Executive Chef

Yardbird Group, LLC; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Yardbird Group, LLC is seeking an Executive Chef to lead daily culinary operations in our Los Angeles restaurant. You will oversee staff development, budget management, menu creation, and the overall dining experience, driving brand growth and quality.

You will mentor team members, set professional standards, and ensure profitability while maintaining high culinary standards and guest satisfaction.

Qualifications

• Minimum 3+ years as Executive Chef in a high-volume restaurant.
• Experience managing $10M+ in sales and 300–500 daily covers.
• Experience in fine dining management, people and complex problems.

Responsibilities

• Partner with General Manager to manage all areas of the restaurant and make final decisions on team culture, guest service and food quality.
• Supervise kitchen employees and direct back-of-house operations.
• Coordinate with Regional Corporate Chef to reinforce company culture and create positive work environment.
• Interview, hire and train employees; plan, assign and direct work; appraise performance; discipline when needed.

Skills

Executive kitchen leadership

Staff development

Budget & cost control

Menu development

Operations management

Job description

Competitive Salary Based on Experience

Position Title: Executive Chef

Reports to

Brand Corporate Executive Chef

Position Summary

The Executive Chef is responsible for managing the daily culinary operations of our restaurant, including the selection, development, and performance management of employees. This person will have creative license to contribute toward brand growth and vision through dish creation and execution. In addition, they oversee the budget, inventory and ordering of food and supplies, optimize profits, and ensure that guests are satisfied with their dining experience. It is critical that this person believes in mentoring others and being a “coach & player” while setting the example of appearance, professionalism, and demeanor in our restaurants.

Primary Responsibilities

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

Partner with General Manager to manage all areas of the restaurant and make final decisions on matters of importance to team culture, guest service and food quality.

Supervise all kitchen employees. Is responsible for the overall direction, coordination, and evaluation of the back of the house.

Work with Regional Corporate Chef to instill company culture, build morale and create an ongoing positive work environment, using established as well as newly developed initiatives.

Responsibilities include interviewing, hiring, and training employees; planning, assigning, and directing work; appraising performance; rewarding and disciplining employees; addressing complaints and resolving problems.

Understand and follow written company procedures with 100% accuracy and regulations.

Maintain professional restaurant image, including restaurant cleanliness, proper uniforms, and appearance standards.

It is the Executive Chef's responsibility to meet the financial targets while achieving the food quality and service objectives.

Prepare operational reports and analyses setting forth progress and adverse trends and making appropriate recommendations.

Responsible for ensuring that all financial (invoices, reporting) and personnel/payroll related administrative duties are completed accurately, on time and in accordance with company policies and procedures.

Responsible for all systems management pertaining to culinary efficiency.

Maintaining overall food & labor cost within budgetary guidelines.

Ensuring overall profitability of kitchen.

Food Quality

Drive culinary creativity through specials and seasonal menu changes to support the Brand Executive Chef.

Ensures excellence in guest satisfaction through a commitment to exceeding expectations and a hands‑on, lead‑by‑example management style.

Oversee bi‑weekly and monthly inventories and ordering of food and supplies.

Maintain sanitation procedures and organization of work area adhering to all OSHA regulations.

Menu development, standardize recipes and presentation.

Building and/or management of apprenticeship and staff development programs.

Enforce sanitary practices for food handling, general cleanliness, and maintenance of kitchen and dining areas.

Ensure compliance with operational standards, company policies, federal/state/local laws, and ordinances.

Responsible for ensuring consistent high quality of food preparation and service.

Qualifications

At least 3 years of Executive Chef experience in a culinary focused, high‑volume restaurant doing at least $10 million in sales and 300–500 daily covers.

Knowledge of the principles and practices within the fine dining profession. This includes experiential knowledge required for the management of people and/or complex problems and food management.

Proficient in the following dimensions of restaurant functions: food planning and preparation, purchasing, sanitation, security, company policies and procedures, personnel management, record‑keeping, and preparation of reports.

Self‑discipline, initiative, leadership ability and outgoing.

Pleasant, polite manner and an eat‑and‑clean appearance.

Ability to motivate employees to work as a team to ensure that food and service meet appropriate standards.

Must be able to handle the pressures of simultaneously coordinating a wide range of activities and recommend appropriate solutions to restaurant problems.

Must possess effective communication skills for dealing with diverse staff.

Ability to coordinate multiple tasks such as food, beverage and labor cost while maintaining required standards of operation in daily restaurant activities.

Customer/client focus: expertise in the food product, presentation, quality, and preparation along with menu concept and design.

Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals.

Ability to write routine reports, purchase orders, menus, and correspondence.

Ability to communicate to groups of customers or employees of the organization.

As part of our inclusive hiring initiative, we cast a wide net in an effort to create a diverse and inclusive candidate pool. We invite all applicants with core competency in all areas of restaurant operations and culinary to apply regardless of whether or not you meet all key competencies listed.

Working Conditions

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly exposed to heat from the stoves and burners.

The noise level in the work environment is usually loud.

Physical and Other Requirements

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk and hear. The employee frequently is required to stand; bend; walk; use hands or fingers, handle or feel; talk; hear; see, and reach with hands and arms and requires the ability to occasionally lift office products and supplies up to 50 pounds.

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

Additional Information

We run background checks on all new hires in this position.