Job Overview
We are seeking an exceptional and highly experienced Chef de Cuisine to lead the day-to-day operations of our kitchen.
This is a key culinary leadership position for an experienced chef capable of taking full ownership of kitchen operations during service, maintaining exceptional standards for food quality and consistency, and leading a high-performing culinary team in a demanding, high-volume restaurant environment.
We are not simply looking for a talented cook or someone ready to take their first step into kitchen management. We are seeking a proven culinary leader with substantial experience in professional, full-service restaurant kitchens who understands the discipline, organization, and leadership required to execute consistently at a high level.
The Chef de Cuisine will work closely with the Executive Chef and restaurant leadership while assuming responsibility for the successful execution of daily kitchen operations.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead and oversee daily kitchen operations, including preparation, production, service execution, closing procedures, and overall kitchen organization.
- Take ownership of the kitchen during assigned shifts and ensure the culinary team executes service efficiently, professionally, and consistently.
- Maintain exceptional standards for food quality, flavor, consistency, presentation, and portioning.
- Lead the kitchen through high-volume services while maintaining composure, organization, communication, and attention to detail.
- Direct, supervise, train, and develop sous chefs, line cooks, prep cooks, and other culinary team members.
- Establish clear expectations for performance, professionalism, cleanliness, preparation, and execution.
- Coordinate daily prep and production requirements to ensure every station is fully prepared for service.
- Monitor ticket times, station performance, communication, and overall kitchen execution throughout service.
- Identify and resolve operational issues quickly without compromising food quality or the guest experience.
- Work closely with the Executive Chef on menu development, recipe execution, specials, culinary standards, and continuous improvement.
- Ensure recipes, plating specifications, portion standards, and preparation procedures are followed consistently.
- Manage food costs through effective purchasing, portion control, inventory management, product utilization, and waste reduction.
- Assist with inventory counts, ordering, receiving, storage, and vendor management.
- Monitor product quality and ensure ingredients meet established standards before entering production.
- Maintain rigorous standards for sanitation, food handling, temperature control, storage, labeling, cleanliness, and food safety.
- Ensure the kitchen remains compliant with all applicable health and safety regulations.
- Participate in hiring, onboarding, scheduling, training, performance management, and development of culinary employees.
- Build a kitchen culture centered around discipline, accountability, teamwork, professionalism, and culinary excellence.
- Work collaboratively with front-of-house leadership to ensure seamless communication and an exceptional overall guest experience.
Qualifications
- Significant professional culinary experience in upscale, high-volume, fine-dining, or elevated full-service restaurants.
- Previous experience as a Chef de Cuisine, Executive Sous Chef, Sous Chef, or comparable senior culinary leadership position strongly preferred.
- Proven ability to successfully lead a professional kitchen through demanding, high-volume services.
- Strong knowledge of culinary techniques, food preparation, production systems, plating, and kitchen organization.
- Demonstrated ability to maintain exceptional consistency and quality across a high volume of covers.
- Strong understanding of food costs, inventory management, ordering, portion control, waste management, and kitchen profitability.
- Comprehensive knowledge of food safety, sanitation, proper food handling, and commercial kitchen regulations.
- Proven ability to train, coach, supervise, and hold culinary teams accountable.
- Strong organizational and time-management skills with the ability to anticipate operational needs before they become problems.
- Excellent communication and leadership skills.
- Ability to remain composed and decisive in a demanding, fast-paced kitchen environment.
- A genuine passion for hospitality, culinary excellence, and developing strong kitchen teams.
The Candidate We Are Looking For
We are looking for a career culinary professional, not simply an experienced line cook.
The right candidate should be able to walk into a busy kitchen, understand the operation, earn the respect of the culinary team, establish standards, identify weaknesses, and confidently take command of service.
You should understand how to balance quality, consistency, speed, labor, food cost, cleanliness, and team performance without allowing one area to suffer at the expense of another.
This position requires someone who takes pride in the details and understands that running an excellent kitchen requires far more than producing excellent food. We want someone who can lead people, manage an operation, solve problems under pressure, and consistently uphold a high culinary standard.
If you have built your career in serious restaurant kitchens, have successfully led culinary teams, and are ready to take ownership of a high-volume operation, we want to hear from you.
Compensation
Starting at $34 per hour, with compensation based on experience and qualifications.
We are prepared to offer competitive compensation for candidates who bring significant upscale, high-volume culinary leadership experience.
Pay: From $34.00 per hour
Work Location: In person
