Executive Chef
Location: Chicago, IL
Position Type: Full-Time
About the Role
We are seeking a highly experienced Executive Chef to lead the culinary vision and strategic direction of a premium Nikkei restaurant brand.
This role will be responsible for overseeing kitchen leadership, driving culinary innovation, ensuring operational excellence, and maintaining the highest standards of quality, consistency, and profitability across the culinary department.
The Corporate Executive Chef will work closely with the Head Chef and Head Itamae , providing leadership, mentorship, and strategic guidance to elevate the brand’s gastronomic experience.
Key Responsibilities
• Lead, mentor, and evaluate the Head Chef and Head Itamae , ensuring operational excellence across all kitchen areas.
• Drive culinary innovation and R&D , developing new dishes, seasonal menus, and specials aligned with the brand’s Nikkei identity.
• Monitor and control food cost performance , implementing waste reduction strategies and profitability optimization.
• Establish and maintain recipe standardization , including costing, portioning, plating, and preparation techniques to guarantee consistency.
• Implement and audit food safety and hygiene standards , including HACCP and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP).
• Oversee the selection and management of key suppliers , ensuring access to premium ingredients such as high-quality seafood and specialty products.
• Lead culinary talent development , including recruitment, training, and succession planning for kitchen leadership roles.
• Supervise inventory control and culinary administrative processes , including documentation and performance reporting for senior leadership.
• Represent the brand as the culinary ambassador , collaborating with the Global Culinary Director and participating in industry events and media opportunities.
Qualifications
• Professional training in Gastronomy or Culinary Arts
• Specialization in gourmet cuisine and Japanese / Peruvian (Nikkei) cuisine
• Strong expertise in fish and seafood handling, ingredient seasonality, and premium sourcing
• Advanced knowledge of culinary techniques, food safety, and cost management
• Experience with recipe standardization and kitchen operational processes
• Minimum 5+ years of experience as Head Chef in:
• Proven experience leading senior culinary teams and kitchen leadership roles
• Advanced English proficiency
• Intermediate proficiency in Microsoft Office and Windows-based systems
Compensation & Benefits
• Competitive compensation package
• Paid Leave and Paid Sick Leave in accordance with Chicago regulations (up to 80 hours annually)
• Access to retirement savings program in compliance with Illinois Secure Choice requirements
• Opportunity to lead culinary innovation within a high-end Nikkei dining concept
• Career growth and leadership development within an international restaurant group
Join Our Team
This is a unique opportunity for a passionate culinary leader to shape the gastronomic direction of a growing premium brand while working with world-class ingredients and a highly talented kitchen team.
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