Executive Chef | Mount Vernon Country Club

Organization

Mount Vernon Country Club (MVCC) sits on approximately 130 acres of historic land that was once part of George Washington's Union Farm Field Four. Established in 1961, the Club's inaugural round was played by golf legend Sam Snead. Today, MVCC is a welcoming, family-friendly destination offering a stunning pool complex, versatile event spaces and scenic al fresco dining. Golfers enjoy top-tier facilities, including a driving range with 18 hitting stations, an 8,000-square-foot USGA putting green, a 3,500-square-foot warm-up chipping green and a 5,500-square-foot green complemented by fairway grass and two greenside bunkers. Members can relax and dine in the clubhouse restaurant or on the picturesque patio overlooking the course.

MVCC offers a variety of exceptional dining experiences to cater to its members' diverse tastes. The Dining Room provides an intimate atmosphere for a refined and private dining experience, perfect for enjoying the Chef's culinary creations. For a more casual setting, the Members Grill features a stone fireplace, a granite bar top and five HD TVs broadcasting the latest sporting events. Members can unwind before or after a round of golf while enjoying a family-friendly menu featuring monthly specials, sandwiches, salads and heartier entrées such as pasta, fish and steaks.

Sam's Place, an upper-level event and dining space with floor-to-ceiling windows, offers breathtaking views of the signature 16th hole and putting green. With a full-service bar, it is an ideal location for private dining or special events. For a quick bite during a round, the At the Turn station provides convenient grab-and-go snacks and beverages near the 10th hole. During the summer months, the Barracuda Grill is the go-to spot for poolside dining, offering fresh salads, burgers, fried foods, ice cream and refreshing beverages—making it a favorite among families enjoying a day by the pool.

Mount Vernon Country Club is seeking a talented and innovative Executive Chef to lead its culinary team and elevate the dining experience for its members. The ideal candidate will bring creativity, leadership and a passion for delivering exceptional cuisine across MVCC's diverse dining venues.

Mount Vernon Country Club Details:

Gross Dollar Volume: $10.6M
Dues: $5.85M
Annual Food and Beverage: $2.15M
Memberships: 582 (Includes all categories)
Full Initiation Fee: $48,500
Full Dues: $13,000
Board Members: 9
Standing Committees: 6
Year-round Staff Members: 74
Kitchen: 15 FTE
Peak Season Staff: 130

The Club is open 50 weeks per year closing the first two weeks in January.

Position Overview

The successful Executive Chef (EC) at the MVCC will be proficient and skilled in culinary leadership, including setting standards, best practices, standardized recipes, team development and member and guest customer relations. The EC will be the crucial leader known to the employees and the membership as the responsible party for all culinary offerings at the Club. The EC must be visible and present in all food and beverage operations on a regular daily basis and be a team player who is willing to work side by side with the team each day and do whatever it takes to provide an exceptional member experience. The EC must demonstrate an open-door, approachable demeanor that leads and guides all culinary team members equally and proactively. The EC must be structured and organized to implement defined goals and initiatives to achieve the culinary brand, vision and standard of offering an unparalleled Club dining experience in Virginia.

Executive Chef candidates must deliver the highest quality in food and taste every day in all culinary offerings. The diverse membership desires both trending creative meal offerings (lighter, healthier, farm-to-table) as well as timeless standards. Successful candidates will have experience in positively leading active a la carte dining programs as well as banquet events simultaneously. The EC role at MVCC truly provides candidates with a fulfilling platform for delivering both experimentation and classic fare. Consistency through training, mentoring, standardized recipes, plating guides, proper food timing, taste and finish is the key talent characteristic that the Club is seeking in this position.

Key Responsibilities

The Executive Chef's duties include but are not limited to:

