Depending on how the club sets up its org chart, the Executive Chef of a private club typically reports to either the General Manager or the Food & Beverage Director.
Private clubs and resorts generally operate under an industry wide standard when it comes to supervisory pecking order. All private clubs will have a General Manager, or Chief Operating Officer, followed by either an Assistant General Manager, or a Clubhouse Manager. The next in line can either be the Golf Professional or the Food & Beverage (F&B) Director; this can vary from club to club. Often times, the Executive Chef follows this procession.
Generally, the position of the Executive Chef is overseen by the F&B Director. In many successful clubs which operate under this acumen, the F&B Director possesses extensive knowledge regarding back of the house operations. This knowledge extends well beyond general food and labor costs to efficient menu design as well as overall components of ingredients.
In these operations, the Executive Chef will report directly to the F&B Director. All costs and expenses related to the back of the house operations is monitored and accounted for by the Executive Chef and then reported to the F&B Director. The F&B Director is responsible for the Food & Beverage Department as a whole in regards to all budgeting and cost control.
In other clubhouse operations, the position of the Executive Chef is overseen directly by the General Manger of the Club. Often times, the appointed F&B Director does not have sufficient knowledge in back of the house operations and thus, in these types of operations, the positions of the Executive Chef and the F&B Director are seen as an equal partnership in maintaining all aspects of the F&B operations.
Regardless of who directly oversees the Executive Chef, often times, most private clubs have House Committees who offer input and guidance into menu implementation. The Executive Chef will sit in on monthly House Committee meetings to discuss a variety of topics, including items pertinent to F&B operations like menu design and overall dining operations.
As a whole, the role of the Executive Chef is included among the list of “senior staff” in private club and resort operations. The Executive Chef will sit in on weekly senior staff meetings as well as weekly departmental meetings.
