Madison, Connecticut
Notre Dame, Indiana
Chevy Chase, Maryland
Posted: 30-Apr-26
Location: La Quinta, California
Type: Full Time
Salary: $150,000 – $180,000
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EXECUTIVE CHEF PROFILE:
THE QUARRY AT LA QUINTA
LA QUINTA, CA
THE EXECUTIVE CHEF OPPORTUNITY AT THE QUARRY AT LA QUINTA
The Quarry at La Quinta is seeking an Executive Chef prepared to take a meaningful next step in their culinary leadership journey. This opportunity is ideally suited for a chef who has developed a strong foundation in product quality, seasonality, and team leadership, and is ready to step into a premier role within a storied, tradition-rich club environment.
The position offers the opportunity to collaborate with an engaged and supportive leadership team, while leading a culinary program grounded in consistency, simplicity, and a deep connection to the membership. It is an environment where thoughtful execution, steady leadership, and a commitment to excellence are both expected and valued.
ABOUT THE QUARRY AT LA QUINTA
The Quarry at La Quinta is a private golf club, offering a world-class golf experience to fewer than 300 members. Since its inception, the Club has remained deeply committed to the founding principles that continue to distinguish it within the industry today.
The Quarry provides its members with unimpeded access to the golf experience – no tee times, limited events, and a deliberately small membership – all of which contribute to a uniquely personal and unhurried atmosphere.
At the heart of the Club is its 20,000-square-foot clubhouse, thoughtfully designed around an indoor-outdoor concept that captures stunning panoramic views of the golf course and the Santa Rosa Mountains. The setting creates a relaxed yet refined dining environment, where the culinary program plays a central role in the overall member experience.
The Club’s Championship Course has been recognized by Golf Digest as one of “America’s 100 Greatest Courses” every year since its debut in 1994. The Quarry is equally known for its exceptional course conditioning, currently recognized as the best-conditioned golf course in California and among the finest in the country.
Complementing the Championship Course, the Club’s 10-hole Short Course is widely regarded as one of the top par-3 courses in the world. With flexible playability ranging from 50 to 380 yards, it offers a dynamic and engaging extension of the Quarry golf experience, mirroring the main course's strategy, beauty, and character.
THE QUARRY AT LA QUINTA BY THE NUMBERS:
- Members: 250 | Average age of membership: 64
- Total Annual Gross Volume $12M
- Annual Food Volume Approximately $530K
- Annual Beverage Volume Approximately $280K
- À la carte 80% Banquets 20%
- 1 Kitchen (main kitchen is compact with all the quality equipment)
- Total Number of FB Outlets: 2 plus private dining spaces and banquet spaces
- Covers per year 12K
- Target food cost: 42%
- Annual Kitchen Gross Payroll Approximately $520K
- 10 direct/indirect reports | 100 Club Employees
- Club is closed Mid-June to August | Limited-Service Mid-August to October
- Peak Season: November to June
- The Club uses Jonas POS
THE QUARRY AT LA QUINTA WEBSITE: www.thequarrygc.com
FOOD & BEVERAGE OPERATIONS:
Remington's Bar & Grill - On the main level of the Clubhouse, Remington's Bar & Grill serves as the main dining room and bar for the Quarry. Remington's opens onto a beautiful exterior patio that provides additional seating and offers an exceptional ambiance for outdoor dining. This dining space serves as the main hub for Club social functions and meetings. This single dining space is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner during the season. Dinner is available two nights a week during the season, while breakfast and lunch are open seven days a week.
Turn – walk-up food and beverage space for members: grab-and-go snacks directly from the main kitchen. Members can pre-order from the 9th hole tee box and have their items ready when they arrive.
Men's Locker Room Lounge - where Breakfast and Lunch are served, as well as complimentary items.
Women’s Locker Room/Card Room – where gathering and light snacks take place.
Private Dining Space – with direct access to the kitchen and dining room - is a perfect location for member celebrations.
EXECUTIVE CHEF JOB OVERVIEW
The Executive Chef (EC) at The Quarry at La Quinta is responsible for the day-to-day leadership and execution of all culinary operations, including the primary dining outlet and private dining space. In this close-knit club environment, the EC is a hands-on leader who is deeply involved in menu development, food purchasing specifications, and recipe execution, while ensuring consistent quality, strong cost controls, and adherence to the highest standards of food safety and sanitation.
Working closely with the culinary team and the club’s leadership, the Executive Chef leads, mentors, and develops the kitchen staff through active presence on the floor and in the kitchen. The EC establishes clear standards, systems, and expectations, fostering accountability, teamwork, and pride in execution. Through strong communication, approachability, and a commitment to excellence, the Executive Chef plays a visible and integral role in delivering a memorable and consistent dining experience for the Club’s members.
Leadership
- Take full ownership of the culinary team; build trust by engaging, observing, learning, and listening to their wisdom, experience, and needs.
- Earn members' trust by instilling confidence through continued enhanced operations, interaction, and visibility.
- Create a fun, collaborative work environment while being "hands-on" when necessary but understanding when to step back and lead the team.
- Involve team members in the decision-making process of how "work gets done" and create a work environment of mutual respect in which people want to come to and participate every day.
- Work closely with the front-of-house leadership and broader club leadership team to ensure a cohesive experience that consistently exceeds expectations for Members and guests.
- Be an active and dynamic recruiter of team members and someone who inherently enjoys developing and building their team and leading them to significant, positive membership satisfaction outcomes.
- To have a passion and aptitude for teaching and training all food service personnel, working as necessary with the team directly responsible for operations to create a learning culture of development.
Operations
- Be a collaborative team player who is willing to be “hands-on” within the operations daily, while training the team to take ownership and step back when appropriate.
