Chef de Cuisine: Lead Kitchen, Menu & Team Excellence

Workstream; Cleveland (OH); On-site; USD 65,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

DDP CLE Restaurant Group in Cleveland, OH, is seeking a Chef de Cuisine to lead day-to-day kitchen operations, uphold food quality and service standards, and work closely with the Executive Chef to optimize systems and efficiency.

You will train and develop the culinary team, manage station performance, and ensure safety and sanitation while driving cost controls and menu execution across high-volume service.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of experience in a professional BOH setting.
• 2+ years of kitchen leadership or management experience.
• Strong culinary knowledge and recipe execution.
• ServSafe Manager certification preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead the day-to-day operations of the kitchen, including prep, service, closing, and cleaning.
• Oversee Sous Chefs, cooks, prep cooks, dishwashers, and other BOH team members as directed by the Executive Chef.
• Set the pace and tone of the kitchen while maintaining a professional, respectful, and collaborative working environment.
• Coordinate kitchen staff and stations to ensure consistent, efficient, and high-quality food execution.
• Monitor service and proactively address issues that impact food quality, timing, staffing, or guest experience.
• Ensure the kitchen is properly staffed, organized, and prepared for each service.
• Provide shift coverage as needed due to vacations, absences, call-ins, or operational demands.
• Work closely with the Executive Chef to identify opportunities to improve kitchen systems, organization, and efficiency.
• Execute the restaurant’s menu and culinary standards consistently and accurately.
• Train kitchen staff on new menu items, recipes, preparation methods, plating, and allergen information.
• Assist the Executive Chef with menu development, testing, and implementation as directed.
• Create and maintain station maps, prep lists, recipes, and training materials.
• Ensure proper recipe adherence, portioning, presentation, and execution across all stations.
• Collaborate with FOH leadership to ensure staff are knowledgeable about menu items, ingredients, preparation, and allergens.
• Identify opportunities to improve recipes, preparation methods, and kitchen systems and communicate recommendations to the Executive Chef.
• Monitor PMIX and sales trends to help inform prep levels, production, and menu planning.
• Lead the training and onboarding of BOH team members.
• Develop cooks through ongoing coaching, education, and hands-on training.
• Ensure all team members understand and consistently follow recipes, preparation standards, and kitchen procedures.
• Provide timely, constructive, in-the-moment coaching and corrections.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Staff development

Food safety

Job description

DDP CLE Restaurant Group in Cleveland, OH, is seeking a Chef de Cuisine to lead day-to-day kitchen operations, uphold food quality and service standards, and work closely with the Executive Chef to optimize systems and efficiency.

You will train and develop the culinary team, manage station performance, and ensure safety and sanitation while driving cost controls and menu execution across high-volume service.