chef will lead the way in evolving our Tasting Room kitchen as well as growing the catering operation to confidently handle private, multi-course events up to ~100 people. We are looking for someone with a true passion for celebrating the culinary heritage and agricultural bounty of Virginia, and for someone who can source and prepare dishes to be thoughtfully paired with our portfolio of wines.

An ability to balance multiple demands and roles is critical. The most successful candidate will be able to handle administrative and managerial tasks associated with running the kitchen as well as hands-on cooking. This individual will possess in equal parts leadership, creativity, operational savviness and exceptional execution abilities. He or she will be able to actualize nuanced/modern menu items as well as classic dishes. The position will demand weekend and holiday hours but does not include regular evening hours like a traditional restaurant.

Kitchen Duties & Responsibilities

● Must have a creative vision for cuisine and menu development and desire to utilize best-of-the-season ingredients to create flavor-driven food that harmonizes with wine.

● An ability to work directly with Virginia food artisans and farmers to source high-quality products that can be featured on the seasonal Early Mountain menu.

● Must have knowledge of four/five-star food preparation, management, and hospitality standards and/or other dining evaluation criteria.

● A keen eye for detail and an emphasis on quality are essential functions of this position.

● Excellent organizational and planning skills; capable of developing and executing plans as well as taking initiative and responsibility for outcomes.

● Must be able to adhere to budget percentages by costing menus appropriately.

● Strong inventory control and/or purchasing skills required; previous responsibility for food purchasing, including negotiating prices, highly desirable. Candidate will be responsible for ordering, inventory rotation& tracking, and maintenance of par levels.

● Ensure all food handling, production and storage meets health department standards. Maintain cleanliness of all workstations, equipment, and food storage environments.

Managerial Duties & Responsibilities

● Demonstrated leadership qualities – able to recruit, train, and actively manage a kitchen staff of three and develop the respect and loyalty of peers, subordinates, and upper management.

● The successful candidate will be a leader in creating and maintaining an employee-oriented culture that promotes a positive work experience for all.

● Ability to manage, multi-task and communicate change effectively while working in a fast-paced environment.

● Flexibility to step into whatever role is needed at the time in order to deliver exceptional customer service. This may include taking on job responsibilities outside of this job description and may require assisting other departments in their regular functions.

Education & Technical Requirements

● High school diploma or equivalent and degree/certificate from a formal culinary arts program through a college or formal apprenticeship program. Culinary degree a plus.

● A minimum of three (3) years of related and progressive culinary management experience. Management experience should include operational oversight of both banquet and a la carte service. An equivalent combination of education, experience, and/or training may be considered.

● Formal wine training and developed understanding of food and wine pairing preferred.

● Computer literacy required. Proficiency in Microsoft Excel for forecasting, food costing, and scheduling.

● Excellent communication skills (oral and written).

● Valid driver’s license. Some travel will be required as we participate in occasional off site events.

Physical Requirements

● Able to sit, stand, twist, bend, push, pull, walk and lift up to 45 pounds on a regular basis for periods up to 10 hours a day.

● Able to work effectively in a kitchen environment with occasional extremes in temperature (hot, cold, humidity) for an extended period of time.

● Able to work weekends, holidays, and/or flexible hours

● Able to travel by plane, car, and/or train as required.

Work Environment

• Early Mountain’s 305-acre property, with history dating back to the Revolutionary War, has multiple hospitality spaces.

• A Tasting Room with approximately 120 seats is the primary hospitality environment. The property also includes an expansive event hall, fully appointed boardroom, outdoor patios and terraced lawn with picnic tables and fire pits.

Please submit your resume via email to JOBS@EARLYMOUNTAIN.COM