- Develop and maintain standard recipes and techniques for food preparation and presentation that help to ensure consistency, high-quality, and minimize food costs.
- Be well-versed in menu development and execution of various cuisine types and styles.
- Attend Food and Beverage, Leadership, Financial, and other Meetings and represent the culinary team as a senior leader at the club.
- Establish controls to minimize food and supply waste and theft. Safeguard all food-preparation employees by implementing training to increase their knowledge about safety, sanitation, and accident prevention principles.
- Maintain safety training programs. Manages OSHA-related aspects of kitchen safety and maintains MSDSs in an easily accessible location.
Membership
- Have a heart of hospitality, embrace, appreciate, promote, and elevate the warmth and culture of the Club.
- Be highly visible and engaged with Membership throughout the F&B outlets and events, have an intuitive feel for where to be and when.
- Welcome, encourage, and engage in regular feedback from Members.
- Be responsive to Members’ requests for menu selections, event planning, etc., and strive to find creative ways to accommodate reasonable requests with a “can-do” approach
- Consistently innovate, elevate events, and build on a core selection of club favorites and signature dishes.
- Create seasonally appropriate menus that the Membership has a hard time choosing from, with regular features and specials.
Financial
- Clearly understand the metrics for successful attainment of financial goals and objectives in F&B operations and consistently review these expectations with their direct reports to ensure understanding and ‘buy-in’ from those contributing to their attainment.
- Oversee the pricing of menus for all outlets in the club and for special occasions and events. Schedule and coordinate the work of chefs, cooks, and other kitchen employees to ensure that food preparation is economical and technically correct, and within budgeted labor cost goals.
- Embrace the use of systems (including regular inventory processes) and technology to assist in the management of the kitchen and the financial performance of the operation.
- Monitor payroll and labor resource allocations to ensure they are in line with financial forecasting and goals.
- Maintain strong relationships with local vendors and identify new vendors to ensure the best prices for the best quality products.
INITIAL PRIORITIES OF THE EXECUTIVE CHEF
- Set a Culture of Quality and Pride: Establish clear expectations around food quality, cleanliness, and execution, and ensure that member favorites and special offerings are prepared with care, consistency, and attention to detail.
- Focus on Consistency and the Fundamentals: Prioritize doing the basics well every day, strong organization, sound systems, and reliable execution so that members can count on a consistently positive dining experience.
- Get to Know the Members: Take time to understand member preferences, dining habits, and traditions, maintaining popular staples while building trust through responsiveness and familiarity.
- Introduce Thoughtful Creativity: Refresh menus and features in a way that feels approachable and appropriate for the Club, balancing creativity with comfort and familiarity.
- Lead and Develop the Team: Serve as a hands-on leader and mentor, supporting staff development through coaching, training, and clear expectations while fostering a positive, collaborative kitchen culture.
- Be Present and Approachable: Maintain a visible, welcoming presence in the kitchen and dining areas, building strong relationships with members, staff, and leadership.
- Provide Steady, Practical Leadership: Offer calm, organized leadership within a smaller operation, working closely with the front-of-house and management team to support teamwork, communication, and shared goals.
CANDIDATE QUALIFICATIONS
- Five years’ experience in a similar role or Executive Sous Chef with exposure to luxury hospitality, or large multi-outlet operations with both busy a la carte and banquets.
- Experienced with and embraces new technology, including POS and Microsoft Suite.
- This is an ideal role for a mature Executive Sous Chef to begin their advanced leadership in the private club sector.
EDUCATIONAL AND CERTIFICATION QUALIFICATIONS
- An associate or bachelor’s degree is preferred with a focus on Hospitality Management or Culinary.
- In lieu of the degree, substantial culinary or hospitality experience will be considered.
- Has achieved or is working towards Certified Executive Chef (CEC) certification through the American Culinary Federation (ACF) or Pro Chef II certification through the Culinary Institute of America.
- Food Safety Certified
EMPLOYMENT ELIGIBILITY VERIFICATION
In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification form upon hire.
SALARY AND BENEFITS
Salary is open and commensurate with qualifications and experience. The club offers an excellent bonus and benefits package, including association membership. Salary Range: $150,000 – $180,000.
INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO APPLY
Please upload your resume and cover letter, in that order, using the link below. You should have your documents ready to attach when prompted during the online application process. Please be sure your image is not present on your resume or cover letter; that should be used on your LinkedIn Profile.
Prepare a thoughtful cover letter addressed to Mr. Jay Head, General Manager, The Quarry at La Quinta. Clearly articulate your alignment with this role, why you want to be considered for this position at this stage of your career, and why the club and the La Quinta, CA area will benefit you, your family, your career, and the Club if selected.
You must apply for this role as soon as possible, but no later than June 3rd. Candidate selections will occur in mid-June, with the first Interviews expected in early July and the second interviews shortly thereafter. The successful candidate should assume their role in mid-August.
IMPORTANT: Save your resume and letter in the following manner:
“Last Name, First Name - Resume” &
“Last Name, First Name - Cover Letter The Quarry at La Quinta”
(These documents should be in Word or PDF format.)
Note: Once you complete the application process for this search, you cannot go back to add additional documents.
Click here to upload your resume and cover letter.
If you have any questions, please email Bethany Taylor: bethany@kkandw.com
LEAD SEARCH EXECUTIVES
Annette Whittley, CCM
Search Executive
O: (833) KKW-HIRE, ext. 721
M: (561) 827-1945
annette@kkandw.com
Lawrence McFadden, CMC, ECM
Search Executive
O: (833) KKW-HIRE, ext. 715
M: (239) 963-6888
lawrence@kkandw.com
