American Yacht Club Executive Chef

EXECUTIVE CHEF PROFILE: AMERICAN YACHT CLUB RYE, NYTHE EXECUTIVE CHEF AT AMERICAN YACHT CLUBThe Executive Chef position at American Yacht Club presents an exciting opportunity for a talented culinarian to lead and elevate the club's culinary offerings. This role is ideal for a chef who understands the importance of consistency, seasonality, and customization. The club seeks a highly engaged, hands-on leader who thrives in both a la carte and banquet operations, ensuring seamless execution across multiple dining venues. A successful candidate will bring a willingness to get to 'yes,' adapting and personalizing offerings to create exceptional dining experiences tailored to member preferences. This position requires a chef who excels at developing and mentoring a strong culinary team, fostering a culture of continuous learning, accountability, and excellence. The ideal candidate will not only bring creativity and innovation but also a commitment to maintaining consistency, ensuring that every dish meets the high standards expected at American Yacht Club.With the opportunity to enhance and refine an already outstanding culinary program, the Executive Chef will play a key role in the club's continued success. The Club will be undergoing a major renovation project which will include updates to multiple dining spaces and the kitchen, the successful Chef will be an integral part of this process. Candidates with a strong background in club dining, a passion for team development, and a dedication to crafting memorable, personalized dining experiences will be a perfect fit for this prestigious role.Click here to view a brief video about this opportunity. ABOUT AMERICAN YACHT CLUBThe American Yacht Club (AYC), founded 140 years ago by Jay Gould and his peers, has grown from a haven for steam yachts into a premier sailing institution on Long Island Sound. Established at Milton Point in Rye, NY, in 1883, the club purchased its iconic property for $6,000. Despite a devastating fire in 1951, the clubhouse was rebuilt within a year, symbolizing the resilience of its members.AYC has a storied history of sailing excellence, with members achieving success in America's Cup defenses, Olympic medals, and various championships. The annual Invitational Cruise blends competition with family fun, highlighting the club's vibrant culture.With over 100 keelboats, 50 dry-sailed boats, and 150 small boats, AYC hosts near-weekly sailing events. It fosters a lifelong love for sailing, offering opportunities for recreational and competitive enthusiasts alike, and solidifying its reputation as a cornerstone of the sailing community.Club Mission StatementTo enhance our heritage of leadership in the sport of sailing, preserve the traditions of sportsmanship and friendly competition, and further the growth of the sport.To encourage cruising and competitive sailing among its members through the sponsorship and management of local, regional, national, and international events.To provide opportunities for family-oriented social recreation among its members.To be responsible stewards of our coastal environment.AMERICAN YACHT CLUB WEBSITE: YACHT CLUB BY THE NUMBERS$13M Gross volumeApproximately 1,168 Members48 Average Member Age$2.4M Approximately Food and Beverage Volume60% A la carte & 40% Banquets45% Food Cost, 43% Budgeted2 Kitchens - Kitchen reno 20216-12 Weddings Yearly25k Approximate Cover Yearly15 FTE Kitchen EmployeesPOS System - NorthStarClub Closure in JanuaryFOOD & BEVERAGE PROGRAMAmerican Yacht Club offers a diverse range of dining, event, and recreational spaces designed to enhance the member experience. From formal dining to casual gathering spots, each area provides a unique atmosphere and purpose. Both kitchens are scheduled for major updates and renovations ahead of the 2026 season, and the new Executive Chef will play an integral role in the planning and implementation process.Sailor Bar & Terrace - The most popular room in the club, offering breathtaking views of Manhattan and Hen Island. Features a Drinks & Dinghy Bites menu as well as a regular a la carte menu. Scotch Caps Tavern & Terrace - A casual lunch and dinner venue with a relaxed atmosphere, featuring a patio and no reservations required. Named for the visible Scotch taps peaking from the water in the Long Island Sound!Sound View Dining Room & Dance Terrace - Boasts the best views at the club and serves lunch and dinner in a more refined modore Room & Terrace - A versatile space used for overflow seating, upscale dining, and private events.East Bar - A family-friendly bar where kids are welcome, commonly used for watching football with familyThe Tea House - A relaxed dining space featuring a Snack Shack, pizza oven, and a small kitchen. Operates MemorialDay through Labor Day with a self-service ordering system via pagers Full bar available.Picnic Point - Offers a portable bar, day-of table reservations (available no earlier than sunrise), and grills for member use. Event & Gathering Spaces include: The Trustees Room - Primarily used for committee meetings, and the Living Room - A flexible event space featuring a dance floor and all the commodores' flags. The Flagpole Lawn - The central location for major club events, including Commissioning Day and the club's largest event of the year, the July 4th celebration. The Perennial Garden - Prime seating area for the July 4th celebrations. The Front Lawn - A spacious green area used for various club activities. EXECUTIVE CHEF POSITION OVERVIEWThe Executive Chef will report to the General Manager and work very closely with the Food and Beverage Director and Events teams. Reporting to the Executive Chef are two sous chefs and all members of the culinary and stewarding teams. The team is highly collaborative with a strong and dedicated work ethic.LEADERSHIPBe the "leading" team player who is willing to be "hands on" and work with the team side by side each day doing whatever it takes to deliver the best Member experience.The Executive Chef should be the key leadership partner with the GM and Director of food and beverage for the entire Club's Food and Beverage direction. Ideal position for an energetic Executive Chef, who still loves to cook daily, and teach those whom they have recruited the art of the culinary profession. Creative sense of place regarding the culinary product of a family style club with various events, ages, and locations. Understand and enjoy being involved in every aspect of the culinary product in each area of the club's Food and Beverage offerings. Strong mentorship and direction of the culinary team so they can focus on growth; be confident that operation can run well while Sous Chef or Executive is absent. Be an active recruiter of team members and someone who inherently enjoys developing and building hisher team and leading them to significant, positive membership satisfaction outcomes.Have a strong background of consistent culinary experiences for teaching and training for all food service personnel, working, as necessary, with the staff directly responsible for operations.Be a focused and consistent evaluator of personnel, ensuring that standards of conduct and delivery are met; this includes oversight of high standards of appearance, hospitality, service, and cleanliness of the kitchen facilities.Bring strong previous operating standards of culinary excellence in all areas of responsibility and consistent knowledge, understanding, and execution to these high standards.Mentor while taking a leading role with the front-of-house food and beverage managers to assure a cohesive experience that continually exceeds the expectations of Members and guests.Engage with, observe, learn, and listen to the Members and staff. Earn Member trust by instilling confidence through continued enhanced operations, interaction, visibility, and consistency.Treat the quality and consistency of employee meals with the same care as they do the MembershipRemain current and continue education regarding diverse and new culinary trends and cuisines.Strong passion and desire to be presence during times of high business volume. Leading by example and working directly with the cooks and service professionals. Be very approachable and maintain a calm under pressure "cool demeanor" in all situations.Create a welcoming, approachable, and inclusive kitchen atmosphere for all club staff based on mutual respect.Previously own, maintain, and develop standard recipes and techniques for food preparation and presentation that help to assure consistent high-quality food.Maintain and update opening and closing cleaning checklists for each areastation within the kitchen and develop a weeklymonthly cleaning checklist.Safeguard all food preparation employees by implementing training to increase their knowledge about safety,sanitation, and accident-prevention principles.Maintain safety training programs; manages OSHA-related aspects of kitchen safety and maintains MSDSs in easily accessible locations.Be comfortable and happy engaging with Membership with menu planning and throughout the F&B outlets at the Club, visiting tables and engaging with Members welcoming all feedback.Be responsive to Members' requests for menu selections, event planning, etc., strive every day to get to "yes."Develop menus that elevate club favorites yet provide exciting new options through regular changes and specials.Be creative and not afraid to take chances with new menu items.FINANCIALPlan and assist with pricing of menus for all food outlets in the club and for special occasions and events. Schedule and coordinate the work of chefs, cooks, and other kitchen employees to assure that food preparation is economical, technically correct, and within budgeted labor cost goals.Consistently monitor payroll and labor resource allocations to ensure they are in line with financial