Executive Chef

Union Square Events; New York (NY); On-site; USD 115,000 - 125,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical

Dental

Vision

Life Insurance / AD

Disability Insurance

Retirement Plan

Paid Time Off

Paid Parental Leave

Holiday Time Off

Personal Leave

Associate Shopping Program

Health and Wellness Programs

Discount Marketplace

Identity Theft Protection

Pet Insurance

Commuter Benefits

Employee Assistance Program

Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)

Job summary

Union Square Events seeks an accomplished Executive Chef to lead the culinary program for Canyon Museum, a new 40,000-square-foot cultural space opening Fall 2026 on the Lower East Side of New York City.

The Executive Chef will establish the culinary identity, develop a seasonal menu, and build a kitchen culture rooted in hospitality, creativity, excellence, and discipline, partnering with front-of-house leadership to deliver exceptional guest experiences.

Qualifications

• Accomplished and visionary Executive Chef leading culinary program.
• Seasonally driven menus reflecting creativity and quality.
• Strong leadership translating vision into guest-experience excellence.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute a compelling culinary vision reflecting Canyon Museum's mission.
• Create seasonal, ingredient-driven menus balancing creativity, quality, and operational excellence.
• Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing culinary team while fostering professionalism and collaboration.
• Oversee all kitchen operations: staffing, scheduling, purchasing, inventory, food prep, production, and service.
• Establish recipes, training, standards, and systems for consistency and efficiency.
• Partner with front-of-house leadership to deliver seamless hospitality for daily visitors and events.
• Manage food and labor costs, budgets, vendor relationships, and inventory controls.
• Maintain high standards for food quality, presentation, sanitation, safety, and compliance.
• Continuously evaluate guest feedback and trends to enhance the culinary program.

Job description

Position Title: Executive Chef

Salary: $115,000 to $125,000

Other Forms of Compensation: Bonus

Founded in 2005 as Hudson Yards Catering, Union Square Events is a culinary and operations leader in the hospitality industry, partnering with a diverse portfolio of best-in-class clients. We produce one‑of‑a‑kind catered events and unparalleled dining experiences in a variety of cultural, corporate, entertainment, and private venues throughout New York City and beyond.

Job Summary

Canyon Museum is opening in Fall 2026 on the Lower East Side of New York City. Canyon is a new 40,000-square‑foot space devoted to video, sound, performance, and other forms of durational art including state‑of‑the‑art technologies to reimagine how visitors experience these art forms.

We are seeking an accomplished and visionary Executive Chef to lead the culinary program for the restaurant, bar, café and events. This is an opportunity to shape the food and beverage experience of a major cultural institution while working in partnership with a highly renowned

The Executive Chef will be responsible for establishing the culinary identity of the operation, developing a compelling and seasonally driven menu, and building a kitchen culture grounded in hospitality, creativity, excellence, and operational discipline. The ideal candidate brings a sophisticated culinary point of view, strong leadership skills, and the ability to translate a creative vision into an exceptional, consistently executed guest experience.

Key responsibilities include:

• Developing and executing a compelling culinary vision that reflects Canyon Museum's mission and guest experience.
• Creating seasonal, ingredient‑driven menus that balance creativity, quality, and operational excellence.
• Leading, mentoring, and developing a high‑performing culinary team while fostering a culture of professionalism, accountability, and collaboration.
• Overseeing all kitchen operations, including staffing, scheduling, purchasing, inventory management, food preparation, production, and service execution.
• Establishing and maintaining recipes, training programs, culinary standards, and operational systems to ensure consistency and efficiency.
• Partnering with front‑of‑house leadership to deliver seamless hospitality experiences for daily visitors, private events, exhibitions, and special programming.
• Managing food and labor costs, culinary budgets, vendor relationships, purchasing strategies, and inventory controls.
• Maintaining exceptional standards for food quality, presentation, sanitation, safety, and regulatory compliance.
• Continuously evaluating guest feedback, culinary trends, and operational performance to enhance the overall culinary program.

Compass Group is an equal opportunity employer. At Compass, we are committed to treating all Applicants and Associates fairly based on their abilities, achievements, and experience without regard to race, national origin, sex, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other classification protected by law.

Qualified candidates must be able to perform the essential functions of this position satisfactorily with or without a reasonable accommodation. Disclaimer: this job post is not necessarily an exhaustive list of all essential responsibilities, skills, tasks, or requirements associated with this position. While this is intended to be an accurate reflection of the position posted, the Company reserves the right to modify or change the essential functions of the job based on business necessity. We will consider for employment all qualified applicants, including those with a criminal history (including relevant driving history), in a manner consistent with all applicable federal, state, and local laws, including the City of Los Angeles’ Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, and the New York Fair Chance Act.

Certain positions may require Florida Level 2 background screening. Details: https://info.flclearinghouse.com/

Associates at Union Square Events are offered many fantastic benefits.

• Medical
• Dental
• Vision
• Life Insurance / AD
• Disability Insurance
• Retirement Plan
• Paid Time Off
• Paid Parental Leave
• Holiday Time Off (varies by site/state)
• Personal Leave
• Associate Shopping Program
• Health and Wellness Programs
• Discount Marketplace
• Identity Theft Protection
• Pet Insurance
• Commuter Benefits
• Employee Assistance Program
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)

Associates may also be eligible for paid and/or unpaid time off benefits in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws. For positions in Washington State, Maryland, or to be performed Remotely, https://www.compass-usa.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/2023_WageTransparency_RA.pdf

Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis.

Union Square Events maintains a drug‑free workplace.

Union Square Events

Gina Barbish