Head Chef, Fast-Casual Street Food & Catering
Overview
Own the culinary vision for Heart n Belly, a fast-growing Seattle food business spanning food trucks, catering, and production kitchens, as we double our presence and enter new markets. Lead a team of kitchen staff and collaborate directly with the Executive Chef and Operations Manager to craft bold, crave-worthy menus that serve thousands of customers weekly. Drive menu innovation, standardize recipes, and enforce quality and safety standards across all locations. This role blends hands-on cooking with strategic leadership, offering creative freedom to shape the future of a mission-driven company.
What You'll Do9
- 1Develop and execute bold, crave-worthy menus aligned with HeartnBelly's mission, incorporating customer feedback and food trends to keep the offerings fresh.
- 2Lead menu R&D, testing new dishes and refining existing ones to ensure they wow customers while maintaining cost efficiency.
- 3Standardize recipes to ensure consistent flavor and presentation across all food trucks, catering events, and production kitchen batches.
- 4Oversee daily kitchen workflows, optimizing food preparation processes to reduce waste and speed up service without sacrificing quality.
- 5Conduct regular quality audits, addressing any discrepancies in taste, portion, or presentation immediately to uphold brand standards.
- 6Maintain strict food safety and hygiene standards, ensuring compliance with local health codes and company policies.
- 7Collaborate with the Operations Manager to refine service flow and tackle operational bottlenecks, improving throughput during peak hours.
- 8Mentor and train kitchen staff, building a culture of collaboration and respect, and implement performance improvement plans to help team members grow.
- 9Work with Kitchen Leads to create balanced schedules that ensure team well-being and adequate coverage across all shifts.
Requirements9
- 18+ years in professional kitchens, including 3+ years in a leadership role such as Sous Chef or Kitchen Manager.
- 2Hands-on experience in high-volume kitchens, production kitchens, or large-scale catering environments, managing multiple stations simultaneously.
- 3Deep culinary knowledge with proficiency in diverse cooking techniques, from grilling and sautéing to baking and sous vide.
- 4Familiarity with a wide range of kitchen equipment, including combi ovens, mixers, fryers, and food processors, and ability to troubleshoot basic issues.
- 5Strong understanding of food costing, inventory control, and process optimization, with a track record of managing food costs to meet targets.
- 6Proven ability to train, mentor, and inspire teams of 5-15 kitchen staff, fostering a collaborative and respectful work environment.
- 7Excellent communication skills to coordinate with front-of-house, operations, and ownership, ensuring seamless service.
- 8Passion for street food and comfort cuisine, with a creative edge for innovation.
- 9Ability to work flexible hours, including evenings, weekends, and holidays, to cover all shifts and events.
Salary Insight
$80 - $110k per year
Location
Required Skills
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