Restaurant Chef - Puna

Job description

JOB SUMMARY

The Destination Restaurant Chef leads the culinary vision and daily kitchen operations of Puna, the signature restaurant of Nekajui, a Ritz‑Carlton Reserve. Guided by the creative direction of celebrated Peruvian chef Diego Muñoz, Puna blends Peru’s culinary heritage with the freshness and biodiversity of Costa Rica, offering bold flavors, refined techniques, and minimalist, elegant presentations.  The restaurant features modern Peruvian dishes inspired by both the Andean highlands and the coastal ecosystems of Guanacaste.

In addition to overseeing Puna, the position is responsible for Paruro, the restaurant’s intimate six‑seat Asian‑Peruvian Omakase experience. Paruro delivers a multi‑sensory, chef‑led tasting journey where seasonality, intuition, and storytelling converge, executed with precise Asian techniques harmonized with Peruvian flavor foundations.  The Destination Restaurant Chef ensures the excellence, consistency, and exclusivity of this high‑touch experience. 

The role drives menu development, culinary innovation, product quality, kitchen team leadership, and financial performance. It requires creating memorable, place‑connected dining experiences that reflect the Reserve ethos—authentic, deeply personal, and rooted in the natural and cultural richness of Peninsula Papagayo. The Destination Restaurant Chef collaborates with resort leadership to champion Puna and Paruro as destination culinary experiences, representing the restaurant in marketing, media, and guest interactions while upholding the highest standards of craftsmanship, hospitality, and brand integrity.

 

CANDIDATE PROFILE 

Education and Experience

· 
High school diploma or GED; 4 years of experience in culinary, food & beverage, or a related professional area.

OR 

·  2‑year degree in Culinary Arts, Hotel & Restaurant Management, or a related major; 2 years of experience in culinary, food & beverage, or a related professional area. 

Preferred Experience and Skills

·  Proven experience in fine dining, luxury hospitality, or destination restaurants—ideally as a Sous Chef or Destination Restaurant Chef in concept‑driven, high‑touch environments.
·  Demonstrated mastery of modern Peruvian cuisine, with the ability to execute bold flavors, refined techniques, and minimalist, elegant presentations aligned with Puna’s culinary direction under Chef Diego Muñoz, whose concept fuses Peruvian culinary heritage with Costa Rican freshness. 
·  Experience with chef‑led tasting menus or Omakase‑style experiences, essential for overseeing Paruro, Puna’s intimate six‑seat Asian‑Peruvian Omakase that blends seasonality, intuition, and storytelling with precise Asian techniques. 
·  Comfort working with seasonal, local ingredients, including Costa Rican seafood, regional produce, and native flavors highlighted across Nekajui’s culinary program. 
·  Strong ability to design, refine, and execute highly curated menus, ensuring excellence in technique, balance, creativity, and product quality.
·  Leadership experience developing and inspiring kitchen teams within luxury environments, maintaining the Reserve ethos of authenticity, craftsmanship, and personalized service.

Preferred Experience and Skills

·  Passion for delivering immersive, sense‑driven dining experiences that reflect place, culture, and innovation—central to both Puna and Paruro’s identity. 
·  Creative, disciplined, and highly organized, with a commitment to culinary excellence and continuous learning.
·  Strong interpersonal skills and presence to interact confidently with guests, particularly during high‑engagement experiences such as the Paruro Omakase.
·  Demonstrated ability to work with a high degree of schedule flexibility, adapting to operational peaks, late‑service demands, special events, and the unique cadence of Puna and Paruro, ensuring consistent leadership presence during critical culinary moments.
·  Entrepreneurial mindset with the ability to contribute to brand visibility, marketing activations, media features, and signature resort events.
·  Dedication to sustainability, ingredient sourcing integrity, and relationships with local producers—core elements of Nekajui’s culinary philosophy. 

