Chef de Cuisine / Head Chef

Empregara; New York (NY); On-site; USD 75,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Vale is opening a restaurant on a mountain farm in the Catskills. You bring a strong background in high-quality dining and proven skills in both management and the craft of cooking.

The initial focus is on processing and preserving farm produce, stocking the kitchen with house cured, dried, and fermented goods from our farm, during pre-opening. When open, you will partner with the Executive Chef (Owner) to oversee daily kitchen operations, staffing, menu planning, and sourcing, collaborating

Qualifications

• Background in high-quality restaurants with hands-on kitchen leadership.
• Experience in both management and craft of cooking.
• Interest in pre-opening setup and farm-to-table operations.

Responsibilities

• Oversee daily kitchen operations with Executive Chef during open service.
• Stock kitchen, larder and pantry with farm-produced goods.
• Assist in menu planning, purchasing, and staff scheduling.

Skills

Restaurant management

Cooking / culinary skills

Pre-opening experience

Job description

Company description

The team behind the critically acclaimed Take Root in Brooklyn, earning both James beard recognition and a Michelin star, are opening a restaurant set on a farm in the Catskills. More about the project below...

Vale is a mountain farm and restaurant nestled in the heart of the Catskills. Family owned and operated, we have been stewarding this land for nearly eight years. That time has given us an intimate knowledge of what grows, lives, and thrives here, from native flora and fauna to the produce we cultivate each season. The farm is both the backdrop to our dining room and the backbone of our kitchen, shaping the food we serve, the way we work, and the experience we hope to create for our guests.

The farm currently encompasses nearly an acre of produce, a 40-foot greenhouse, maple trees, and mushroom logs. We are also home to forty laying hens, five roosters, four goats, and four honeybee hives, with more animals and plants added each season. Our long-term goal is for the farm to sustain the restaurant almost entirely, and eventually to feed the broader community as well.

The restaurant is small but mighty, with just 26 seats and we are open Thursday through Sunday. The four-day week gives our team time to explore and lay roots in the region, rest, and return to do their best work.

This rhythm reflects a core belief and driving force behind this project: our desire to work somewhere beautiful, where quality of life for our family and employees is the highest priority. We encourage our staff to walk the trails, dip in the river, and harvest from the fields. Our onsite employee space includes a kitchenette and full bathroom for use after time spent farming or exploring.

We hope to build Vale with people who feel the pull of this place and want to help bring its possibilities to life.

Opening in March!

Job description

You have a strong background working in high quality restaurants and significant proven skills in both the management role and craft of cooking. Initially this position will be focused on processing and preserving farm produce, stocking kitchen, larder and pantry with house cured, dried and fermented product from our farm. This pre-opening period is integral to the restaurants foundation, so experience and interest in these things is critical. Once open you will be working together with the Executive Chef (Owner) overseeing all daily operations in the kitchen; staffing, menu planning, purchasing, running service (both daytime and evening) working directly with the lead farmer and collaborating on dishes from conception to diner.

Compensation

this position is: salaried, $75,000 - $100,000