An executive chef is the leader of a restaurant kitchen and manages kitchen staff, creates new menu items, and ensures all dishes are prepared properly and consistently. They must be innovative in menu planning and ingredient use. The executive chef needs to ensure the restaurant remains profitable by controlling food costs, budgeting, and monitoring kitchen staffing levels. They lead by example and need excellent communication and interpersonal skills to motivate their kitchen personnel to perform at a high level. This role requires 7-8 years of culinary experience and some employers prefer a professional education in culinary arts.