Chef Exécutif / Executive Chef

About Four Seasons Hôtel Montréal

Four Seasons Hôtel Montréal embodies a dynamic fusion of elegance, hospitality, and culture within Quebec's vibrant Golden Square Mile. Renowned as the city’s only hotel holding two Michelin Keys, it offers guests luxury beyond accommodation—from the acclaimed Michelin-recommended Marcus Restaurant to the prestigious Forbes five-star Guerlain Spa, alongside exclusive shopping experiences at Holt Renfrew Ogilvy.

Role Overview

The Executive Chef holds primary responsibility for maintaining the highest standards of kitchen quality, consistency, and productivity. This position blends hands-on culinary expertise with leadership, overseeing menu design, purchasing, staffing, and meal preparation for the hotel’s flagship restaurant. Collaboration with a celebrity chef and interdepartmental culinary teams (including Marcus Restaurant, Room Service, Banquets, and Cafeteria) is essential, ensuring seamless operations, budget adherence, and excellent guest satisfaction.

Key Responsibilities

• Uphold culinary standards by guaranteeing all teams adhere to quality, presentation, and food safety guidelines.
• Effectively control food costs through margin analysis, precise cost allocation to menu items, and smart menu engineering to optimize profitability.
• Innovate and co-create new dishes with partner chefs, maintaining the restaurant’s culinary identity.
• Establish rigorous quality control processes to ensure consistent portions, accurate deliveries, and continual focus on food preparation excellence.
• Foster cooperation among hotel culinary departments to maximize efficiency and manage costs.
• Oversee daily kitchen functions and ensure compliance with all relevant food and beverage policies and procedures.
• Manage proper food handling, storage, and safety practices to preserve ingredient freshness and safety.
• Enhance dishes by guaranteeing premium ingredient quality, flavor balance, and appealing presentation.
• Forecast and coordinate food preparation volumes based on expected business and event demands.
• Communicate production priorities to teams to facilitate smooth service delivery.
• Contribute to developing daily and seasonal menus that reflect culinary trends and product availability.
• Ensure compliance with all food safety laws and regulations across local, provincial, and federal levels.
• Adjust operational workflows based on real-time production needs and special requests.
• Prep and cook a variety of dishes for daily services, special events, and VIP guests.
• Maintain strong team leadership through effective training, communication, and staff development.
• Manage financials by overseeing budget, inventory, and purchasing activities to meet or exceed targets.
• Deliver outstanding guest relations by engaging with customers, gathering feedback, managing complaints, and sustaining high satisfaction standards.

Candidate Qualifications

• Fluent bilingual communication skills in French and English, both spoken and written.
• Advanced English proficiency to engage with international business partners, stakeholders, suppliers, and clientele.
• Proven ability to manage high-pressure environments with resilience and positive stress management techniques.
• Comfortable working in fast-paced, rapidly evolving settings with constructive communication during peak periods.
• In-depth understanding of restaurant budget management principles.
• Excellent teamwork spirit and dedication to exceptional internal and external service.
• Strong interpersonal and verbal communication skills appropriate to upscale client expectations.
• Professional demeanor, exhibiting maturity and integrity at all times, including offsite representations.
• Exceptional attention to detail, multitasking capability, organization, resourcefulness, and creativity.
• Proficient computer skills including MS Word, Excel, and Lotus Notes.
• Minimum 3 to 4 years of experience in a similar executive culinary leadership role.
• Post-secondary diploma in hotel management, culinary arts, or a closely related discipline.

Benefits Provided

• Comprehensive health coverage including dental, vision, life insurance, and prescription drugs.
• Discounts at Marcus restaurant and the spa services.
• Employee recognition programs such as employee of the month and service anniversaries.
• On-site meals available at Café 1440.
• Employer-contributed pension plan.
• Paid time off including two floating holidays annually.
• Ongoing training and professional development offerings.
• Employee travel program granting complimentary stays at other Four Seasons properties based on seniority and availability.

Additional Information

The above duties are representative but not exhaustive and may evolve per hotel operational requirements. Four Seasons is committed to equity and diversity in the workplace. References to gender are solely for clarity.