Traveling Executive Chef

Welcome to the heart of hospitality, where our goal is to be the best job you'll ever have in this industry. No joke, its what we truly aim for! At The Indigo Road Hospitality Group (IRHG), we're passionate about redefining the hospitality industry by creating an environment where our people come first. Founded in 2009 by Steve Palmer, our belief is simple: by taking care of you, you'll naturally provide exceptional care to our cherished guests. It's not just a job; it's a family, a lifestyle, and a thrilling journey you won't want to miss.

The Indigo Road Hospitality Group is seeking an exceptional Traveling Executive Chef to join our dynamic culinary and operational leadership team. This unique and pivotal role offers the opportunity to bring your culinary artistry, visionary leadership, and operational acumen to various concepts within our diverse portfolio, with a primary focus on supporting the Snowbird Lodge and critical new openings.

As a Traveling Executive Chef, you are a culinary maestro, a strategic operational leader, and a dedicated servant leader who thrives on both cooking and building high-performing, collaborative teams. Your expertise will be crucial in developing innovative menus, maintaining our unwavering standards of excellence across all locations, and actively supporting our teams wherever culinary leadership and operational alignment are most needed. This role is perfect for a highly adaptable, experienced chef who embraces new challenges, is passionate about sharing their knowledge and skills, and possesses a strong understanding of how the kitchen integrates seamlessly with overall restaurant and hotel operations to deliver unparalleled guest experiences and financial success.

• Lead Culinary & Operational Excellence: Cultivate hospitality and lead teams to craft dishes that showcase our diverse cuisines, consistently delivering exceptional experiences. For Snowbird Lodge, specifically, blend local flavors with global influences to create dishes that tell a story and leave a lasting impression. You'll drive operational excellence across all kitchen facets, ensuring seamless integration with front-of-house operations to elevate the overall guest journey.
• Inspire and Nurture Your Teams: Foster staff development and create a positive, growth-oriented atmosphere that motivates our teams across different locations. Champion a culture of creativity, collaboration, and innovation, ensuring we meet and exceed our P&L goals. You will empower your brigade to excel and instill a deep understanding of our core values, particularly Internal Hospitality .
• Hands-On & Strategic Leadership: Commit to supporting your teams during prep and service, especially during peak times. You're a "hands-on" chef, not a "clipboard" chef, working side-by-side with your brigade, while also providing strategic oversight. Oversee all facets of kitchen operations, proactively resolve any challenges that arise, and maintain exceptional communication across both back and front-of-house departments.
• Drive Business Performance: Collaborate closely with General Managers, Area Directors, and leaders from the Home Office to maximize kitchen efficiency and overall restaurant profitability. This includes ensuring rigorous quality control, meticulous inventory management, and strict adherence to health and safety standards. You will play a pivotal role in managing labor, budgets, forecasts, food costs, and ensuring the bottom line consistently meets pre-determined expectations. You'll understand the broader financial picture and contribute to achieving revenue goals.
• Adapt, Innovate & Engage: Successfully navigate various kitchen environments, adapting your culinary approach and leadership style to different concepts and teams. Engage with local communities and farmers to source top-quality, fresh ingredients for our scratch kitchens, creating exceptional and regionally inspired dishes. Actively participate in community initiatives and volunteer efforts, making a positive impact that reflects IRHG's values.

To thrive in this multifaceted and impactful role, you should bring:

• Flexibility & Extensive Travel: Your schedule will vary significantly (days, nights, weekends, holidays) based on seasonality, covers, new openings, and operational needs across our expanding portfolio. You can anticipate working 55 to 60 hours a week , with a proven ability and willingness to travel extensively to support various concepts as needed, including extended stays.
• Hands-on Chef & Operational Leader: A track record of 5+ years of Executive Chef experience , successfully managing scratch kitchens with a hands-on approach. Experience in a variety of culinary environments, including elevated yet approachable a la carte settings, is highly preferred. Additionally, a strong understanding of overall restaurant operations, including front-of-house dynamics and seamless integration between FOH/BOH, is crucial.
• Servant Leadership & Internal Hospitality Champion: A deep embrace of our core values, particularly the concept of Internal Hospitality . You are truly dedicated to serving others internally (team members across all departments) and guests fostering a collaborative and inclusive environment.
• Entrepreneurial Spirit & Strategic Thinker: A hands-on approach with a genuine passion for cooking and a drive to innovate and adapt in diverse culinary settings. You are a strategic thinker and problem-solver, capable of navigating challenges with grace and expertise, and proactively identifying opportunities for improvement and growth.
• Accountability & Financial Acumen: Strong financial acumen, including proven experience managing restaurant financials, particularly food costs, labor, and contributing to overall revenue goals. You demonstrate exceptional quality control and a strong sense of "getting the job done" with precision.
• Problem-Solving Prowess & Attention to Detail: Strong problem-solving skills that help you navigate even the trickiest situations. A keen eye for detail and exceptional organizational skills are paramount.
• Exceptional Communication & Collaboration: Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, allowing you to navigate important conversations seamlessly with diverse teams (culinary, FOH, GMs, Home Office) and external stakeholders. A commitment to building collaborative and inclusive environments.
• Community Engagement: A genuine desire to give back to the community and actively participate in local initiatives.

• Competitive Compensation: Competitive base pay, performance-based bonuses (paid quarterly), and PTO benefits after 90 days.
• Health & Wellness: Comprehensive health insurance coverage, including medical, dental, vision, and more.
• Financial Planning: Access to a 401K plan with a 50% match on your first 6% investment, along with Roth options.
• Home Loan Program: We offer a zero-interest housing loan program to help you achieve your dream of home ownership.
• Employee Discounts: Enjoy discounts at our 15 restaurant concepts and growing boutique hotels division.
• Family Time: Benefit from 4 weeks of PTO for maternity/paternity leave.

The Indigo Road Hospitality Group is an equal opportunity employer, and we celebrate diversity in all aspects of our workplace. Everyone has a seat at our table. We will not discriminate against employees or applicants for employment on any basis prohibited by federal, state, or local laws.
This policy governs all aspects of employment, including selection, job assignment, compensation, promotion, discipline, termination, and access to benefits and training.