Job Overview
Foolproof Brewing Company is seeking an energetic and hands-on Head Chef to lead our kitchen and shape the food program at our Bridgeport taproom. This is a from-the-ground-up opportunity: you'll be building out a focused, craveable menu centered on wings, burgers, and a signature chicken sandwich, designed around smart cross-utilization of sauces and ingredients to keep the SKU count lean and consistency high across every section of the kitchen.
Beyond the core brewhouse menu, you'll support a growing calendar of third-party ticketed events (flea markets, maker markets, collector and hobby gatherings) where Foolproof owns all food and beverage service, as well as catering and event support for Noir, our event venue. This role blends the discipline of a tight, efficient kitchen operation with the flexibility to scale up for high-volume event days. The ideal candidate is a motivated leader who thrives in a fast-paced, craft-beer-and-pub-food environment, cares about food safety and cost control, and wants a real hand in building something from the ground floor.
Responsibilities
- Lead and supervise the kitchen team, building a positive, collaborative culture focused on consistency, speed, and quality
- Own menu development for the core brewhouse concept (wings, burgers, chicken sandwich, and supporting items), prioritizing cross-utilization of sauces, proteins, and ingredients to minimize SKU count and simplify execution
- Manage inventory control, purchasing, and food safety and sanitation procedures to reduce waste and stay compliant with CT health regulations
- Scale kitchen output up for third-party ticketed events at the brewery and provide catering and food support for events at Noir, coordinating closely with the events team on volume, timing, and menu fit
- Implement cost control measures through recipe costing, portion control, and waste tracking, with an eye toward margin on both everyday service and high-volume event days
- Manage staff scheduling, training, and performance for the kitchen team, and build systems that keep quality consistent whether it's a slow Tuesday or a packed event Saturday
- Enforce food safety standards across all kitchen operations, including proper handling, sanitation, and regulatory compliance
Requirements
- Proven experience running a kitchen in a brewery, gastropub, casual-elevated, or high-volume restaurant setting (fine dining experience is not required; this is a focused, craft-driven pub food program, not a tasting-menu operation)
- Experience supervising a culinary team in a fast-paced environment, including experience scaling service up for events or high-volume periods
- Track record of building or refining a tight, efficient menu, ideally with an emphasis on ingredient cross-utilization and simplified back-of-house operations
- Working knowledge of food safety and sanitation procedures, inventory management, and cost control techniques (recipe costing, portioning, waste reduction)
- Strong leadership skills with the ability to motivate a small team and maintain standards under pressure, whether during regular service or large-scale events
- Comfort working within a multi-revenue-stream hospitality operation, coordinating with events, catering, and third-party partners as needed
- Excellent organizational skills and the ability to juggle daily kitchen operations alongside event-driven spikes in volume
Join us as Head Chef and help build a food program from the ground up, one that's core to a brewery in growth mode, with real input into the menu, the systems, and the culture of the kitchen.
Pay: $24.00 - $28.00 per hour
Work Location: In person
