Req ID: 37473

Category: Culinary

Job type: Full-Time

Subsidiary: Travel

The opportunity

The Executive Chef at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport oversees the culinary operations of 24 diverse restaurant concepts , catering to thousands of travelers daily. This high-profile unit requires an individual with exceptional culinary expertise and strong communication skills to effectively collaborate with clients, business partners, and senior leadership. The role involves managing a team of over 300 employees , BOH ensuring outstanding food quality, safety, and compliance across all outlets.

Key responsibilities include:

• Leadership & Management : Inspiring, coaching, and directing kitchen staff, including sous chefs, line cooks, and prep teams, to maintain high standards of culinary excellence and operational efficiency.

• Menu Development : Crafting innovative menus tailored to diverse customer preferences, while incorporating seasonal ingredients and current dining trends.

• Operational Oversight : Managing inventory, procurement, and cost control to ensure profitability and sustainability in alignment with company goals.

• Food Safety & Compliance : Upholding rigorous standards for health and safety regulations, maintaining HACCP compliance, and ensuring staff training on food handling protocols.

• Collaboration & Strategy : Partnering with senior leadership, restaurant managers, clients, and stakeholders to drive guest satisfaction, optimize revenue, and contribute to the overall success of the FLL airport dining experience.

• Talent Development : Identifying and mentoring future culinary leaders, fostering a culture of growth and excellence.

• Client Relations : Building and maintaining productive relationships with clients and partners to address feedback, ensure alignment with expectations, and enhance the reputation of the unit.

The Executive Chef must bring strong organizational skills , creativity, and a passion for delivering world-class dining experiences. This role requires balancing strategic planning with hands-on involvement, ensuring seamless operations in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment.

Pay

Pay

Minimum – Anticipated Maximum Base Salary: $81,900 - $110,600 / year

In addition to base salary, we offer an annual bonus plan based on company and individual performance, or a role-based, uncapped sales incentive plan. The advertised pay range represents what we believe at the time of this job posting, that we would be willing to pay for this position. Only in special circumstances, where a candidate has education, training, or experience that far exceeds the requirements for the position, would we consider paying higher than the stated range. Information on our comprehensive benefits package can be found at https://careers.delawarenorth.com/benefits/ .

What we offer

Benefits

At Delaware North, we care about our team members' personal and professional journeys. These are just some of the benefits we offer:

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance

• 401(k) with up to 4% company match

• Annual performance bonus based on level, as well as individual, company, and location performance

• Paid vacation days and holidays

• Paid parental bonding leave

• Tuition and/or professional certification reimbursement

• Generous friends-and-family discounts at many of our hotels and resorts

What will you do?

• Hire, train, and mobilize kitchen and service teams

• Develop and maintain recipes, portion specifications, and standard preparation procedures; determine purchasing specifications and budgetary allotments for all menu items

• Prepare operational reports; highlight progress, adverse trends, and make recommendations for success

• Maintain knowledge of and compliance with all company and health department policies, regulations, and standards

• Possess working knowledge of company invoice tracking, labor tracking, schedule preparation, food cost management, labor cost management, inventory control, and hiring, counseling, and termination policies

More about you

• Minimum three years’ experience as an Executive Chef in a high-volume industry-leading concept with 10 years' culinary experience in established restaurants and catering companies

• Certificate or degree in Culinary Arts preferred; ServSafe and Food Safety Handler certifications required

• Strong financial and computer skills; experience working with and understanding of P&Ls and budgeting; knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite programs (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook) and point-of-sale (POS) systems

• Ability to work a flexible schedule to accommodate business needs

• Proven ability to lead team members clearly and concisely while positively influencing behavior and performance

Shift details

Evening shift

Split shift

Holidays

Evenings as needed

Weekends

10 hour shift

12 hour shift

Overtime as needed

Who we are

Delaware North provides hospitality services at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. Travelers have a wide variety of dining options including local favorite Casavana, and an original concept developed with golf icon Jack Nicklaus, the Golden Bear Grill. Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport serves more than 35 million passengers each year. Delaware North has operated here since 1984.

Who says you can’t love where you work? With jobs in iconic sports arenas, stunning national parks, exciting casinos, and more, we pride ourselves on giving the world great times in great places. And whether you’re interested in restaurants, hotels, sports, gaming, operations, or retail, part-time or full-time, we’re invested in helping you achieve your career goals.

Together, we’re shaping the future of hospitality — come grow with us!

Delaware North, along with its subsidiaries, is an equal opportunity employer, showcasing job opportunities and considering applicants for all positions without regard to race, color, religion, creed, gender, national origin, age, disability, marital or veteran status, sexual orientation, or any other legally protected status.