Executive Chef / Director, Food & Beverage | Full-Time | Fort Smith Convention Center

Executive Chef / Director, Food & Beverage | Full-Time | Fort Smith Convention Center

Oak View Group

Oak View Group (OVG) is the global leader in premium live entertainment infrastructure and services, with a platform spanning venue development and end-to-end capabilities across venue management, hospitality, and sponsorship sales. Founded in 2015, the company serves a collection of seven world-class owned venues and a client roster of the most iconic arenas, stadiums, convention centers, music festivals, performing arts centers, and cultural institutions, spanning four continents. 

Position Summary

This individual will serve as the Executive Chef / Director, Food & Beverage for a premier food & beverage operation as well as menu design and meal preparation of the facility, including catering & events and concerts and concessions. Additionally, work with the Food & Beverage Manager to execute purchasing, receiving, and producing. This innovative professional will be tasked with assembling and leading a high-performance team that will deliver an exceptional F&B experience for a diverse group of guests/clients while maximizing profits and ensuring favorable profit margins.

This role pays an annual salary of $60,000-$80,000 and is bonus eligible.

Benefits for Full-Time roles: Health, Dental and Vision Insurance, 401(k) Savings Plan, 401(k) matching, and Paid Time Off (vacation days, sick days, and 11 holidays).

This position will remain open until November 6, 2026.

About the Venue

The Fort Smith Convention Center offers 116,800 square feet of usable, infinitely flexible event space, including a 40,000 sq. ft. Exhibit Hall, 8 meeting rooms, and over 3,000 sq. ft. of pre-function space. The Convention Center also boasts a 1,331-seat, state-of-the-art Performing Arts Center just steps from historic downtown Fort Smith, Arkansas.

Responsibilities

• Research and development of menu items to keep pace with industry trends and local and seasonal ingredients to support restaurant and concession business; works with sales staff on concepts and themes.
• Establishes food presentation technique and quality standards.
• Oversees menus and standards of food production and preparation for concessions, retail operations, and all special events.
• Works with sales and event staff and the Food & Beverage Manager to assign prices to menu items in accordance with budgetary goals.
• Ensures accurate recipe development and testing.
• Oversees all food production and preparation for retail operations and all special events.
• Estimates food consumption and purchases kitchen supplies, including food products.
• Double-checks food and equipment purchases for all aspects of the business to ensure consistency with standard operating procedures.
• Enforces all sanitation and maintenance procedures.
• Schedules and supervises employees, checking weekly schedules.
• Coordinates and directs training of chefs, cooks, and other kitchen workers engaged in preparing and cooking foods to ensure high-quality, efficient, and profitable food service.
• Work with the Food & Beverage Manager to maintain the cost of goods, labor, and any other P&L responsibilities at or below budget.
• Reviews menus and analyzes recipes to ensure superior standards for retail and special events.
• Responsible for inventory control and the proper rotation of all items.
• Determine, establish, and implement policies, procedures, and training to ensure best-quality practices in service standards for all banquet servers, captains, and managers.
• Assist in the preparation of the annual facility’s budget for the food and beverage division.
• Determine, develop, and implement recipe cards for all food items prepared in the facility, including item ingredients and updated target product costs and preparation methods to include HACCP guidelines.
• Oversee and monitor financial management and appropriate handling of receipts and deposits; tabulate receipts and balance accounts; assist Director of Finance in compiling sales reports on an event-by-event monthly basis; assist in preparing the annual budget and ongoing monitoring of expenses and income to maximize return.
• Work with event planners, especially in the area of consigned merchandise and/or concessions offered for sale at events.
• On an occasional basis, may serve as Manager on Duty for assigned events, which will require making numerous decisions related to financial matters and patron safety.
• Maintain good relations with all employees (part-time and contracted labor) working to service the events in our facility.
• Work with the staff to ensure the facility’s goals, mission, and vision are accomplished with teamwork.
• Work nights and weekends as needed to facilitate responsibilities.
• Responsible for the overall direction, coordination, and evaluation of the food and beverage department.
• Communicates with the operations department to ensure standards are maintained.
• Work with the Food & Beverage Manager to create concession items that support concert event experiences and maximize sales.
• Observes methods of food preparation and cooking, sizes of portions, and garnishing of foods to ensure food is prepared in the prescribed manner.
• Maintain a health department score of 90 or above and an OVG's third-party audit score of 95 or above.
• Establishes and enforces nutrition, sanitation, and high-quality standards for food and beverages in the kitchen, retail stations, and portable retail operations.

Supervisory Responsibilities: 

• Directly supervises all kitchen personnel and the stewarding department.
• Oversee front-of-house responsibilities in conjunction with the food and beverage manager.  
• Carries out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with OVG's policies and applicable laws.
• Hire and train culinary staff to include unit-required food safety and local health department requirements.
• Responsibilities include interviewing, hiring, and training employees as well as planning, assigning, and directing work; appraising performance; rewarding; and disciplining employees in conjunction with Human Resources.

Qualifications

Education and/or Experience:

• Certificate from accredited culinary school, college, or technical school.
• 5-7+ years of hands-on food & beverage experience.
• 4+ years of kitchen/culinary management experience at an executive level.
• ServSafe Certified.
• Must maintain local health codes and sanitation HACCP.
• Previous experience in a high-volume facility producing complex meals for large, high-profile events of 150 guests or more is preferred.
• Advanced oral and written communication skills.
• Results-oriented individual with the ability to meet required budgetary goals.
• Excellent organizational, planning, communication, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to undertake and complete multiple tasks.
• Ability to be creative with food presentations and maintain a quality product.

Skills and Abilities: 

• Ability to use and maintain basic food service and kitchen equipment.
• Ability to train others in the use of basic food service and kitchen equipment.
• Strong analytical and mathematical skills in relation to the culinary profession and food and beverage industry.
• Strong communication skills.
• Ability to interact with all levels of staff. Ability to quickly identify problems and resolve them.
• Excellent organizational and planning skills.
• Strong customer service orientation.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work with limited supervision.
• Ability to interact with all levels of staff, including management.
• Ability to work irregular hours as dictated by the event schedule, including nights, weekends, and holidays.
• Ability to be creative with food presentations and maintain a quality product.
• Must maintain local health codes and sanitation HACCP.

Computer Skills:

• Proficient in Microsoft Office platforms.
• Knowledge of Banquet Event Order (BEO) or other event management programs.

Physical Demands:

• Must be able to stand and walk for extended periods.
• Ability to regularly lift and/or move heavy objects.

Strengthened by our Differences. United to Make a Difference

At OVG, we understand that to continue positively disrupting the sports and live entertainment industry, we need a diverse team to help us do it. We also believe that inclusivity drives innovation, strengthens our people, improves our service, and raises our excellence. Our success is rooted in creating environments that reflect and celebrate the diverse communities in which we operate and serve, and this is the reason we are committed to amplifying voices from all different backgrounds.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Oak View Group is committed to equal employment opportunity. We will not discriminate against employees or applicants for employment on any legally recognized basis (“protected class”) including, but not limited to veteran status, uniform service member status, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information or any other protected class under federal, state, or local law.

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