River Rock Staff Dining Kitchen Manager
Three Forks Ranch | Full-Time, Year-Round, Salaried
Location: Three Forks Ranch, approximately 40 miles north of Steamboat Springs, Colorado
Reports to: Director of Food & Beverage; works closely with Lodge leadership and other department managers
Compensation: Competitive salary based on experience starting at $50K
Why Join Three Forks Ranch
This is a rare opportunity for an experienced culinary leader who wants meaningful responsibility, year-round stability, and a lifestyle rooted in Colorado's outdoors. River Rock is the employee dining facility at Three Forks Ranch, a luxury destination located on a remote ranch along the Colorado-Wyoming border. The Kitchen Manager plays an important role in the daily employee experience by ensuring the team receives fresh, varied, well-prepared meals in a welcoming and well-run dining environment.
The position combines hands-on cooking with kitchen leadership. The right candidate will enjoy being on the line, leading a small team, managing the operation with confidence, and creating an employee dining program people genuinely look forward to.
A Benefits Package Designed to Make Ranch Living Work
- Employee housing included
- Electricity, propane, cable, and snow removal included
- Breakfast, lunch, and dinner provided daily
- Medical, dental, and vision benefits available after 60 days of employment
- 401(k) eligibility and paid vacation after one year of employment
- Access to the 24-hour staff gym
- Employee discounts on spa services, wellness offerings, outdoor activities, and gift shop purchases
Position Overview
The River Rock Staff Dining Kitchen Manager is responsible for the day-to-day operation of the employee dining kitchen, including meal execution, menu planning, inventory, food cost, scheduling, training, sanitation, and team leadership. This is an active working-manager role. The Kitchen Manager will be scheduled for cooking shifts and is expected to lead from the floor while maintaining consistency across breakfast, lunch, and dinner service.
Success in this role means providing a consistently fresh, balanced, and varied dining experience; building a positive and accountable kitchen culture; and managing food, labor, cleanliness, and equipment with care.
Key Responsibilities
- Work with the Dir. of F&B to develop and maintain healthy, varied rotating menus and standardized recipes that reflect employee needs and Three Forks Ranch expectations.
- Cook regularly and oversee the preparation and service of breakfast, lunch, and dinner, ensuring every meal is fresh, consistent, appealing, and served on time.
- Lead, schedule, train, coach, and supervise the River Rock culinary team and dishwashing staff.
- Set clear expectations, provide timely feedback, recognize strong performance, and address performance or employee concerns professionally and fairly.
- Order food and supplies, maintain appropriate inventory levels, organize storage areas, and ensure product quality and availability based on employee counts.
- Manage food cost and operating expenses within established budgets while maintaining quality, portion control, and menu variety.
- Control waste through thoughtful ordering, proper storage, accurate production planning, and adherence to standardized recipes.
- Maintain high standards for food safety, sanitation, personal appearance, kitchen cleanliness, equipment use, and preventative care.
- Create, maintain, and enforce daily and weekly cleaning lists, operating procedures, and kitchen standards.
- Communicate regularly with culinary and lodge leadership regarding staffing, menus, budgets, maintenance needs, employee feedback, and operational priorities.
- Submit and follow up on maintenance requests for the kitchen, dining room, storage spaces, and equipment.
- Support recruiting by reviewing candidates, participating in interviews, and helping select team members who will thrive in a hands-on, collaborative environment.
- Serve as the Manager on Duty for River Rock when scheduled and assist with other reasonable operational needs as required.
What We Are Looking For
- At least five years of professional culinary experience in a high-quality restaurant, resort, hotel, club, institutional dining, or comparable high-volume food service environment.
- At least two years of kitchen leadership or supervisory experience, including scheduling, training, performance management, and day-to-day team direction.
- Strong hands-on cooking skills and the ability to independently execute and teach recipes across breakfast, lunch, and dinner service.
- Experience with menu implementation, ordering, inventory management, food cost, portion control, waste reduction, and budget accountability.
- Working knowledge of food safety, sanitation standards, workplace safety, and the safe operation and cleaning of commercial kitchen equipment.
- A fair, steady, and approachable leadership style with the ability to hold standards while building trust and morale.
- Excellent organization, communication, problem-solving, and time-management skills.
- Comfort working quickly, changing priorities when needed, and remaining professional in a busy kitchen environment.
- A self-motivated, collaborative mindset and willingness to support culinary, front-of-house, and management teams.
- Basic computer and administrative skills for scheduling, ordering, recordkeeping, and communication.
- A valid driver's license, reliable personal vehicle, and the ability to live and work in a remote mountain setting.
Work Environment and Physical Requirements
This is a physically active culinary leadership position. The employee must be able to stand and move throughout a shift; bend, reach, and use step ladders; lift and carry up to 50 pounds; receive and put away deliveries; and work safely in hot kitchen and cold storage environments. The schedule varies by season and business needs and may include early mornings, evenings, weekends, holidays, and extended hours. Average management hours are generally 40-55 hours per week.
The Right Fit for Ranch Life
Three Forks Ranch is approximately 40 miles from Steamboat Springs. This position is best suited to someone who values nature, space, and community; is comfortable living in a secluded location; and understands that flexibility and teamwork are essential in a remote resort environment. Candidates should review threeforksranch.com to learn more about the property and lifestyle.
