Head Chef job description template
A head chef leads the kitchen and owns the food: the menu, the recipes, the standard for every plate and the team that cooks them. In an independent restaurant, the head chef usually also orders, costs dishes and works the pass on busy nights. A strong post explains your concept, how much creative control the chef has and who handles hiring, scheduling and the budget.
Head Chef
Full-timeYour Company is looking for a head chef to lead our kitchen and shape our menu. You'll write and cost dishes, set the standard for every plate, and hire, train and lead our cooks. You'll work closely with ownership on menu pricing, food cost and labor, and you'll be on the line or at the pass during service. We want an experienced cook who leads by example, stays calm under pressure and cares about both the food and the people making it.
What you’ll do
- Develop seasonal menus and specials that fit our concept, our equipment and our price points
- Write standardized recipes, plating guides and prep sheets for every dish, and keep them current
- Cost each menu item and work with ownership to price dishes and hit food cost targets
- Choose vendors, negotiate pricing and build relationships with local farms and suppliers
- Hire, train and schedule the kitchen team, and give regular feedback and reviews
- Expedite or work the line during service, checking every plate before it leaves the pass
- Hold the kitchen to health code, allergen and sanitation standards and lead it through inspections
- Review weekly food and labor numbers with ownership and adjust ordering, prep and staffing
What we’re looking for
- Several years of restaurant cooking, including at least two in a sous chef or chef role
- A track record of developing dishes and running a menu that sells
- Hands-on experience with recipe costing, inventory and ordering
- A food protection manager certification such as ServSafe Manager, or able to earn one soon after hire
- A calm, fair leader who can give direct feedback and keep cooks for the long run
- Available for evenings, weekends and holidays
Nice to have
- Culinary school training or a formal kitchen apprenticeship
- Experience opening a restaurant or relaunching a menu
- Catering or private event menu experience
- Experience with costing and inventory software such as MarginEdge or meez
Schedule
Full-time, usually five days a week, mixing daytime ordering, admin and prep with dinner service, including weekends and holidays. Days off are planned with the sous chef so the kitchen is always led.
What we offer
- Creative control over the menu within our concept
- Bonus tied to food cost and kitchen goals
- Paid vacation and sick time
- Health insurance
- Dining credit at the restaurant for you and a guest
Add your pay, location and schedule when you post. Jobs that show pay get noticeably more applicants.
Head Chef our company is looking for a head chef to lead our kitchen and shape our menu. You'll write and cost dishes, set the standard for every plate, and hire, train and lead our cooks. You'll work closely with ownership on menu pricing, food cost and labor, and you'll be on the line or at the pass during service. We want an experienced cook who leads by example, stays calm under pressure and cares about both the food and the people making it. What you’ll do • Develop seasonal menus and specials that fit our concept, our equipment and our price points • Write standardized recipes, plating guides and prep sheets for every dish, and keep them current • Cost each menu item and work with ownership to price dishes and hit food cost targets • Choose vendors, negotiate pricing and build relationships with local farms and suppliers • Hire, train and schedule the kitchen team, and give regular feedback and reviews • Expedite or work the line during service, checking every plate before it leaves the pass • Hold the kitchen to health code, allergen and sanitation standards and lead it through inspections • Review weekly food and labor numbers with ownership and adjust ordering, prep and staffing What we’re looking for • Several years of restaurant cooking, including at least two in a sous chef or chef role • A track record of developing dishes and running a menu that sells • Hands-on experience with recipe costing, inventory and ordering • A food protection manager certification such as ServSafe Manager, or able to earn one soon after hire • A calm, fair leader who can give direct feedback and keep cooks for the long run • Available for evenings, weekends and holidays Nice to have • Culinary school training or a formal kitchen apprenticeship • Experience opening a restaurant or relaunching a menu • Catering or private event menu experience • Experience with costing and inventory software such as MarginEdge or meez Schedule Full-time, usually five days a week, mixing daytime ordering, admin and prep with dinner service, including weekends and holidays. Days off are planned with the sous chef so the kitchen is always led. What we offer • Creative control over the menu within our concept • Bonus tied to food cost and kitchen goals • Paid vacation and sick time • Health insurance • Dining credit at the restaurant for you and a guest
Screening questions for a head chef
Ask these on the application form to sort applicants quickly. They’re added automatically when you post this template.
- Have you worked as a head chef, chef de cuisine or sous chef?Yes / No · required
- Which restaurants have you cooked in, and what was your role at each?Short answer · required
- Describe a dish or menu you created and how you decided what to charge for it.Paragraph
Head Chef interview questions
- How would you describe your cooking, and how would it fit our concept and our guests?
- Walk me through how you'd build and cost a new seasonal menu.
- Food cost came in well over target this month. Where do you look first?
- How do you train a new cook so their plates match yours?
- Tell me about a time you had to turn around a struggling cook or let one go.
- A dish is popular with guests but loses money. What do you do with it?
- What does a good working relationship between the chef and the owner look like to you?
- How do you keep yourself and your team from burning out in a busy season?
Tips for hiring a head chef
- Ask finalists to cook a paid tasting of two or three dishes with ingredients you supply, then talk through cost, prep and how each dish would hold up on a busy night.
- Be explicit about creative control. Some chefs want to write the menu, others are happy to run yours well, and mismatched expectations end badly.
- Ask references how long cooks stayed in the kitchens the candidate ran. Low turnover says more than any tasting.
- Spell out the business side in the post, such as food cost targets, scheduling and hiring, so candidates know it's a leadership role and not just a cooking job.