MLB Executive Performance Chef

Position: MLB Executive Performance Chef

Department: Baseball Operations

Reports to:  Director of Performance Nutrition

Status: Full-time; Exempt

Location: San Francisco, CA / Phoenix, AZ

Position Summary:

The MLB Executive Performance Chef will be a key figure in optimizing the performance, recovery, and health of Major League players by delivering top-tier food and nutrition services to both athletes and staff of the San Francisco Giants. The MLB Executive Performance Chef will report to the Director of Performance Nutrition and serve as an essential member of the Performance Nutrition Department, working closely with culinary teams across the organization to create cohesiveness and ensure consistent alignment with nutritional and performance goals.

The primary responsibility is to lead the culinary team at Oracle Park’s Major League Clubhouse, ensuring that meals are fresh, locally sourced, sustainable, nutrient-dense, made in-house and of the upmost quality.

This role includes providing mentorship to other Performance Chefs throughout the organization. The Executive Performance Chef will work closely with Performance Dietitians and Chefs to design menus that enhance athletic performance, recovery, and injury prevention. The focus will be on combining culinary expertise with dietitian recommendations to meet athletes' nutritional needs during Spring Training, throughout the MLB season, and occasionally during the offseason.

Essential Job Functions:

General Structure of Role:

·         Major League Spring Training—Scottsdale, Arizona—Approximately from mid-January through March

o    Collaborate with the City of Scottsdale for temporary use of kitchen within Scottsdale Stadium. Setting up dining space in Scottsdale Stadium for Spring Training. Responsible for staff scheduling, operating food service program within the provide budget and culinary guidelines provided by the Performance Nutrition team

·         In-season Major League Clubhouse—San Francisco, CA—March-October

o    Potential for occasional travel to road games to cook on-site in Visiting Clubhouses as specified by the Director of Performance Nutrition

·         Off-season—San Francisco, CA

o    Provide occasional meals for events as needed or rehab support.

Athlete Centered Food Service

·         Provide food/beverages of the highest nutritional value possible at all times with the goal of optimizing athletic performance, recovery through food and nutrition. 

·         Comprehensive knowledge of basic nutrition and nutrition trends for elite athletes

·         Understand the needs and directives of the Director of Performance Nutrition for the importance of meal plan execution (individualized preferences, allergies, body composition needs, specific portions, specialized diets)

·         Adaptability to player and staff needs and requests

●        Educate players and staff on best nutrition and food development practices when requested

●         Ensure proper health and performance of all San Francisco Giants players, coaches, training staff, and clubhouse employees

●        Order and provide locally sourced and highest quality food within the annual budget

●        Experience in scratch cooking and creating standardized recipes to include minimal processed foods; set the standard for culinary excellence

●        Maintaining all nutritional guidelines established by the Performance Nutrition Department for the team, and associated staff.

●        Collaborate with the MLB Performance Dietitian and culinary team to create nutrient analysis of recipes and standardized recipes

●        Experience in numerous styles of cuisines especially Latin.

●        Continue to develop future advances in team performance with performance dining

●        Must be willing to learn new techniques and safe food practices.

●        Have knowledge of proper kitchen procedures

●        Performing educational demos for players such as knife skills, food selection, cooking demos etc.

Menu Development and Execution

·         Demonstrate creativity and variety, incorporating diverse dishes from various culture and cuisines.

·         Collaborating with the MLB Performance Dietitian on menu development and approval based on nutritional guidelines and recommendations from the dietitian

·         Experience executing immersive made to order and action stations

·         Use of seasonal ingredients

·         Use of fresh, local, sustainable ingredients

·         Integrate high nutritional value without compromising taste or presentation

·         Simple, elevated and refined dishes

·         Ensure minimal waste of ingredients and product

·         Demonstrate elite competency in knife skills and multiple cooking methods including but not limited to grilling, sautéing, broiling, smoking, barbeque, sous vide, and baking

Administrative and Staff Management Duties

·         Hiring, supervising of culinary staff. Coordinating of culinary staff including but not limited to menu execution, ingredient turnover/utilization, equipment upkeep, flow, time management, food safety & sanitation

·         Manage staff scheduling and hours

·         Ensure culinary staff are executing all processes and procedure guidelines related to safety codes and food safety

·         Budget developing and management. Make thorough purchasing and ordering decisions to control expenses and stay within budget with regard to food, labor cost, supplies, uniforms and equipment.

Submitting at minimum bi-monthly expense reports to account for invoices or credit card expenses related to operation

Establishing productive vendor relationships including finding local suppliers, farmers markets when feasible

·         Maintain sanitation and food specification standards by ensuring employees maintain food handling and sanitation certificates and executing daily operations standards to lead and develop culinary team.

·         Demonstrate knowledge of procedures and temperatures for storing, rotating food out of coolers, refrigerators, freezers, dry storage and FIFO-approach (i.e. labeling, dating, rotating, screening for products that do not meet organization standards, knowledge of policies and procedures for discarding or returning food products, etc.).

·         Be visible and present during mealtimes to interact with athletes, and staff

Overseeing all routine kitchen management procedures including (but not limited to) opening and closing checklists, cleaning schedules, temperature checks, waste sheets and pest control

Create educational curriculum to educate culinary staff in Major and Minor League Performance Kitchens

Work in collaboration with Performance Dietitians and Medical Staff on culinary and nutrition education for players and staff

 Skills and Qualifications: 

·         Bachelors’ Degree in Culinary Arts, Culinary Science, or another related field.

·         Advanced certifications such as CHE, ACF, Prochef, etc.

·         Food safety certifications such as ServSafe, OSHA Hazcom or WHMIS.

·         3+ years of full time Executive Chef or Executive Sous Chef experience in a traditional kitchen creating, costing and executing menus.

·         2+ years of experience in a management role within an athletic nutrition setting, preferably team sports (e.g. college, or professional sports)

·         Must be proficient with Microsoft and Google Suites to create menus, costing and inventory/ordering, and team communication and documenting

·         Must be customer service-oriented with the ability to inquire and receive constructive feedback.

·         Must be flexible regarding work hours including nights, weekends, and holidays.

·         Possess key time management and organization skills

·         Ability to handle confidential matters and information with discretion

·         Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal

·         Must be able to stand for long periods, work quickly in a fast-moving environment and be able to lift up to 25+ lbs.

·         Must be able to take direction from the Director of Performance Nutrition

·         Ability to maintain a positive and professional working environment 

At the San Francisco Giants, we carefully consider a wide range of factors when determining compensation, including your background and experience. These considerations can cause your compensation to vary. We expect the base salary for this position to be in the range of $85,000 to $100,000, and will depend on your skills, qualifications, experience and other factors the San Francisco Giants consider relevant to the hiring decision.

At the Giants, we believe we put our best work forward when our employees bring together ideas that are diverse in thought. We are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, medical condition or disability, genetic condition, marital status, domestic partnership status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, sexual orientation, military or veteran status and any other protected class under federal, state or local law. Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records. In addition, we will provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities. If you have a disability or special need, we would like to know how we can better accommodate you.