Kitchen Manager; Pines

About The Company
We are a young, fast-growing company (just recognized in the INC 5000 Fastest Growing Companies) of ambitious, mission-driven Weekenders working together to inspire personal growth through adventure, travel and exploration! We specialize in creating inspiring hotel stays for our guests in iconic destinations.

This is a rare opportunity to be paid to learn, have an immediate and lasting impact in a young startup company and culture, and grow personally and professionally with an amazing team.

You will love it at Weekender if our core values below get you excited and inspired too!

• Always be a student and always be open-minded
• Be Adventurous
• Be excited by challenge and willing to fail-forward
• Commit to being world class at your job and lean-in to your superpowers
• Be a Host
• Treat guests and teammates like you would family
• Be of Integrity
• Own your Domain:
  Be accountable to your job & the greater mission
• Embrace honesty, transparency and vulnerability
• Follow-through and do what you say you’re going to do

The Opportunity

The Kitchen Manager at Great Pines is a hands-on culinary leadership role with primary ownership of event food service, including weddings, corporate events, and group functions. From menu planning and staffing through preparation, execution, delivery, and breakdown, this role is responsible for ensuring each event is thoughtfully planned and successfully executed.

The Kitchen Manager also oversees the day-to-day management of the lodge kitchen, including food ordering, inventory, food cost, vendor relationships, staffing, sanitation, and kitchen standards. In addition, this role provides coverage at the Lean-To, Great Pines’ casual short-order kitchen, to support days off, call-outs, and other staffing needs.

The role is weighted roughly 70% toward events and general kitchen management and 30% toward Lean-To coverage, though that balance will shift throughout the year based on the season, event calendar, and operational needs. Hours are lighter during slower periods and increase significantly around events and high season, so flexibility is an important part of the role.

This is an opportunity for an experienced culinary leader who enjoys both the creative and operational sides of kitchen management. You’ll have the opportunity to build event menus, lead production, develop a kitchen team, manage food costs and inventory, and play a key role in delivering memorable experiences for weddings, groups, and guests at Great Pines.

Success in this role comes from combining strong culinary execution with thoughtful planning, organization, team leadership, and accountability — ensuring the kitchen is prepared, the team is supported, and every event is executed safely, efficiently, and to standard.

What you’ll be responsible for:

The essential functions include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Plan menus for weddings, corporate events, and group functions, coordinating with customers/guests and the Sales/Events team on selections, guest counts, dietary needs, and timelines.
• Build prep sheets and production timelines for each event, ensuring the kitchen is properly prepared for each function.
• Determine and schedule the event staffing needed to execute each event based on guest counts, menus, and service requirements.
• Lead food preparation, execution, and delivery for events, from setup through breakdown, coordinating with event staff throughout.
• Ensure food is prepared, presented, and delivered on time and to the expected quality and service standards.
• Adjust production and staffing as needed to respond to changes in guest counts, event needs, or operational circumstances.
• Oversee day-to-day kitchen management of the Great Pines lodge kitchen.
• Manage…