The EC is responsible for ensuring that all food is consistently outstanding – from traditional Mount Vernon Country Club favorites to innovative offerings and special events throughout all dining venues.
Learns and understands Club favorites and traditions.
Creates the standards for kitchen policies and procedures, communicates these policies and ensures that the policies are adhered to by all BOH staff. The EC leads by example and is very hands-on in all aspects of the operation.
The EC creates and updates menus often, incorporate daily features and develops and documents recipes and controls to ensure consistency. Creativity and innovation, not just variety, are essential in planning menus and events for the members of MVCC. Creativity in presentation is also important – plate presentation as well as how food is presented on buffets.
The EC is responsive to Club member and team member requests and strives to find creative ways to accommodate reasonable requests.
The EC has a proven track record of controlling food and labor costs. He or she is adept at creating and managing a budget and provides food purchase specifications to control food quality and costs.
Directs ordering amounts, inventory levels, the timing of orders, receiving, invoice settling and equipment maintenance.
Enables communication between line staff and the Food and Beverage team. Creates theme menus, decorations, banquets and special events.
Manages all major Food and Beverage kitchen operating expenses, sets margins and manages against projections.
Works with the General Manager on the analysis of financial results and budgeting. Ensures that a quality sanitation program is followed throughout the kitchen operation such as ServeSafe or equivalent. Responsible for interviewing, hiring, training, planning, assigning and directing work, evaluating performance, rewarding and disciplining associates; addressing complaints and resolving problems. Assures that effective orientation and training are given to each new associate. Develop ongoing training programs.
Monitors business volume forecasts and plans accordingly in areas of workforce, productivity, costs and expenses.
Ultimately, the Executive Chef at MVCC is an important and positive face of culinary operations. He or she is an integral part of the overall success of the operation. The responsibility to lead this facet of the organization from a passionate, creative, supportive, progressive and team-focused perspective is of critical importance for long-term success.

Attributes

An outgoing and friendly personality with a high potential to identify with and embrace the Club's unique culture.
Leadership skills with the ability to motivate staff with a commitment to quality and excellence. Highly energetic; a self-starter with a "hands-on" approach to management.
Excellent communication skills at all levels. Even-tempered and respectful. A strong sense of service with proven staff development and training skills.
The active promotion of the Club's dining program to all members and their families. The Executive Chef is expected to interact with members daily; actively soliciting members' opinions and input as to the Club's dining program.

Requirements

Must have a degree in Culinary Arts. The ideal candidate will be working towards or will have achieved their Certified Executive Chef (CEC) Certification through the American Culinary Federation (ACF) or Pro Chef II certification through the Culinary Institute of America.
5-10 years of previous experience as an Executive Chef at a private Country Club, high-end restaurant, resort or hotel. Experience in both catering and a la carte experience is required.
An Executive Sous Chef with strong training and mentorship in a highly respected food and beverage resort or club will be considered.
A strong history of verifiable high-end quality food management and an expert in developing food purchase specifications and standard recipes. Food consistency is of the utmost importance to the Mount Vernon Country Club membership.
A career path marked with stability and professional achievement.
The successful Executive Chef must possess a passion for providing high-quality member service and a commitment to exceeding members' expectations.
A person of exceptional character; motivated, energetic, friendly and dedicated to the profession.
A friendly and outgoing personality with strong communication skills and high visibility with the staff and membership.
The Executive Chef will possess knowledge of culinary trends and be creative in bringing new ideas to the Club.
Takes tremendous pride in making members happy, exceeding their expectations and fosters that accountability among the team – both BOH and FOH.
Excellent verbal and written skills.
The ability to operate a computer to enter, retrieve or modify data utilizing Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, internet and other software programs at a high level of proficiency.
Impeccable and verifiable references. All candidates will be subject to a thorough background check.

Competitive Compensation

Competitive compensation/salary and an annual performance-based bonus
Healthcare, Medical, Disability, 401 (k) plan
Paid time off and work/life balance
Professional dues (ACF or CMAA), educational allowance expenses, and other expenses per the annual budget
Relocation assistance (if from outside the area)

To be considered for this outstanding opportunity all cover letters and resumes should be received as quickly as possible but no later than March 28, 2025. All information received will be kept in the strictness of confidence.

Professionals who meet or exceed the established criteria are encouraged to send a compelling cover letter addressed to Christian Thon, CCM, CCE, General Manager / COO outlining their qualifications, experience, interests, and why Mount Vernon Country Club and the Washington DC area of VA will be beneficial for you, your family and your career along with their resume to:

Manny Gugliuzza, CCM, CCE
Principal & Search Consultant
mannyg@gsiexecutivesearch.com
731-618-8665

GSI Executive Search has been serving the private club industry for nearly 30 years, providing a wide range of executive search and placement services. In addition to GM searches that have been performed recently, GSI consultants have done over 100 GM searches around the US in the last three years.