Esquire Chef de Cuisine

M Street Entertainment Group; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 90,000 - 125,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Group medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

401(k) plan

Company-paid life insurance

Employee Assistance Program

Paid Time Off (PTO)

Chicago Paid Leave

Paid Sick and Safe Leave

Paid bereavement leave

Job summary

Esquire is a 265-seat luxury steakhouse in Chicago's Gold Coast seeking an Executive Chef's second and day-to-day leader of the line. Translate the menu into flawless nightly execution, upholding consistency and quality plate by plate, while developing the cooks who deliver it.

The role requires 5+ years in fine dining leadership, fluency in French technique, and a strong cost-control system. Chicago location and exempt, salaried status offer growth and impact.

Qualifications

• 5+ years in senior kitchen roles in fine dining; CDC or strong Sous experience.
• Fluent in French technique and comfortable with premium proteins and seafood.
• Strong systems for prep, par, and cost control.

Responsibilities

• Run daily kitchen operations and the line; own nightly execution to the EC's standard.
• Manage prep, mise en place, par levels, and station readiness across the brigade.
• Lead and develop sous chefs and line cooks; run line checks and pre-service tastings.
• Own ordering, receiving, and waste in partnership with the Executive Chef.
• Step into the EC role and represent the kitchen when the EC is off.

Skills

French technique

Premium proteins

Seafood expertise

Cost control

Education

FSSMC Certification

CFPM Certification

Allergen Awareness (manager)

Job description

• Pay or shift range: $90,000 USD to $125,000 USD The estimated range is the budgeted amount for this position. Final offers are based on various factors, including skill set, experience, location, qualifications and other job-related reasons.
• Back of House
• Full-Time
• Requisition #: ESQUI001104

Description

Location: 58 East Oak Street, Gold Coast, Chicago, IL Employment type: Full-time Classification: Salaried, exempt Reports to:Executive Chef

Why Esquire

Esquire is a 265-seat luxury steakhouse in Chicago’s Gold Coast where Japanese precision meets French technique — anchored by an elite Wagyu and seafood program, a four-level Wine Tower, the OakShō omakase counter, and the invitation-only 58 Club. We hold an uncompromising standard and hire people who want to set it, not just meet it. Esquire is operated by M Street Collective, the group behind Nashville’s Virago, Moto, Kayne Prime, and Saint Añejo.

The Role

The Executive Chef's second and the day-to-day leader of the line. The CDC translates the menu into flawless nightly execution, holding consistency and quality plate by plate and developing the cooks who deliver it.

What You’ll Do

• Run daily kitchen operations and the line; own nightly execution to the EC's standard.
• Manage prep, mise en place, par levels, and station readiness across the brigade.
• Lead and develop sous chefs and line cooks; run line checks and pre-service tastings.
• Own ordering, receiving, and waste in partnership with the Executive Chef.
• Step into the EC role and represent the kitchen when the EC is off.

What You Bring

• 5+ years in senior kitchen roles in fine dining; CDC or strong Sous experience.
• Fluent in French technique and comfortable with premium proteins and seafood.
• Strong systems for prep, par, and cost control.

Certifications & Requirements

• Chicago Food Service Sanitation Manager Certificate (FSSMC) - REQUIRED. Local certificate issued by the City of Chicago Department of Public Health using National CFPM certification
• Certified Food Protection Manager (CFPM) — REQUIRED. Current ANSI-CFP–accredited CFPM (valid 5 years); this role serves as an on-duty CFPM. At least one CFPM must be present during all hours of food preparation and service.
• Allergen Awareness (manager) — REQUIRED with CFPM. Illinois-approved, ANAB-accredited allergen training within 30 days; renew every 3 years; kept on site.

Compensation — Pay Scale

$90,000–$125,000 per year, paid as an annual salary (market-aligned). The final offer is confirmed in writing. This position is eligible for a performance bonus as a component of total compensation.

Eligible team members receive group medical, dental, and vision insurance (the Company pays part of the premium), a 401(k) plan, Company-paid life insurance, and a confidential Employee Assistance Program. Time off includes Paid Time Off for eligible salaried positions, Chicago Paid Leave and Paid Sick and Safe Leave, and paid bereavement leave, plus the protected leaves required by federal and Illinois law (FMLA, VESSA, military, jury, and voting). Final plan details and eligibility are confirmed in the written offer.

How to Apply

Interested? Send your résumé — and references where applicable — to [e-mail] or apply through the platform where you found this role.

Held to Esquire’s four pillars — quality, consistency, hospitality, and innovation — and the five universal competencies: professionalism, teamwork, growth mindset, excellence, and hospitality.

About Esquire

Esquire is a modern luxury steakhouse on Oak Street in Chicago’s Gold Coast — Japanese precision built on a French foundation, anchored by an elite Wagyu program and a seafood-and-sushi program that earns equal billing. Across a 265-seat dining room, a four-level ~5,000-bottle Wine Tower, the Trophy Room, the invitation-only 58 Club, and the OakShō omakase counter, it delivers omotenashi-inspired hospitality and culinary theater in a vintage-Hollywood setting.

About M Street Collective

M Street Collective is the hospitality group behind Esquire, with operations in Nashville and Chicago. Built on four pillars — quality, consistency, hospitality, and innovation — and a commitment to innovation, leadership development and world-class training, the Collective creates restaurants and experiences defined by an uncompromising standard and genuine, anticipatory care.

M Street Collective is an equal opportunity employer. We consider all qualified applicants without regard to race (including traits associated with race under the CROWN Act), color, religion, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, ancestry, age, marital or family-responsibilities status, disability, military or veteran status, citizenship or immigration status, arrest or conviction record (as limited by law), credit history, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by federal, Illinois, or Chicago law. Consistent with the Illinois Job Opportunities for Qualified Applicants Act, we do not ask about criminal history on the application, and we do not ask about salary history. Reasonable accommodations are available for applicants with disabilities, for pregnancy and related conditions, and for religious observance — contact People Operations. This position is performed in Chicago, Illinois.

Qualifications

Experience

Required

5 years: Senior kitchen roles in fine dining; CDC or strong Sous experience

Preferred

Fluent in French technique and comfortable with premium proteins and seafood

Strong systems for prep, par, and cost control

Licenses & Certifications

Required

Chi. Food Sanit Mgr Cert

Cert Food Protection Mgr

Equal Opportunity Employer This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws.For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.