Chef de Cuisine: Lead Creative Kitchen & Menu Vision

Goodwin Recruiting; Waukegan (IL); On-site; USD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive Salary

Medical, Dental & Vision insurance

401K program

Educational tuition reimbursement

Employee assistance programs

Transportation benefits (Ventra)

Job summary

Goodwin Recruiting seeks a Chef de Cuisine to lead kitchen staff and partner with the Executive Chef on creative menu direction in a high-volume, guest-focused setting. The role emphasizes hospitality, mentorship, and operational excellence across the dining room and back-of-house operations.

The candidate will drive guest loyalty through service excellence, develop staffing pipelines, and manage culinary quality with strong cost controls, in an upscale casual dining environment.

Qualifications

• 2+ years in Chef de Cuisine or Exec Sous Chef role.
• 6+ years in foodservice, upscale casual.
• Ability to train, motivate, and manage large teams.
• Strong leadership, coaching, and team development.
• Proven skill in food and labor cost control.
• Proficiency with kitchen systems, inventories, and vendor relations.

Responsibilities

• Lead kitchen line staff and drive excellence.
• Collaborate with Executive Chef on menu direction.
• Ensure high-volume, guest-focused service with hospitality.
• Oversee cost control and inventory management.

Skills

Team leadership

Staff training

Leadership

Coaching

Cost control

Kitchen systems

Inventory control

Vendor relations

Guest loyalty

Operational planning

Staff development

Culinary excellence

Education

College degree

Job description

Goodwin Recruiting seeks a Chef de Cuisine to lead kitchen staff and partner with the Executive Chef on creative menu direction in a high-volume, guest-focused setting. The role emphasizes hospitality, mentorship, and operational excellence across the dining room and back-of-house operations.

The candidate will drive guest loyalty through service excellence, develop staffing pipelines, and manage culinary quality with strong cost controls, in an upscale casual dining environment.