Chef de Cuisine

Big Grove Brewery; Cedar Rapids (IA); On-site; USD 65,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

Big Grove Brewery in Cedar Rapids, IA, is seeking a Chef de Cuisine to lead the culinary team in a vibrant brewery taproom. You will craft menus that celebrate local ingredients and pair beautifully with our award-winning beers, while driving customer satisfaction and kitchen excellence.

You will manage menu development, cost controls, and staff development in a dynamic, collaborative kitchen environment, ensuring safety, quality, and consistent delivery across all service periods.

Qualifications

• 5+ years in a culinary leadership role, preferably as Sous Chef or Chef de Cuisine.
• Ability to design and update menus that pair well with craft beers.
• Experience managing high-volume kitchen operations in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong team building, mentoring, and performance management skills.
• Solid knowledge of food costs, inventory, and budget management.
• Formal culinary training or commensurate professional experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead the culinary team to craft exceptional food experiences that complement Big Grove Brewery's beers.
• Plan and develop menus with focus on local ingredients and seasonal offerings.
• Determine pricing and menu costs with input from culinary leadership, balancing flavor and profitability.
• Oversee inventory, reduce waste, and maintain accurate records.
• Partner with leaders to meet labor and financial goals for the Back of House.
• Ensure food safety and sanitation compliance across all kitchen operations.
• Develop and mentor BOH staff, conduct training, and drive continuous improvement.
• Schedule BOH staffing to align with labor cost targets and service demands.
• Maintain kitchen organization, safety, and equipment maintenance.

Skills

Leadership

Menu development

Beer & food pairing

High-volume kitchen

Cost control

Education

Culinary leadership experience

Job description

Chef de Cuisine-Cedar Rapids

Big Grove Brewery Cedar Rapids, Iowa, United States

About this position

Summary/Objective To lead the culinary team at our vibrant brewery taproom, crafting exceptional food experiences that complement our award-winning craft beers. The Chef de Cuisine will innovate menus that celebrate local ingredients, drive customer satisfaction, and elevate our taproom as a destination for outstanding beer and food pairings. This role combines culinary excellence, operational leadership, and a passion for fostering a dynamic and collaborative kitchen environment.

Core Values

Big Grove only hires and retains people who exhibit our core values. Our Core Values are:

• Set the Tone


• Thirst for Improvement


• We Care


• Passion Driven

You will be given a culture deck explaining these core values. The goal of our culture deck is to show you who we are as a company, and then you can decide if you personally align with us and are excited to begin a career here.

Job Responsibilities

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Create raving fans of Big Grove through culinary experience through demand, creativity and quality


• Menu planning and development. Keep up on culinary trends and continually innovate and improve the menu offerings.


• Menu Costing and Pricing: Work with the Culinary Director, Executive Chef, and Store Director to determine menu prices by considering factors such as ingredient costs, labor expenses, and desired profit margins. Analyze menu performance and make adjustments as necessary.


• Inventory controls: Order appropriate inventory levels, monitor costs of products, reduce waste, keep accurate inventory records.


• Work as a leadership team to hit location goals and metrics; accountable for the financial performance of the Back of House.


• Food Safety and Sanitation: enforce strict adherence to food safety regulations and sanitation standards. Ensure proper storage, handling, and cooking of food, as well as cleanliness and maintenance of kitchen equipment and facilities.


• LMA. Create an environment for growth for yourself and those around you; responsible for developing the Back of House leadership team.


• Staff Training and Development: Provide guidance on cooking techniques, food preparation, and presentation. Conduct training and promote a culture of continuous learning and improvement.


• Accountable for Back of House scheduling that achieves labor cost goals


• On a daily basis- Ensure pre and post shift tasks are being completed by all to open and close restaurant in tip top condition


• Effectively manage the BOH team for the entirety of the employee cycle. Use performance tools tied to values with staff: Quarterly Conversations, Culture Builders, Annual Pay Reviews, PIPs, Write Ups, etc .


• Team focused approach


• Safety minded


• Advanced culinary skills


• High competency in kitchen math


• Detailed, Organized and Thorough


• Be a high performing Big Grove team member with ability to look at business as a whole, communicate with all people, collaborate with all departments, work to solve organizational problems, and accomplish goals. Contribute to and exemplify Big Grove values, vision, standards, and culture.

Supervisory Responsibility

Yes. Supervises all Back of The House staff. Works closely with Front of the House Leadership to ensure Big Grove is operative the best way possible.

This position operates in a hospitality/ brewery environment. This role routinely uses cleaning supplies, point of sale terminal systems and potentially dangerous equipment.

Physical Demands

• Prolonged Standing and Movement: Ability to stand and move around the kitchen for extended periods, often exceeding 8 hours per shift.


• Lifting and Carrying: Frequently lift, move, or carry heavy objects such as pots, pans, food supplies, and kitchen equipment, typically weighing up to 50 pounds.


• Manual Dexterity: Skilled use of hands for cutting, chopping, plating, and other fine motor tasks essential in food preparation.


• Heat and Cold Exposure: Tolerance to working in hot, humid environments near ovens, stoves, and grills, as well as cold environments like walk-in refrigerators and freezers.


• Quick Reflexes and Agility: Ability to navigate quickly in a fast-paced environment, avoiding spills, sharp objects, and other hazards.


• Extended Focus and Stamina: Maintain concentration and energy throughout long shifts, including evenings, weekends, and holidays.


• Communication Clarity: Clear verbal communication with team members, often in a noisy and bustling kitchen.


• Flexibility and Physical Stamina: Adapt to repetitive motions, bending, reaching, and twisting as required by kitchen operations.

Position Type and Expected Hours of Work

This is a full-time position and hours of work/ days may vary from week to week. Schedules will be posted the week prior to allow time for employees to be informed of work requirements. The business is open 7 days a week during many day parts. Evening and weekends are a key requirement. Minimum of 40-45 hours per week, although the job may require more during certain events/times of the year.

Travel

None

Preferred Education and Experience

• Culinary Leadership: 5+ years of experience in a leadership role within a professional kitchen, preferably as a Sous Chef or Chef de Cuisine.


• Menu Development: Proven ability to create innovative menus that align with a brewery or taproom’s brand, showcasing expertise in beer and food pairings.


• High-Volume Operations: Experience managing high-volume kitchens, ensuring consistency and quality during peak service times.


• Team Management: Demonstrated success in recruiting, training, and mentoring kitchen staff, fostering a positive and collaborative work environment.


• Cost and Inventory Control: Strong understanding of food costing, inventory management, and maintaining budgetary targets.


• Culinary Expertise: Mastery of diverse cooking techniques, seasonal menu planning, and working with locally sourced ingredients.


• Health and Safety Compliance: In-depth knowledge of food safety regulations, sanitation standards, and kitchen safety protocols.


• Adaptability: Experience thriving in a fast-paced, dynamic environment, with the ability to pivot quickly when needed.


• Culinary Education: Formal culinary training or certification preferred, though equivalent professional experience will be considered.

Other Duties

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.