Executive chefs are responsible for all daily food preparation, hiring cooking staff, and planning menus. Restaurants, hotels, and professional kitchens of all types hire executive chefs. Executive chefs often work evening and weekend hours and on holidays, because these are the times when kitchens are the most active. This is a supervisory position, so good leadership skills are required in addition to strong cooking skills.
Executive chefs are responsible for all the food coming out of a kitchen, so need a strong knowledge of food. Kitchens seek professionals who demonstrate the following abilities:
Develop Menus and Create New Recipes
Executive chefs create menus and come up with new recipes as needed to replace old, outdated dishes with new and exciting options.
Adhere to Food Safety Regulations
Executive chefs must follow food safety regulations, because improperly stored or prepared food isnt just a health violation, it can be potentially fatal to people eating it. The chef must also stay up-to-date on new health code regulations and begin following them the moment they are issued.