About Us
BOPOMOFO Café is a modern Taiwanese-American café with five locations across Southern California, known for its craft boba teas and thoughtfully made food. Our newest venture, BOPO GO!, is a boutique convenience store and boba shop at Downtown Disney, offering curated Asian snacks, chef-made reinterpretations of convenience classics, and freshly prepared hot foods. We’re seeking an Executive Chef to oversee commissary production, support and grow Bopomofo’s culinary program, and help build and execute the new BOPO GO! food program alongside our Executive Chef.
About You
The ideal candidate is a hands-on culinary mentor, decisive executive leader, and forward-thinking creative who can independently develop new dishes within BOPOMOFO’s culinary lineage while guiding the food program from immediate execution through long-term, five-year strategic growth.
The Executive Chef role centers around six core areas of ownership:
1. Culinary Vision & Brand Stewardship
Define and lead the culinary vision for BOPOMOFO Café and BOPO GO!, evolving the brand’s culinary lineage through original dishes while serving as the final decision-maker on flavor, quality, presentation, and menu direction.
2. BOPO GO! Opening & Development
Lead the culinary launch and continued development of BOPO GO! at Downtown Disney, including menu creation, staffing, training, production systems, quality standards, and long-term growth planning.
Guide the Sous Chef in translating culinary vision into scalable, consistent execution across all locations and the commissary.
3. Commissary & Multi-Unit Operations
Provide executive oversight of commissary and multi-unit production systems, working closely with the Executive Sous Chef to ensure efficient, safe, scalable, and consistent execution across all locations.
4. Menu Development & Innovation
Lead menu R&D and seasonal rollouts, driving new dish and product concepts from ideation through launch.
Approve final recipes, sourcing decisions, and pricing strategy, balancing creative ambition with profitability.
Champion an ongoing pipeline of innovation, keeping BOPOMOFO and BOPO GO! at the forefront of Asian American food culture.
5. Financial & Business Performance
Own the culinary P&L, including food cost targets, labor planning, and overall kitchen profitability across the brand.
Set budgets and profitability goals in partnership with ownership/leadership, and hold the team accountable to them. Examine operational data to guide both immediate and long-term decisions.
6. Team Leadership & Organizational Development
Recruit, lead, mentor, and develop the culinary leadership team while building clear accountability, strong training systems, succession planning, and an inclusive, high-performing kitchen culture.
The Executive Chef will be expected to operate across multiple planning horizons–monthly, annually, and beyond.
Qualifications
- Established experience as an Executive Chef, Corporate Executive Chef, Culinary Director, or comparable senior culinary leader in a high-volume, multi-unit, commissary, or multi-concept environment.
- Proven success opening new food concepts, developing original menus, and building scalable culinary systems within an established brand.
- Strong command of food cost, labor management, recipe costing, inventory, purchasing, budgeting, production planning, and financial reporting.
- Demonstrated ability to lead senior culinary teams, with knowledge of pan-Asian flavors and experience across both savory and pastry or bakery production.
Desired Attributes
- A forward-thinking culinary visionary who can understand BOPOMOFO’s existing culinary language and independently create new dishes that feel authentic to its lineage.
- A decisive executive leader who is comfortable making final decisions, taking ownership of results, and balancing creativity with operational and financial realities.
- A hands-on culinary mentor who develops people, builds strong teams, and can operate effectively across immediate, annual, and five-year priorities.
Requirements
- Ability to stand and walk for extended period (up to 8-10 hours)
- Ability to lift, carry, push, and pull up to 50lbs
- Ability to bend, kneel, crouch, climb ladders, and reach overhead
- Ability to work in hot, cold, and humid environments including commercial kitchens, walk-in coolers, and freezers
- Comfortable performing repetitive motions such as chopping, stirring, scooping, or operating equipment
- Available to work a flexible schedule, including mornings, evenings, weekends, holidays, and special events as business needs require
- Available to work overtime or extended shifts during peak business periods may be requested
Join us as an Executive Chef where your culinary talent will shine! Bring your passion for food, leadership skills, and innovative spirit to create memorable experiences that delight every guest. We are committed to supporting your growth as a culinary leader in a vibrant environment dedicated to excellence.
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BOPOMOFO is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive workplace for all employees. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable law.
Pay: $90,000.00 - $100,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- 401(k) matching
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Paid time off
- Retirement plan
- Vision insurance
License/Certification:
- Food Handler Certification (Required)
Work Location: In person
