Ember Chef de Cuisine- Meritage Resort & Spa

About this role

Pacific Hospitality Group provides a unique value proposition to investors and team members through our owner/operator approach. We are a family focused company committed to long term holds that enable us to grow our business and our team members. Our vision is to enrich people’s lives by offering memorable experiences, giving back to our communities and honoring God in all that we do. We are focused on long-term value creation and sustainable growth.

Our Guiding Principles: Integrity, Compliance, Value Creation, Principled Entrepreneurship, Customer Focus, Knowledge, Change, Humility, Respect, & Fulfillment

The salary for this opportunity is $95,000-110,000

At Meritage Resort & Spa, exceptional dining is an essential part of the guest experience. From an elevated evening at Ember Steakhouse to a thoughtfully delivered meal enjoyed in the comfort of a guest room, every interaction is an opportunity to create a memorable experience through genuine hospitality, exceptional food and beverage, and attention to detail. We’re looking for our next Ember Chef overseeing Ember Steakhouse and In-Room Dining to lead the culinary operation and continued evolution of both experiences. This is an exciting opportunity for a talented, creative, and hands-on culinary leader who thrives in a high-volume upscale environment and is passionate about developing people, creating compelling menus, and shaping a distinctive culinary identity. Reporting directly to the Hotel Executive Chef, the Ember Chef will have ownership of the day-to-day culinary operations for Ember Steakhouse and In-Room Dining while also playing a key role in defining their culinary direction. This position is responsible for menu creation, concept development, food quality, team leadership, production planning, financial performance, food safety, and collaboration with Food & Beverage leadership to ensure both operations remain relevant, competitive, and memorable. Who You Are You are a passionate and creative culinary leader who understands that a successful restaurant and resort dining program require more than great execution. You think about the complete guest experience—what belongs on the menu, how dishes work together, how the concept differentiates itself, and how the culinary offering continues to evolve with guest expectations and dining trends. You enjoy developing menus from the initial idea through recipe development, costing, testing, plating, training, and final execution. You balance creativity with operational reality and understand that every menu item must deliver on quality, guest appeal, consistency, and profitability. You recognize that Ember Steakhouse and In-Room Dining require different approaches while sharing the same expectation for quality. You can create an elevated restaurant experience at Ember while also developing an In-Room Dining program that is approachable, efficient, well-executed, and reflective of the overall resort experience. You lead from the kitchen floor and set the standard through your own actions. You remain calm during busy service, make thoughtful decisions under pressure, and hold yourself and your team accountable for quality, timing, presentation, cleanliness, and professionalism. You also enjoy developing people and creating a kitchen culture where cooks are challenged, supported, and given opportunities to grow. What You’ll Do • Lead the daily culinary operations of Ember Steakhouse and In-Room Dining, ensuring exceptional food quality, consistency, presentation, and execution. • Partner directly with the Hotel Executive Chef on the strategic culinary direction and continued evolution of both operations. • Create, develop, test, cost, and implement seasonal menus, new dishes, specials, and culinary experiences for Ember Steakhouse. • Create and evolve In-Room Dining menus that balance luxury resort expectations, guest preferences, operational efficiency, delivery quality, and profitability. • Evaluate the existing menu mix and continually identify opportunities to strengthen guest appeal, quality, profitability, and concept relevance. • Research culinary trends, guest preferences, competitive restaurant concepts, seasonal ingredients, and Napa Valley dining expectations to inform menu development. • Ensure all menu items are operationally executable and can be consistently produced during high-volume service. • Maintain a balance between signature dishes, guest favorites, seasonal innovation, and evolving culinary trends. • Partner with Food & Beverage leadership to develop culinary activations, wine dinners, tasting experiences, special events, and other programming that strengthens the Ember brand. • Work with the Hotel Executive Chef and Food & Beverage leadership on longer-term concept development, including menu positioning, service style, culinary storytelling, presentation, and the overall guest experience. • Support the development and execution of guest amenities and customized culinary experiences for VIPs, celebrations, and special requests. • Direct, coach, schedule, and develop the culinary team supporting Ember Steakhouse and In-Room Dining, including sous chefs, supervisors, cooks, and culinary support positions. • Maintain a visible, hands-on presence in the kitchen during preparation and service. • Lead daily culinary lineups and pre-shift meetings to communicate menu changes, specials, VIPs, reservations, occupancy levels, service expectations, and operational priorities. • Ensure all kitchen stations are properly prepared and fully stocked before each service through effective mise en place and production planning. • Develop and maintain standardized recipes, plating guides, photographs, production procedures, yields, and portion-control standards. • Conduct regular tastings and menu reviews to ensure quality, consistency, and continued relevance. • Partner with front-of-house leadership to ensure strong menu knowledge and provide training on ingredients, prepa

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