 

Language Proficiency

·  Fluency in English and Spanish is required, both written and spoken, to effectively lead multicultural kitchen teams, collaborate with resort leadership, and engage with an international guest profile.
·  Ability to communicate culinary concepts, give direction, train Ladies & Gentlemen, and interact confidently with guests in both languages.
·  Strong command of professional culinary terminology in English and Spanish.

 

CORE WORK ACTIVITIES

Leading a Restaurant Defined by Culinary Distinction (Puna & Paruro)

·  Champion and safeguard the culinary identity of Puna—Nekajui’s signature restaurant—where Peru’s culinary heritage is blended with Costa Rica’s freshness, expressed through bold flavors, refined techniques, and elegant minimalist presentation. 
·  Oversee Paruro, the restaurant’s intimate six‑seat Asian‑Peruvian Omakase inside Puna; deliver a chef‑led, multi‑sensory tasting experience where seasonality, intuition, storytelling, and precise Asian techniques are harmonized with Peruvian foundations. 
·  Translate the creative direction of Chef Diego Muñoz into executable menus, service rituals, and kitchen standards; evolve the concept over time while preserving brand and creative integrity. 
·  Curate and refine signature preparations aligned with official communications (e.g., prawn tempura with risoni parihuela, charcoal‑seared wagyu with crispy Pont Neuf potatoes) while ensuring seasonal relevance and Costa Rican provenance. 

Menu Architecture, R&D, and Pairings

·  Design seasonal and special‑event menus for Puna and Paruro (including Omakase progression, vegetarian/vegan routes, and off‑menu experiences) with rigorous tasting, iteration, and documentation.
·  Develop complementary beverage pairings (wine, sake, pisco, low‑ABV, temperance) in collaboration with the Sommelier and Bar leadership; ensure Paruro pairings accentuate Asian‑Peruvian nuance and Puna’s modern Peruvian profile.
· 
Utilize menu engineering (contribution margin, popularity index) to balance creativity with profitability; implement plate cost files and recipe specs with yield tests and loss factors.

 

Daily Kitchen Operations & Production Excellence

·  Oversee mise en place systems, station guides, prep lists, and service sequencing for both Puna and Paruro; guarantee readiness for one Paruro seating and Puna dinner service windows.
·  Maintain exacting plating standards (garnish logic, temperature windows, pass QC) that reflect Puna’s minimalist, elegant presentation style.
· 
Step onto the line during peak periods and chef‑engagement moments (particularly Paruro) to safeguard quality and consistency.

 

Guest Experience & High‑Touch Engagement

·  Deliver table‑ or counter‑side chef interactions at Paruro (storytelling, seasonality, sourcing narrative, technique walk‑through) and selective chef touchpoints on Puna’s floor; collect feedback in real time and close service loops.
·  Collaborate with Service and Reservations to manage the exclusivity and cadence of Paruro’s single seating; ensure pre‑arrival notes (allergies, preferences, celebratory moments) flow to the kitchen brief.
· 
Uphold the Reserve ethos of authenticity, discretion, and sense‑of‑place throughout the dining journey at Puna and Paruro. ,

 

