Executive Chef

EXECUTIVE CHEF OPPORTUNITY AT WINDSTAR ON NAPLES BAY

Windstar on Naples Bay, located less than three miles from 5th Avenue in the heart of Naples, is seeking a new Executive Chef who will lead all culinary operations with passion, creativity, and a commitment to excellence within a cohesive, kind, and collaborative team culture. Recently remodeled, the Club features modern facilities with two floors of dining venues and event spaces, and two full kitchens. The Executive Chef will be a visible, hands-on leader who inspires the culinary team, elevates menu development, and delivers exceptional dining experiences for members and guests. Ideal candidates will bring proven experience in high-volume, seasonal, and multi-outlet private clubs, demonstrating the ability to balance refined à la carte service with private event execution while fostering teamwork, consistency, and a positive kitchen environment aligned with the Club’s values and vision.

ABOUT WINDSTAR ON NAPLES BAY AND COMMUNITY

Nestled in the heart of Naples, Windstar stands apart as the only private club offering championship golf along the bay. Founded by Members who envisioned a welcoming, unpretentious environment, Windstar is a place where you can truly belong.

Club amenities include a Tom Fazio-designed 18-hole golf course with bayside practice facilities, tennis and bocce courts, and diverse indoor/outdoor dining venues, including a private Wine Room, multiple event spaces, and Marketplace. In addition to the Club’s amenities, all Members have access to the Windstar Community private Keewaydin Island beach, accessible via a 40-passenger pontoon shuttle adds to the club’s distinctive coastal charm. Members enjoy a vibrant, casual-by-design lifestyle with exceptional dining, social events, and activities that celebrate Naples’ coastal spirit. Annual Food & Beverage revenues exceed $2.4 million, generated from à la carte dining, a robust calendar of Social events, Member private events, and Member-sponsored events.

Windstar has been recognized among the Distinguished Clubs of America, America’s Healthiest Clubs, Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary, Gulfshore Business Magazine’s Best Private Clubs, and holds Blue Zone certification. Whether it’s a sunset dinner on the bay, a family day on Keewaydin Island, or one of the famous Concerts on the Bay, Windstar is the perfect backdrop for life’s most treasured moments.

WINDSTAR ON NAPLES BAY BY THE NUMBERS:

• 600 Members (350 Golf and 250 Social)
• 67 Average Age of Membership
• Approximate Annual Gross Volume $12M
• Approximate Food Volume $2.4M
• Approximate Beverage Volume $720k
• 45% Average Food Cost
• Average Labor Kitchen Cost 27%
• 60% a la carte ǀ 40% banquets
• 70,000 Covers Per Year
• Average 3-5 Weddings a year
• 25 Approximate Direct/Indirect Culinary Employees
• 2 Kitchens
• The Club uses Jonas for its Accounting & POS
• The Club is Member Owned

FOOD AND BEVERAGE PROGRAM

Windstar on Naples Bay offers a variety of dining experiences that showcase both culinary excellence and a welcoming club atmosphere. The 1700 Grille, open daily with both lunch and dinner service Tuesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., features a coastal casual à la carte menu and an engaging open kitchen that brings the energy of the culinary team to the forefront. The Veranda, open Wednesday through Saturday evenings and Thursday through Sunday lunch, provides a coastal, elegant setting for dinner service and can accommodate approximately 120 members. The Bayview Dining Room serves as the main event space for Club and private events, focused on Member events during peak season. The Largest event of the year is the Clubhouse Party, which has a different theme each year and takes over the entire clubhouse with approximately 500 attendees. For intimate occasions, the Wine Room hosts private dinners for up to 14 guests and is popular among members of the club’s active wine program, which includes personal wine lockers and a dedicated Wine Club Manager.

EXECUTIVE CHEF POSITION OVERVIEW

The Executive Chef will report directly to the Assistant General Manager and work collaboratively with all department heads, including the F&B Director, F&B Managers, Wine Club Manager, and Catering & Events Manager. The culinary team includes an Executive Sous Chef, Banquet Chef, and two Sous Chefs who work together to deliver exceptional dining experiences across all outlets. The Club’s peak season runs from November through April, with operations closed on Christmas Day and New Year's Day. Beginning in June, the Club is closed on Tuesdays through mid-October. Windstar also has three 10-day maintenance periods in summer, allowing time for maintenance, planning, and team development.

EXECUTIVE CHEF JOB DESCRIPTION

Leadership

• Be a collaborative team player who is willing to work with and train the team each day, doing whatever it takes to deliver the best Member experience.
• Empower the culinary team and delegate appropriately, so they can focus on growth; be confident that the operation can run well in EC’s absence.
• Be an active recruiter of team members and someone who inherently enjoys developing and building his/her team and leading them to significant, positive membership satisfaction outcomes, as well as an engaged team of staff members.
• Have a passion and aptitude for teaching and training 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 an oversight of high standards of appearance, hospitality, service, & cleanliness of the kitchen facilities.
• Maintain existing operating standards for personnel in areas of responsibility and consistently evaluate knowledge, understanding, and execution of these high standards.
• Work closely with the front-of-house food and beverage managers to ensure 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.
• Remain current and continue education regarding diverse and new culinary trends and cuisines.
• Maintain physical presence during times of high business volume.
• Create a welcoming, approachable, and inclusive kitchen atmosphere for all club staff based on mutual respect.

Operations

• Maintain existing standard recipes and techniques for food preparation and presentation that help to ensure consistent, high-quality food.
• Maintain a rotation of varied food offerings that feature global cuisines. Evaluate food products to ensure that quality standards are always attained.
• Maintain opening and closing cleaning checklists for each area/station within the kitchen and develop a weekly/monthly 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; manage OSHA-related aspects of kitchen safety and maintain MSDSs in an easily accessible location.

Financial

• Plan menus for all food outlets in the club and special occasions, and events. Schedule and coordinate the work of chefs, cooks, and other kitchen employees to ensure that food preparation is economically and technically correct and within budgeted labor cost goals.
• Consistently monitoring payroll and labor resource allocations to ensure they are in line with financial forecasting and 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.
• Set the direction of capital improvements with proper execution & planning in partnership with the Director of Finance.

CANDIDATE QUALIFICATIONS

• 5 years of luxury Executive Chef or Executive Sous Chef experience within a seasonal operation.
• Exposure to a private club or 4-star/5-star hotel/resort experience is preferred.
• Strong and passionate leader and culinary professional with a proven track record of providing high-level services. The EC must be passionate about their craft and inspire those around them.
• The EC is a lifelong learner and instills that characteristic into his or her team.
• Has meticulous attention to detail and is extremely organized to successfully manage and lead a la carte and banquet venues.
• Has a successful track record of controlling costs, standardizing recipes, planning budgets, and has the skills necessary to perform all kitchen tasks and train others to properly execute those tasks.
• Is a visionary and trendsetter yet understands and respects the club’s culinary traditions and can balance both in creating menus, specials, and banquet offerings.
• Must have computer skills, including but not limited to Microsoft Outlook, Word, and Excel.
• Is a well-respected member of the leadership team and community team.

EDUCATIONAL & CERTIFICATION QUALIFICATIONS

• A culinary arts degree from an accredited school is preferred.
• Certified Executive Chef (ACF) or Pro Chef (CIA) certification is preferred.
• Certification in food safety is mandatory.