forecasting and goals.Ensure effective and efficient staffing and scheduling for all facilities and functions while balancing financial objectives with Member satisfaction goals.Embrace the use of systems (including regular inventory processes) and technology to assist in the management of the kitchen and the financial performance of the operation.Prepare necessary data for applicable parts of the budget; project annual food, labor, and other costs and monitor actual financial results; take corrective action as necessary to help ensure that financial goals are met.Review and approve product purchase specifications.Maintain strong relationships with local vendors and identify new vendors to ensure the best prices for the best quality ITIAL PRIORITIESEvaluate and set appropriate and necessary standards of operation, execution, and delivery within the culinary operation, taking ownership for the entire experience from production to final delivery of the product, while working closely with the FOH leadership team.Build relationships with the Culinary and FOH teams. Learn about the team and tenured individual backgrounds and experiences to assist in establishing a lead-with-care culture.Evaluate and set appropriate and necessary standards of operation, execution, and delivery within the culinary operation, taking ownership of the entire experience from production to final delivery of the product, while working closely with the FOH leadership team.Be visible and engaging to the membership.Implement effective daily, weekly, and monthly communication across the culinary team.Establish a leadership and mentoring role in the kitchen, and develop young talent, while exposing the team to new ideas and techniques.Create an innovative, relevant, consistently interesting a la carte menu that provides Members with competitively priced and desirable options that are reflective of most Members' interests and tastes.Continue to raise the bar with Member events by infusing creativity and variety into club favorites.CANDIDATE QUALIFICATIONS Five years' experience in a similar role with exposure to multi-outlet operations and banquet operationsExecutive Sous Chef with strong previous experience in award-winning restaurants and clubs will be considered.Degree in culinary arts andor other hospitality management focus. Has ten years of food production and management experience. Is a dynamic, creative, empathetic, and caring individual who communicates well with staff and Members.Is a team player, within the kitchen, with the FOH team, and with all club and team members. Is experienced with technology including POS, and Microsoft SuiteEDUCATIONAL AND CERTIFICATION QUALIFICATIONS A bachelor's degree is preferred with a focus on Hospitality Management or lieu of the degree, substantial culinary or hospitality experience will be considered.Has achieved or is working towards Certified Executive Chef (CEC) certification through the American Culinary Federation (ACF) or Pro Chef II certification through the Culinary Institute of America. Food Safety CertifiedEMPLOYMENT ELIGIBILITY VERIFICATIONIn compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification form upon hire.SALARY AND BENEFITSSalary is open and commensurate with qualifications and experience. The club offers an excellent bonus and benefits package, including association membership. Salary Range: $170,000 - $200,000INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO APPLY Please upload your resume and cover letter in that order using the link below. You should have your documents fully prepared to be attached when prompted for them during the online application process. Please be sure your image is not present on your resume or cover letter; that should be used on your LinkedIn Profile.Prepare a thoughtful cover letter addressed to Jeffrey Martocci - American Yacht Club General ManagerCOO. Clearly articulate your alignment with this role, why you want to be considered for this position at this stage of your career, and why AYC and the Rye, NY area will benefit you, your family, your career, and the Club if selected.You must apply for this role as soon as possible but no later than Thursday, March 13th, 2025, Candidate selections will occur late March, with the first Interviews expected in early April and the second interviews a short time later. The new candidate should assume hisher role in late Aprilearly May.IMPORTANT: Save your resume and letter in the following manner:"Last Name, First Name - Resume" &"Last Name, First Name - Cover Letter - American Yacht Club"(These documents should be in Word or PDF format)Note: Once you complete the application process for this search, you are not able to go back in and add additional documents.If you have any questions, please email Bethany Taylor: SEARCH EXECUTIVESAnnette Whittley, Consultant & Search 561-827-1945 (M)Lawrence McFadden, CMC, Consultant & Search 239-963-6888 (M)

Created: 2025-02-18