People Leadership, Training & Culture

·  Recruit, onboard, and develop Ladies & Gentlemen who align with the culinary craftsmanship, discipline, and hospitality required for Puna’s modern Peruvian concept and Paruro’s Asian‑Peruvian Omakase. 
·  Build a pipeline of talent for Puna’s à la carte kitchen, including future station leads and a dedicated Paruro Omakase squad trained in precision tasting‑menu execution.
·  Participate in high‑profile recruiting, conducting interviews, bench tests, and tasting evaluations to verify candidates’ mastery of Peruvian techniques, Costa Rican product handling, and Asian precision needed for Paruro.
·  Maintain authority over staffing decisions within brand guidelines, ensuring alignment with Ritz‑Carlton Reserve values and bilingual (English/Spanish) communication expectations.
·  Deliver structured technical training, including: Peruvian sauces and bases, seafood butchery, Japanese knife skills, rice and tempura science, and HACCP protocols.
·  Provide soft‑skills training for elevated guest engagement, including counter‑side interaction, storytelling, cultural sensitivity, and Reserve‑level hospitality.
·  Offer bilingual (English/Spanish) training materials, station guides, and pre‑shift briefs to support team clarity and inclusiveness.
·  Set monthly labor forecasts and weekly schedules aligned with business volume, menu complexity, and Paruro’s single nightly seating. 
·  Adjust staffing proactively based on demand shifts, seasonal trends, resort occupancy, and VIP programming.
·  Implement cross‑training to ensure operational resilience across both Puna’s à la carte service and Paruro’s tasting menu.
·  Conduct regular performance check‑ins, service debriefs, and coaching sessions supporting continuous improvement.
·  Lead formal performance evaluations and administer progressive discipline when required, ensuring fairness and adherence to brand standards.
·  Recognize excellence, celebrate developmental milestones, and reinforce behaviors that elevate teamwork, craftsmanship, and guest experience.
·  Foster a kitchen culture grounded in Nekajui’s Reserve ethos—authenticity, discretion, sense‑of‑place—and aligned with Puna’s creative identity under Chef Diego Muñoz. 
·  Encourage psychological safety, open communication, and mentorship to promote idea‑sharing, personal growth, and collaborative problem‑solving.
·  Support team well‑being by promoting safe work practices, sanitation discipline, ergonomics, and respectful professional conduct.

Food Safety, Compliance & Risk Management

·  Own kitchen compliance: HACCP plans, CCP monitoring, allergen protocols (sesame, shellfish, nuts, gluten, soy), sanitation logs, and temperature controls (receiving, storage, holding, service).
·  Enforce strict FIFO stock rotation, labeling, and shelf‑life management; conduct monthly deep‑dive audits for dry, cold, and frozen storage.
·  Coordinate with Engineering for hood, fire suppression, and equipment PM; maintain safe knife and equipment practices, PPE usage, and incident reporting.

Sourcing, Sustainability & Supplier Partnerships

·  Build partnerships with local fishers, small farms, and artisan producers to emphasize Costa Rican freshness and biodiversity in line with the resort’s culinary narrative; document traceability and ethical standards.
·  Implement seasonal purchasing calendars; negotiate specs and quality thresholds (e.g., line‑caught species, grade standards on beef, cacao and coffee origins).
·  Reduce waste via nose‑to‑tail and root‑to‑leaf practices; track organic waste diversion and by‑product creativity (stocks, ferments, garums, lacto‑pickles).

Financial Stewardship (P&L Ownership)

·  Own the full Profit & Loss performance for Puna and Paruro, ensuring financial decisions support culinary excellence, operational efficiency, and the positioning of both venues as flagship experiences within Nekajui.
·  Drive revenue by leveraging Puna’s status as the resort’s signature modern Peruvian dining destination, and Paruro’s exclusivity as a six‑seat Asian‑Peruvian Omakase experience with one nightly seating.
·  Identify top‑line opportunities informed by culinary trends, guest preferences, and demand for immersive tasting formats, using menu engineering and pricing strategies to enhance contribution margins.
·  Partner with the Restaurant General Manager to maximize revenue per cover, optimize seating strategies (including Paruro’s limited‑capacity model), and support promotional or media‑driven activations that elevate Puna as a destination restaurant. 
·  Maintain targeted food cost percentages through precise recipe costing, yield tests, competitive sourcing, and waste‑reduction initiatives, including creative use of by‑products.
·  Produce accurate labor forecasts and staffing models aligned with business volume, menu complexity, and Paruro’s tasting‑menu cadence, ensuring financial efficiency without compromising the guest experience.
·  Monitor daily, weekly, and monthly financial performance (flash reports, variance analyses) and implement corrective action plans to address deviations in cost, productivity, or revenue projections.
·  Collaborate with Purchasing and local suppliers to secure high‑quality ingredients aligned with Puna’s Peruvian‑Costa Rican identity and Paruro’s Omakase requirements, maintaining consistency while managing cost impacts. 
·  Participate actively in the sales process by supporting content opportunities, culinary storytelling, and media visibility that drive demand and reinforce Puna’s and Paruro’s positioning as essential culinary experiences at Nekajui. 
·  Ensure CapEx and smallwares investments (e.g., Japanese knives, specialty plating vessels for Omakase, ceviche tools, binchotan charcoal) align with long‑term financial planning and operational needs.
·  Uphold accountability for achieving or exceeding financial targets while preserving the integrity, creativity, and hospitality standards that define the Reserve ethos and the culinary vision established for Puna.

