CityGate Grille Executive Chef
CityGate Hospitality, Naperville, IL, United States
Department:
CityGate Grille
Reports to:
Executive Leadership
Status:
Salary Exempt
Compensation:
$85,000 - $95,000/yr. + Bonus.
The salary range listed in this posting provides the current estimate for this position. The specific salary offered to a selected candidate will be commensurate with work experience, education, relevant qualifications and skill level.
Bonus Eligibility:
This position is eligible to participate in an annual bonus incentive plan. Incentives are awarded based on achievement of performance metrics and specific revenue, profitability and operational goals. Gatekeepers tied to the achievement of department and/or Company budget goals may apply. Date of hire within the bonus year is considered when calculating initial eligibility.
Role Summary
The Executive Chef is responsible for the overall leadership, direction, and performance of the culinary program for CityGate Grille, including the restaurant, banquet operations, and café outlets. This role oversees all aspects of food production, culinary presentation, team leadership, and financial performance. The Executive Chef ensures that all culinary offerings reflect the quality, creativity, and consistency expected of CityGate Hospitality while maintaining strong financial performance, operational efficiency, and a culture of excellence within the culinary team. This position plays a key role in delivering exceptional guest experiences, supporting revenue growth, and developing culinary talent across the organization.
Culinary Leadership
Lead the culinary vision and execution for all CityGate Grille food outlets including restaurant dining, banquets, and café operations.
Ensure the highest standards of food quality, consistency, and presentation across all culinary offerings.
Develop innovative and seasonal menus that reflect current culinary trends while maintaining profitability.
Continuously evaluate and refine menu offerings to enhance guest satisfaction and drive repeat business
Guest Experience
Ensure that culinary presentation and food quality consistently exceed guest expectations.
Support the overall dining experience by collaborating with front-of-house leadership to maintain seamless service execution.
Maintain awareness of guest feedback, reviews, and service trends to drive continuous improvement.
Financial Performance
Maintain food cost targets and manage purchasing strategies to ensure profitability.
Oversee menu engineering, portion control, inventory management, and waste reduction.
Collaborate with leadership to achieve revenue and Gross Operating Profit (GOP) goals.
Maintain accurate recipes, costing, and menu information within Compeat to ensure reliable reporting and profitability tracking.
Team Leadership & Development
Recruit, train, and mentor culinary leaders and associates to build a strong and engaged culinary team.
Foster a positive, accountable, and high‑performing kitchen culture.
Provide ongoing coaching and professional development for kitchen managers and team members.
Conduct regular training through pre‑shift meetings and departmental development sessions.
Operations Management
Oversee daily culinary operations across all outlets, ensuring efficient kitchen workflow and execution.
Ensure compliance with all food safety, sanitation, and health department standards.
Maintain proper use and maintenance of all kitchen equipment and facilities.
Manage scheduling and staffing levels to align labor costs with operational needs.
Collaboration
Work closely with Executive Leadership, Food & Beverage leadership, Sales, and Banquets teams to support events, special programming, and revenue initiatives.
Partner with leadership to ensure strong collaboration between front‑of‑house and back‑of‑house teams.
Maintain awareness of competitive culinary offerings and industry trends.
This job description is not an exclusive or exhaustive list of all job functions that an employee in this position may be asked to perform.
Accountabilities
Guest Satisfaction.
Associate Satisfaction.
Maintain staffing in accordance with staffing guide so that labor is in line with revenue.
Achievement of the Gross Operating Profit Budget.
Adherence to Service Metrics and Standards.
Maintain overall Food costs as a percent of Food Revenue at or below 29%.
Maintain menu items and portioning for food items in Compeat on a daily basis to ensure accurate daily profitability reporting.
Conduct daily training during departmental stand‑up / pre‑shift meetings.
Ensure that all kitchen managers are ServSafe certified and all staff is in compliance with Food Safety standards as dictated by the DuPage Health Department.
Maintain a safe work and customer friendly environment.
