Oak View Group is the global leader in venue development, management, and premium hospitality services for the live event industry. Offering an unmatched, 360-degree solution set for a collection of world-class owned venues and a client roster that includes the most influential, highest attended arenas, convention centers, music festivals, performing arts centers, and cultural institutions on the planet.

This individual will serve as the Director of Food and Beverage and Executive Chef for a premier food & beverage operation as well as menu design and meal preparation of the facility including catering & events, concerts 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: Benefits: 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 June 13, 2025.

The Fort Smith Convention Center offers 116,800 square feet of usable, infinitely-flexible event space including 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 a state-of-the-art Performing Arts Center just steps from historic downtown Fort Smith, Arkansas.

• Research and development of menu items to keep pace with industry trends, 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 Food & Beverage Manager to assign prices to menu items in accordance with budgetary goals.
• Ensures accurate recipe development and testing.
• Oversees all food production, preparation, for retail operations and all special events.
• Estimates food consumption and purchases kitchen supplies including food product.
• 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 the preparing and cooking foods to ensure high quality, efficient and profitable food service.
• Work with Food & Beverage Manager to maintain 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 insure 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, updated target product costs and preparation methods to include HAACP guidelines.
• Carry out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with OVG Hospitality policies and procedures and applicable laws.
• Responsibilities include interviewing, hiring, and training employees; planning, assigning, and directing work; appraising performance; rewarding and disciplining employees; addressing complaints and resolving problems. Hires, trains, and supervises all concession workers, including recruitment of non-profit groups to work in stands as needed.
• 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 event-by-event monthly basis; assist in preparing annual budget and on-going monitoring of expenses and income to maximize return.
• Work with event planners, especially in area of consigned merchandise and/or concessions offered for sale at events.
• On 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.
• Availability to 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 operations department to ensure standards are maintained.
• Work with Food & Beverage Manager to create concession items that support concert event experiences and maximize sales.
• Hire and train culinary staff to include unit required Food Safety and local Health Dept. requirements.
• Observes methods of food preparation and cooking, sizes of portions, and garnishing of foods to ensure food is prepared in prescribed manner.
• Maintain health department score of 90 or above and OVG Facilities 3^rd party audit score of 95 or above.
• Establishes and enforces nutrition, sanitation and high-quality standards for food and beverage in kitchen, retail stations and portable retail operations.
• May be requested to manage offsite culinary operations.
• Must have the ability to work a varied and flexible shift.
• Must have the ability to comply and implement all Standard Operating Procedures.

Supervisory Responsibilities: 

• Directly supervises all kitchen personnel and stewarding department.
• Oversee front of house responsibilities in conjunction with Food and Beverage Manager. 
• Carries out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with OVG Facilities policies and applicable laws.
• Responsibilities include interviewing, hiring and training employees as well as planning, assigning and directing work, appraising performance, rewarding, disciplining employees in conjunction with Human Resources.

Education and/or Experience:

• Certificate from accredited culinary school, college, or technical school.
• 10 or more years of hands-on experience.
• 4 or more years of kitchen/culinary management experience at an executive level.
• ServSafe Certified.
• Must maintain local Health Codes and sanitation HACCP.
• At least eight (8) years of culinary experience in high volume facility producing complex meals for large, high profile events of 150 guests or more.
• Advanced oral and written communication skills.
• Results oriented individual with the ability to meet required budgetary goals.
• Excellent organizational, planning, communication and inter-personal 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 mathematic skills in relation to the culinary profession and Food and Beverage industry.
• Strong communication skills and the ability to read, write, and understand English.
• 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.
• Creative and ability to create unique dining experiences.
• Ability to travel as needed.
• 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, as well as Adobe Creative Suite.
• Knowledge of Banquet Event Order (BEO) or other event management programs.

Physical Demands:

• The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.
• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand and walk.
• The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.

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.

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.