Visit www.smithforkranch.com for job application from employment page on website.
Send application, resume and photo to:
SMITH FORK RANCH
45362 Needle Rock Road Crawford, CO 81415
Attn. General Manager
Or
E-mail: marley@smithforkranch.com
POSITION: HEAD OF DINING, BAR & EVENTS
Smith Fork Ranch, located in the Colorado Rocky Mountains mid-way between Aspen
and Telluride, specializes in fine dining, guest comfort and excellent service, with fly
fishing, riding and other outdoor activities available in a stunningly beautiful mountain
setting. Smith Fork Ranch prides itself on having an extensive wine cellar, farm-to-table
cuisine and luxurious guest accommodations in the rustic style. With a capacity of 26
guests, SFR employs energetic, hardworking, flexible, and team oriented staff members
who understand the main goal is to give guests a wonderful and memorable vacation
experience. SFR staff are team players that are extremely versatile and open to learning.
Every SFR staff member is expected to help out in other areas of the ranch when needed.
JOB DESCRIPTION:
The Head of Dining (who is also the lead dinner server) has the potential to make a large
impact on the guest experience at SFR. Front of the house service is a vital area of the
operation and requires a high degree of guest interaction and superior people skills.
The person who fills this role must be outgoing, motivated, organized and able to train
and lead others. Additionally, this person must have a good working knowledge of
hospitality/wait service in a fine dining setting that includes a strong knowledge in wine,
liquor and beer.
Our guests fully expect to be provided with 5-star service from the time they begin the
reservation/inquiry process until they leave the ranch at the end of their stay. SFR has
very high standards regarding its cuisine and overall guest experience. It has already
garnered acclaim in publications such as Food & Wine, Town & Country Travel, The
New York Times and Denver’s 5280 magazine, in addition to earning the Wine Spectator
Award for the last two years. The ranch caters to a high- end niche, a market that holds its
food & wine experience to extremely high standards and expects them to be meet.
On the other hand the spirit of SFR is friendly, informal and low key, as if the guests
were visiting a friend’s private ranch. Most of the time there are no more than 15 to 20
adult guests on the ranch.
SFR’s culinary team prepares gourmet meals each day, from special local ingredients
from Colorado’s North Fork Valley – Lamb, Beef, Game, Fish, and some of the countries
best locally grown organic fruits and vegetables. Much of the organic produce comes
from our own farmstead garden. A full ranch breakfast is served in the Cookhouse, and
for most lunches, a picnic basket filled with pre-selected lunch items is taken for a picnic
streamside, on a cabin porch or next to one of our many private ponds, or a plated lunch
on our pavilion. Dinner is a special event and is served on the pavilion of the old Elk
Lodge in full view of the Mountains, or in the late autumn, in the cozy Fireside dining
room. Other specialty meals during summer season include trail-side breakfast cooked
over a campfire during an early morning ride and a weekly dinner cookout at a site near
the river. The service and execution of each meal is of utmost importance to the overall
guest ranch vacation experience. So superior customer service skills, the ability to
communicate effectively, and keen attention to detail are vital to the success of Dining
Staff and our overall Culinary Experience.
RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDE:









Training and supervision of all servers and non-servers involved in wait service
and hospitality
Active participation in wait service
Key participation in planning, preparation, set-up and break-down
Hands-on involvement in management of all food, wine
and bar service related areas including:
Breakfast, lunch and dinner; cocktail hour, riverside bar-b-ques, picnic baskets
and other alcohol and food service events
Alcohol, beverage and dining supplies inventory control and ordering
Wine cellar management (in conjunction with ranch management)
Lodge and pavilion clean-up and upkeep
Active participation in all areas of dining service (see Dining staff job
description).
REQUIRMENTS:















Must be at least 21 years of age
Previous fine dining and bar tending experience
Must have 2+ years of management experience
Basic knowledge of wine and wine service
Knowledge of food and wine pairing a plus
Must be physically fit, able to move quickly and gracefully
Must present yourself according to SFR standards
Must have a genuine concern for the enjoyment of SFR guests
Maintain the highest level of safety while with guests, staff, and self
Must be physically fit, able to move quickly and gracefully
Musical talents a plus
Must be thorough and have attention to detail
Willing to work 6 days a week, including evenings, weekends and holidays
Available for employment from May 1 through August 31 (through November 1
preferable)
Have a can-do attitude (All management and staff are required to do a multitude
of tasks and should be ready and willing at a moments notice
Competitive salary based on ability and experience
Housing and meals provided on ranch during guest season