Perform all duties and responsibilities as detailed in the position job description.
Minimum Qualifications
Education
Four‑year Culinary degree from a recognized culinary institute or equivalent experience.
ServSafe certification required.
Experience
Minimum of three years of experience as an Executive Chef or senior culinary leader in a comparable restaurant or hospitality environment.
Demonstrated experience managing multi‑outlet culinary operations including restaurant and banquet service.
Skills
Strong leadership, communication, and organizational skills.
Ability to lead culinary teams in a fast‑paced hospitality environment.
Strong knowledge of menu development, food cost control, and inventory management.
Strong understanding of food safety and sanitation standards.
Ability to work nights, weekends, and holidays as required.
Physical Requirements
Must be able to walk and stand for up to 8 hours a day, with or without reasonable accommodation.
Must be able to bend, stoop, squat, and stretch to fulfill job duties.
Must be able to lift up to 20 lbs regularly, and up to 50 pounds on occasion.
Benefits Offered
Major Medical Plans, Dental and Vision Insurance - single or family options available at employee’s election
Basic Life & AD&D - 100% employer paid
Short‑Term Disability - 100% employer paid
Supplemental Life, AD&D, Critical Illness, Accident and Disability – single or family options available at employee’s election
401(k) Plan & Matching Program
Employee Assistance Program
Paid Leave Time (up to 40 hours/year)
Paid Time Off (PTO)
9 Paid Holidays/Year
Paid Jury Duty Time
Paid Bereavement for immediate family members
Partially‑Paid Parental Leave
Hotel/Restaurant Discounts
Pet Insurance
Incentive Programs
We are an equal opportunity employer and make employment decisions without regard to age, race, religion, national origin, gender, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation and gender identity or any other protected class. This employer participates in E‑Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I‑9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S. If E‑Verify cannot confirm that you are authorized to work, this employer is required to give you written instructions and an opportunity to contact Department of Homeland Security (DHS) or Social Security Administration (SSA) so you can begin to resolve the issue before the employer can take any action against you, including terminating your employment.
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CityGate Grille
Reports to:
Executive Leadership
Status:
Salary Exempt
Compensation:
$85,000 - $95,000/yr. + Bonus.
The salary range listed in this posting provides the current estimate for this position. The specific salary offered to a selected candidate will be commensurate with work experience, education, relevant qualifications and skill level.
Bonus Eligibility:
This position is eligible to participate in an annual bonus incentive plan. Incentives are awarded based on achievement of performance metrics and specific revenue, profitability and operational goals. Gatekeepers tied to the achievement of department and/or Company budget goals may apply. Date of hire within the bonus year is considered when calculating initial eligibility.
Role Summary
The Executive Chef is responsible for the overall leadership, direction, and performance of the culinary program for CityGate Grille, including the restaurant, banquet operations, and café outlets. This role oversees all aspects of food production, culinary presentation, team leadership, and financial performance. The Executive Chef ensures that all culinary offerings reflect the quality, creativity, and consistency expected of CityGate Hospitality while maintaining strong financial performance, operational efficiency, and a culture of excellence within the culinary team. This position plays a key role in delivering exceptional guest experiences, supporting revenue growth, and developing culinary talent across the organization.
Culinary Leadership
Lead the culinary vision and execution for all CityGate Grille food outlets including restaurant dining, banquets, and café operations.
Ensure the highest standards of food quality, consistency, and presentation across all culinary offerings.
Develop innovative and seasonal menus that reflect current culinary trends while maintaining profitability.
Continuously evaluate and refine menu offerings to enhance guest satisfaction and drive repeat business
Guest Experience
Ensure that culinary presentation and food quality consistently exceed guest expectations.
Support the overall dining experience by collaborating with front-of-house leadership to maintain seamless service execution.
Maintain awareness of guest feedback, reviews, and service trends to drive continuous improvement.
Financial Performance
Maintain food cost targets and manage purchasing strategies to ensure profitability.
