The Importance of an Executive Chef in the Hospitality Industry

Discuss About The Control Practices The Hospitality Industry.

An executive chef is of crucial importance predominantly in the operation of all culinary activities in a hotel. They are in charge of the whole process from planning, sourcing, ordering, purchasing and preparation of foods and beverages in a way that ensures that quality and standards are fulfilled. Additionally, the executive chef takes on the mantle to make certain that all staff involved in handling the food and beverages are well trained, they see to it that industrial health standards are maintained, new recipes are developed and that customers’ needs and expectations are met and even exceeded. What’s more and of even greater importance is their role in handling inventory, planning menus, limiting the costs as well as managing the spheres of profit. Whereas the hospitality industry embodies an assembling of a variety sub-industries such as the lodging-accommodation, this paper will focus on the food and beverage sector and in particular that of the Hilton Sydney. Interview questions were designed to enable the researcher to gather information and interact in depth with the executive chef at Hilton Sydney. This report will go on to highlight and analyze the various practices in financial management and cost control observed by the executive chef. The proceeding section shall use the analysis derived from responses to evaluate to evaluate the potency of these practices in managing foodservice operations.

A qualitative analysis was used to gain in-depth insights into the operation of the executive chef at Hilton Sydney. In the interview King, the newly appointed executive chef explained his role in managing the food and beverage sector of the hotel (Castle 2018). Part of his role is to ensure the smooth running of things in the culinary department. In this session, the report analyses various aspects of the interview such as production methods and planning, sustainability, beverage management, financial management and cost control practices.

According to Zhang and Bhatt (2014), Lack of constant control of budget costs can be disastrous. To mitigate the higher cost and still achieve a profit would require that the prices are increased or consequently lowering the quality of the food and beverage operation. King believes in being constantly vigilant about the budget structure. His approach to regulating costs involves rigorously tracking inventory and purchases. He makes certain that the purchases made are of quality and in concert with fair prices. All together, the inventory tracking system at Hiltons Sydney enables has reduced the traditional cumbersome paperwork used to receive, store and issue out inventory. Plinere and Borisov (2015) adduced that technology is very handy in this day and age. It provides an avenue to effortlessly assess precariousness in the event the enterprise is making large purchases. In so doing the hotel avoids unnecessary excessive purchases or under-stocking. In other words, the inventory system simply presides over the outflow and inflow of stock into an existing inventory. Other than just control this inflow and outflow of inventory, this helps cut down on costs and prevents wastage.

Financial Management and Cost Control Practices in the Food and Beverage Sector

After the inventory is received, Kind ensures that the personnel responsible for receiving are present for their duty. The loading area and any appliance necessary for the reception are well prepared before arrival of merchandise. On receipt of the merchandise, the staff has to inspect the products to confirm quality (Aluri and Munnangi 2010). Quality here implies checking expiry dates and temperature of the foods and beverages. At this point, the staff can reject products if they are faulty. They can also report to the executive chef or any other appropriate administrative body.

After confirmation of products, they are taken for storage, marked and the older inventory is rotated so as they are used up first. The executive chef sees to it that they are well stored each according to their appropriate methods of storage.

Research stipulates that hotels all over the world lose more than $100 million due to theft and loss (Gannarelli 2013). Inventory management is one of the most effective methods used to curb looses and theft. King says that it is a daunting task trying to control costs while at the same time satisfying customer expectations on the perceptions they have attached to the pricing to its value.  While all the fore mentioned are the back of house operations, the front of house operations is generally about the customer experience.  Efforts to have a smooth running back of house will be nullified if the front of house is dysfunctional. The executive chef is tasked with ensuring that food and beverages are of quality and are delivered on time to the customer. He is in charge of ensuring that the menu is attractive yet simple enough to be understood. He further takes care of the pricing taking care to match value to the price of food or beverage order. It is such simple yet complicated things that contribute to good or bad customer experience leading to repeat customers.

One of the major reasons why Hilton Sydney remains competitive in the hospitality industry is the ability to leverage intrinsic management principles for maximization of profits. These key financial features as highlighted earlier in the report include the essentials beginning from the production to the presentation of foods with other factors such as health, storage and purchases uniting all the necessities. The most successful hotels are those that purpose to manage and control their budgetary processes (Denizci 2008 p. 89). Effective planning and coordination if of the budget process and the inclusion of other members of staff in this process propels the entire team to be cautious about the costs. Ultimately synergy created between the back of house and front of house operations is reflected in the customer response (Roy 2008 P.23) Indeed proper management is a key pillar to the success of the organization.

Inventory Management and Quality Control at Hilton Sydney

Hilton Sydney makes use of an Inventory management system, which is a commendable stride in minimizing cost and maximizing profitability. This system likewise promotes sustainability as it is created to align with the organisations sustainability objectives. It further keeps track of changes in inventory. With this information in a non-hectic development, it is for the executive chef to forecast the future direction of purchases making planning easier and faster. It can be deduced from this that companies should be careful in as much as they strive to reduce cost not t compromise the quality and pricing in the long term (Otiso, Chelangat and Bonuke 2012). Pricing strategies should be developed carefully such that it does not result in a loss in revenue.

The food and beverage sector is another distinctly important sector amidst others in the hospital. The executive chef clearly contributes heavily to the level at which a hotel is able to compete with other players in the industry by the strategies they choose to employ. Current methods utilized by the Hilton Sydney are effective, however, this is not to say that they are sufficient and will work at all times. Today’s hospitality industry is extremely dynamic and it is the duty of all authorities in an organization to keep up with the changing tides lest they are left behind and lose their competitiveness.

Questions used in the interview of the Executive chef at Hilton Sydney

1. How many people do you manage?
2. Who do you report to?
3. What are your best dishes to prepare, why and how long does it take to prepare?
4. What is your favorite food to eat?
5. How do you prepare the menu?
6. Why choose this profession?
7. How are you able to keep up with the dynamic world and the constantly changing trends?
8. How do you ensure that the quality and standard of food and beverages is maintained? Do you test the quality? If yes how and at what point?
9. How to you maintain inventory ?
10. Describe your leadership style
11. What are your strengths and weaknesses?
12. How do you manage financial matters such as cost
13. What are the highlights of this career?

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Castle, E. (2018). QT Sydney Welcomes New Executive Chef Grant King – QT Hotels & Resorts. [online] QT Hotels & Resorts. Available at: https://www.qthotelsandresorts.com/press-releases/qt-sydney-welcomes-new-executive-chef-grant-king/ [Accessed 8 Jun. 2018].

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