Collaboration with Executive Chef, Restaurant Manager, Marketing & PR

·  Partner with the Executive Chef, Restaurant Manager and Resort Marketing to position Puna as a destination restaurant and Paruro as a coveted chef’s counter experience; participate in content creation, media moments, and select off‑property activations. ,
·  Prepare for editorial opportunities (menu previews, seasonal reveals) ensuring accuracy with the concept’s Peruvian‑meets‑Costa‑Rica narrative.
·  Support social storytelling that celebrates local sourcing and signature techniques without compromising operational flow.

Standards, SOPs & Continuous Improvement

·  Write and maintain SOPs for every station (Puna) and every course (Paruro), including plating guides, gram weights, cook temps, finishing cues, and service timing matrices.
·  Conduct pre‑service line checks, mock services for new menus, and post‑service debriefs; log learnings and version control recipes.
·  Benchmark against best‑in‑class modern Peruvian and chef‑counter experiences; run quarterly innovation sprints and supplier showcases.

Inventory, Controls & Smallwares

·  Oversee weekly counts, par levels, and purchasing; maintain a calibrated scale and thermometer program.
·  Specify and care for specialty smallwares (sujihiki/yanagiba, binchotan/charcoal management, ceviche bowls, cold plating stones); ensure availability for Paruro’s sequencing.
·  Track breakage and propose replacements with cost‑benefit analysis.

Technology & Systems

·  Utilize POS and reservations data to inform prep, staffing, and pacing (especially for Paruro’s single seating).
·  Maintain a digital recipe library with allergen tags and bilingual terminology; standardize batch sheets and production logs for auditability.

Cross‑Property & Programming

·  Collaborate with resort culinary leadership on Dining Beyond moments and property‑wide signature events that extend Puna/Paruro’s identity.
·  Contribute to culinary programming for media stays, VIP itineraries, and owner/resident activations across Peninsula Papagayo.

Additional Responsibilities

·  Provides information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
·  Analyzes information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
·  Attends and participates in all pertinent meetings.

 

At Marriott International, we are dedicated to being an equal opportunity employer, welcoming all and providing access to opportunity. We actively foster an environment where the unique backgrounds of our associates are valued and celebrated. Our greatest strength lies in the rich blend of culture, talent, and experiences of our associates. We are committed to non-discrimination on any protected basis, including disability, veteran status, or other basis protected by applicable law.

At more than 100 award-winning properties worldwide, The Ritz-Carlton Ladies and Gentlemen create experiences so exceptional that long after a guest stays with us, the experience stays with them. Attracting the world’s top hospitality professionals who curate lifelong memories, we believe that everyone succeeds when they are empowered to be creative, thoughtful and compassionate.

Every day, we set the standard for rare and special luxury service the world over and pride ourselves on delivering excellence in the care and comfort of our guests.

Your role will be to ensure that the “Gold Standards” of The Ritz-Carlton are delivered graciously and thoughtfully every day. The Gold Standards are the foundation of The Ritz-Carlton and are what guides us each day to be better than the next. It is this foundation and our belief that our culture drives success by which The Ritz Carlton has earned the reputation as a global brand leader in luxury hospitality. As part of our team, you will learn and exemplify the Gold Standards, such as our Employee Promise, Credo and our Service Values. And our promise to you is that we offer the chance to be proud of the work you do and who you work with.

In joining The Ritz-Carlton, you join a portfolio of brands with Marriott International. Be where you can do your best work, begin your purpose, belong to an amazing global team, and become the best version of you.