Oversee menu engineering, portion control, inventory management, and waste reduction.
Collaborate with leadership to achieve revenue and Gross Operating Profit (GOP) goals.
Maintain accurate recipes, costing, and menu information within Compeat to ensure reliable reporting and profitability tracking.
Team Leadership & Development
Recruit, train, and mentor culinary leaders and associates to build a strong and engaged culinary team.
Foster a positive, accountable, and high‑performing kitchen culture.
Provide ongoing coaching and professional development for kitchen managers and team members.
Conduct regular training through pre‑shift meetings and departmental development sessions.
Operations Management
Oversee daily culinary operations across all outlets, ensuring efficient kitchen workflow and execution.
Ensure compliance with all food safety, sanitation, and health department standards.
Maintain proper use and maintenance of all kitchen equipment and facilities.
Manage scheduling and staffing levels to align labor costs with operational needs.
Collaboration
Work closely with Executive Leadership, Food & Beverage leadership, Sales, and Banquets teams to support events, special programming, and revenue initiatives.
Partner with leadership to ensure strong collaboration between front‑of‑house and back‑of‑house teams.
Maintain awareness of competitive culinary offerings and industry trends.
This job description is not an exclusive or exhaustive list of all job functions that an employee in this position may be asked to perform.
Accountabilities
Guest Satisfaction.
Associate Satisfaction.
Maintain staffing in accordance with staffing guide so that labor is in line with revenue.
Achievement of the Gross Operating Profit Budget.
Adherence to Service Metrics and Standards.
Maintain overall Food costs as a percent of Food Revenue at or below 29%.
Maintain menu items and portioning for food items in Compeat on a daily basis to ensure accurate daily profitability reporting.
Conduct daily training during departmental stand‑up / pre‑shift meetings.
Ensure that all kitchen managers are ServSafe certified and all staff is in compliance with Food Safety standards as dictated by the DuPage Health Department.
Maintain a safe work and customer friendly environment.
Perform all duties and responsibilities as detailed in the position job description.
Minimum Qualifications
Education
Four‑year Culinary degree from a recognized culinary institute or equivalent experience.
ServSafe certification required.
Experience
Minimum of three years of experience as an Executive Chef or senior culinary leader in a comparable restaurant or hospitality environment.
Demonstrated experience managing multi‑outlet culinary operations including restaurant and banquet service.
Skills
Strong leadership, communication, and organizational skills.
Ability to lead culinary teams in a fast‑paced hospitality environment.
Strong knowledge of menu development, food cost control, and inventory management.
Strong understanding of food safety and sanitation standards.
Ability to work nights, weekends, and holidays as required.
Physical Requirements
Must be able to walk and stand for up to 8 hours a day, with or without reasonable accommodation.
Must be able to bend, stoop, squat, and stretch to fulfill job duties.
Must be able to lift up to 20 lbs regularly, and up to 50 pounds on occasion.
Benefits Offered
Major Medical Plans, Dental and Vision Insurance - single or family options available at employee’s election
Basic Life & AD&D - 100% employer paid
Short‑Term Disability - 100% employer paid
Supplemental Life, AD&D, Critical Illness, Accident and Disability – single or family options available at employee’s election
401(k) Plan & Matching Program
Employee Assistance Program
Paid Leave Time (up to 40 hours/year)
Paid Time Off (PTO)
9 Paid Holidays/Year
Paid Jury Duty Time
Paid Bereavement for immediate family members
Partially‑Paid Parental Leave
Hotel/Restaurant Discounts
Pet Insurance
Incentive Programs
We are an equal opportunity employer and make employment decisions without regard to age, race, religion, national origin, gender, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation and gender identity or any other protected class. This employer participates in E‑Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I‑9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S. If E‑Verify cannot confirm that you are authorized to work, this employer is required to give you written instructions and an opportunity to contact Department of Homeland Security (DHS) or Social Security Administration (SSA) so you can begin to resolve the issue before the employer can take any action against you, including terminating your employment.
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