Executive Chef - Upscale Restaurant

Executive Chef – Upscale Restaurant

$120,000 - $140,000 + Bonus

Join this exciting new restaurant as the Executive Chef, with the opportunity to shape the culinary vision, build the team, and help create a lasting San Francisco dining destination. This role offers competitive compensation, strong growth potential, and a dynamic, hospitality-driven environment.

Company:

• Led by experienced San Francisco hospitality team with deep roots in acclaimed Bay Area restaurants
• Backed by a community-oriented ownership group focused on creating a chef-driven, approachable downtown dining destination

Benefits:

• Medical insurance paid 100%
• Dental and Vision insurance
• CalSavers retirement program
• 2 weeks PTO, 3 weeks PTO after 2 years
• Staff meals
• Dining discounts
• Bonus eligible
• Cell phone stipend

Your Role with the Company:

• Lead the culinary vision, menu development, and day-to-day kitchen operations for a high-volume, chef-driven restaurant
• Build, structure, recruit, train, and mentor a talented culinary team, including direct oversight of sous chefs and collaboration with the pastry lead
• Create seasonal, craveable dishes rooted in strong technique, excellent ingredients, and a balance of creativity, comfort, and consistency
• Establish kitchen systems, standards, and opening procedures that support quality, efficiency, cleanliness, communication, and strong service execution
• Oversee both à la carte service and significant private dining/event volume while maintaining consistency, organization, and operational discipline
• Partner closely with ownership, management, and front-of-house leadership to shape the restaurant’s culture, hospitality standards, and long-term success
• Foster a positive, professional, collaborative kitchen environment that attracts, develops, and retains strong culinary talent

Qualifications:

• 5+ years of experience as an Executive Chef in a $6M+ upscale or fine dining restaurant
• Creative, grounded culinary leader who brings strong technique, thoughtful menu development, and consistent execution
• Comfortable leading a high-volume kitchen with both à la carte service and significant private dining/event business
• Positive, professional, and collaborative leadership style with a passion for hospitality and team culture
• Ability to create craveable, approachable dishes that guests want to return for regularly
• Proven ability to recruit, mentor, motivate, and retain talented cooks and kitchen leaders

EOE – EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER