Executive Chef

ATAIA Spa Club; Old Bridge (NJ); On-site; USD 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Performance bonus

Creative freedom

Job summary

ATAIA Spa Club in Old Bridge, NJ invites an Executive Chef to build a full restaurant and juice bar from the ground up, integrating banya and wellness experiences with a vibrant culinary program. You will think as a chef and business operator, shaping menus, costs and standards while partnering with visiting guest chefs for special menus and popups.

You'll recruit and lead a team, ensure food safety, manage food and labor costs, and craft plant-forward, wellness-minded offerings across

Qualifications

• Significant culinary leadership experience managing kitchen teams.
• Strong cooking and menu-development skills with solid food cost and inventory knowledge.
• Deep commitment to food safety and a respectful kitchen culture.
• Upscale restaurant, hotel, resort or wellness experience; ServSafe Manager preferred.
• Pre-opening and P&L experience strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

• Create the opening menu, recipes, standards and costing, and build the kitchen systems.
• Recruit, train and lead your team, including developing a true second-in-command Sous Chef.
• Own quality, food safety, food and labor cost, purchasing and vendor relationships.
• Shape seasonal, plant-forward and wellness-minded offerings, smoothies and juice bar options.
• Collaborate with visiting chefs on dinners, pop-ups and member events.

Skills

Culinary leadership

Menu development

Food cost

Food safety

Pre-opening

P&L experience

Job description

Compensation: $80,000 - $100,000+ annually, based on experience and KPI goals

No stereotypical spa food. Fresh. Flavorful. Nourishing. Craveable.

We're looking for an Executive Chef to build ATAIA's culinary program from the ground up: a full restaurant and juice bar serving food guests crave after the banya, the hammam or a massage, and would happily order anywhere. You'll think as both a chef and a business operator, and you'll partner with celebrated guest chefs we invite for special menus and popups.

What You'll Do

• Create the opening menu, recipes, standards and costing, and build the kitchen systems
• Recruit, train and lead your team, including developing a true second-in-command Sous Chef
• Own quality, food safety, food and labor cost, purchasing and vendor relationships
• Shape seasonal, plant-forward and wellness-minded offerings, smoothies and juice bar options
• Collaborate with visiting chefs on dinners, pop-ups and member events

What You Bring

• Significant culinary leadership experience managing kitchen teams
• Strong cooking and menu-development skills with solid food cost and inventory knowledge
• Deep commitment to food safety and a respectful kitchen culture
• Upscale restaurant, hotel, resort or wellness experience; ServSafe Manager preferred
• Pre-opening and P&L experience strongly preferred

Why You'll Love Working Here

• Build a culinary program from scratch with real creative freedom
• Competitive salary plus performance bonus opportunity
• Work alongside celebrated guest chefs and culinary personalities
• A kitchen where high standards never mean a hostile environment

About ATAIA

ATAIA Spa Club is a new 25,000-square-foot wellness destination opening in Old Bridge, New Jersey. Rooted in our Eastern European heritage and the timeless ritual of the banya, ATAIA brings together a traditional banya and hammam, Finnish and infrared saunas, a snow room, salt and clay rooms, red-light and oxygen therapy, dry float, hot and cold plunges, massage, facials, body scrubs and wraps, platza rituals, and a full restaurant and juice bar. At ATAIA, people come first: our guests and our team.

Create the food. Build the team. Welcome collaboration. Run the business.

ATAIA Spa Club is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome applicants of all backgrounds and provide reasonable accommodations in accordance with applicable law. Offers are contingent on successful completion of pre-employment screening, including a background check, consistent with applicable law.

We read every application and reply within a few days.