Senior Chef Hamilton

Blue Shock Recruitment Solutions; Hamilton; On-site; CAD 80,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Blue Shock Recruitment Solutions' client in Hamilton is seeking a Senior Chef to lead a premium casual dining kitchen. You will set culinary standards, manage food quality, and build a high-performing team, balancing hands-on execution with regional support and leadership development.

The role offers an opportunity to mentor future leaders, drive profitability, and partner with regional directors on menu, training, and tests that elevate guest experience.

Responsibilities

• Lead culinary standards, food quality, and consistency in the home store.
• Build, mentor, and develop a strong leadership bench with clear depth and succession planning.
• Serve as the culinary standard for training, systems, and operational execution.
• Support regional initiatives, including tests, rollouts, and training programs.
• Partner with the Regional Director and home-store leadership to align on performance, priorities, and development.
• Ensure strong financial stewardship: food cost, labour control, and profitability.
• Drive accountability through clear communication, follow-up, and ownership of commitments.

Job description

Our Client is looking for a highly trained Chef to lead a premium casual dining kitchen in Hamilton.

Our Client:

With over 80 locations operational and more in development, it's clear that this group is growing. The success of this Restaurant Group is a result of the collective efforts of franchisees, hostesses, servers, kitchen staff, and management teams. They strive to uphold the values of service and quality in order to provide a positive guest experience. The corporate office is staffed with experienced professionals who contribute their expertise in operations, design, marketing, and development. Together, they have over 200 years of combined restaurant expertise, driving the sustainable growth and vitality of every brand.

Our people are the heart and soul of our business, and we are on the hunt for talented, driven, and caring individuals to become a part of our Leadership Team. With the opportunity to help lead the culinary operations in the restaurant, including developing leaders and team members, learning to maintain a positive and upbeat atmosphere, and managing profitability; we are here to train, mentor and develop you, while supporting your life goals.

Our restaurants are industry leaders in team development and offer unique opportunities for personal growth, regardless of where you are in your career. You will be sure to make meaningful, career-enhancing connections and lifelong friends along the way.

Role Overview

Salary: $80,000 - $90,000

Bonus: 1st year Chef bonus - $21,000/year

We are looking for a Senior Chef to take over their own kitchen in Hamilton! This candidate is responsible for setting the standard for culinary excellence within their region while building a deep, high-performing team with clear succession planning. This role is a critical stepping stone into multi-unit leadership, blending strong in-restaurant execution with regional support, project ownership, and leadership development. A successful Senior Chef balances operational mastery with strategic growth, becoming a trusted leader in training, testing, and culinary innovation.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead culinary standards, food quality, and consistency in the home store.
• Build, mentor, and develop a strong leadership bench with clear depth and succession planning.
• Serve as the culinary standard for training, systems, and operational execution.
• Support regional initiatives, including tests, rollouts, and training programs.
• Partner with the Regional Director and home-store leadership (Operating Partner or GM) to align on performance, priorities, and development.
• Ensure strong financial stewardship: food cost, labour control, and profitability.
• Drive accountability through clear communication, follow-up, and ownership of commitments.

Success Profile - What Great Looks Like:

Leadership & Influence

• Recognized as a role model for culinary leadership, professionalism, and accountability.
• Trusted partner to the Regional Chef, GM, and leadership teams.
• Builds confidence and capability in chefs and kitchen leaders.

Operational & Culinary Excellence

• Consistently delivers gold-standard execution of menu, systems, and food safety.
• Sets the benchmark for recipe adherence, training quality, and food finesse.
• Leads by example in audits, store visits, and operational follow-through.

Financial & Business Impact

• Demonstrates strong financial acumen in food cost, labour, and controllables.
• Coaches' teams on business ownership and performance accountability.
• Supports sales growth through elevated execution and guest-focused leadership.

People & Culture Development

• Builds a deep talent pipeline with clear development paths and succession plans.
• Creates a culture of pride, ownership, and continuous improvement.
• Champions learning, coaching, and feedback at all levels of the kitchen team.
• Develops future leaders prepared for future Chef roles.

Ideal Candidate Profile

• Proven success as a Chef or senior culinary leader in a premium casual or comparable setting.
• Demonstrated ability to build and sustain high-performing teams.
• Strong training and development background, including systems and standards execution.
• Experience supporting or leading culinary tests, projects, or rollouts.
• Solid financial understanding: food cost, labour, waste, and P&L fundamentals.
• Comfortable operating as both a hands-on leader and a strategic partner.
• Skilled in coaching, mentorship, and accountability systems.
• Passion for hospitality, culinary innovation, and operational excellence.

Impact of Success

• A consistently high-performing home store that sets the culinary standard.
• A strong leadership bench with clear succession readiness.
• Improved food quality, team capability, and financial performance.
• A recognized pipeline leader prepared for future multi-unit responsibility.