Executive Chef

DeVita & Hancock Hospitality; Wilmington (DE); On-site; USD 80,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

DeVita & Hancock Hospitality in Wilmington, DE is seeking an Executive Chef to lead culinary operations for a high-volume, full-service restaurant. This role requires a hands-on culinary leader with experience in kitchen management, food quality, and team leadership.

The ideal candidate will oversee kitchen performance, maintain food quality, ensure compliance, and develop future culinary leaders. This position offers a competitive salary of $80,000–$90,000 plus bonuses.

Qualifications

• Proven culinary leadership experience in a high-volume, full-service restaurant environment.
• Experience leading Sous Chefs, Kitchen Managers, or lead line teams preferred.
• Strong knowledge of food production, sanitation, and health department compliance.

Responsibilities

• Oversee all culinary operations for one restaurant location.
• Lead daily kitchen operations to ensure culinary performance.
• Partner with front-of-house leadership for service flow.

Skills

Culinary leadership

Kitchen management

Menu development

Team leadership

Food quality

Cost control

Education

Culinary degree or equivalent experience

Job description

Full-Time | Wilmington, DE
$80,000–$90,000 base + quarterly bonus

We are seeking an experienced Executive Chef to lead culinary operations for a high-volume, full-service restaurant. This is an exciting opportunity for a hands‑on culinary leader with a strong background in kitchen management, food quality, systems development, cost controls, and team leadership. The ideal candidate is passionate about execution, menu development, and developing future leaders, with the desire to grow into broader culinary leadership over time.

Position Overview

The Executive Chef is responsible for overseeing all culinary operations for one restaurant location while advancing overall brand standards through strong execution, disciplined systems, and menu and recipe development.

This role leads day‑to‑day kitchen performance through the Sous Chef and hourly kitchen leaders while maintaining exceptional food quality, cleanliness, sanitation compliance, and cost controls. The Executive Chef also partners closely with senior culinary leadership to develop, test, cost, document, and roll out menu innovation and operational systems that improve performance, efficiency, and consistency.

Equally important, this role is responsible for recruiting, developing, and coaching future kitchen leaders, with clear growth potential into broader culinary leadership opportunities.

What Youll Be Responsible For

Kitchen Operations & Culinary Execution

• Lead daily kitchen operations to ensure strong culinary performance across all shifts and volume levels
• Direct and support the Sous Chef and kitchen leads to ensure station readiness, ticket‑time performance, and execution standards
• Ensure all menu items are prepared according to recipe, plating, and presentation standards
• Maintain excellent food quality, flavor consistency, and execution across all stations
• Oversee prep, production, line execution, and service standards to ensure speed, accuracy, and guest satisfaction
• Partner with front‑of‑house leadership to maintain communication, smooth service flow, and a guest‑ready kitchen at all times

Systems, Performance Improvement & Operational Consistency

• Build, refine, and implement kitchen systems that improve performance, consistency, efficiency, and accountability
• Establish clear standards and routines so execution stays strong across every shift
• Audit prep, quality, sanitation, and line performance to identify gaps and correct root causes
• Drive recipe adherence, portion controls, and production discipline to protect both brand standards and food cost
• Support equipment care, preventive maintenance, and operational readiness through structured follow‑up and accountability

Food Cost, Ordering & Inventory Control

• Monitor and maintain food cost percentages in line with business goals
• Oversee accurate ordering of food, products, and supplies based on business volume and par levels
• Manage inventory, product rotation, waste tracking, and storage procedures
• Verify invoices, deliveries, vendor quality, and pricing accuracy
• Coach leaders and team members on cost‑conscious habits including portioning, waste prevention, and production planning

Food Safety, Cleanliness & Compliance

• Maintain a kitchen that is consistently clean, organized, and inspection‑ready at all times
• Enforce food safety, storage, allergen, labeling, dating, and sanitation procedures
• Conduct line checks and sanitation walk‑throughs daily
• Ensure all health department regulations and safety standards are followed proactively
• Oversee equipment cleaning, safe operation, deep cleaning, and repair follow‑up
• Build a culture where sanitation and cleanliness are treated as non‑negotiable standards

Team Leadership, Recruiting & Development

• Recruit, hire, train, and onboard back‑of‑house team members
• Develop the Sous Chef and kitchen leads into strong shift leaders, trainers, and culture drivers
• Identify high‑potential talent and build a strong internal leadership pipeline
• Lead daily coaching, performance development, and accountability conversations
• Foster a respectful, professional, and high‑performance kitchen culture
• Help manage labor targets, staffing levels, and scheduling effectiveness while maintaining execution standards

Menu Development, Innovation & Brand Leadership

• Partner with senior culinary leadership on menu and recipe development, including ideation, testing, refinement, costing, and documentation
• Research market and culinary trends to keep the menu fresh, relevant, and competitive
• Develop recipes and prep procedures with a focus on consistency, scalability, and training clarity
• Protect the integrity of the brand through thoughtful decisions around flavor profile, sourcing, plating, and presentation
• Lead tastings, team training, and rollout support for menu changes, seasonal offerings, and limited‑time features
• Provide operational feedback and data‑driven recommendations to support long‑term culinary strategy and quality goals

Leadership & Professional Expectations

• Ensure full adherence to company standards, kitchen systems, and operating procedures
• Execute culinary program expectations, menu changes, specials, and seasonal features at a high level
• Participate in meetings, trainings, reviews, audits, and operational initiatives
• Lead with professionalism, urgency, accountability, and strong standards
• Demonstrate the desire and ability to grow into broader culinary leadership roles over time

What Were Looking For

• Proven culinary leadership experience in a high‑volume, full‑service restaurant environment
• Experience leading other leaders such as Sous Chefs, Kitchen Managers, or lead line teams preferred
• Strong knowledge of food production, sanitation, deep cleaning standards, and health department compliance
• Demonstrated ability to create and implement systems that improve consistency, execution, and accountability
• Strong experience recruiting, training, coaching, and developing culinary talent
• Solid understanding of inventory control, vendor management, and food cost strategy
• Excellent organizational, communication, and leadership skills
• Strong attention to detail, urgency, and commitment to standards
• Flexible availability, including nights, weekends, and holidays

Why This Role Stands Out

This is a unique opportunity for an Executive Chef who wants to do more than run a kitchen. This role offers the chance to influence systems, shape menu development, build future leaders, and make a lasting impact on a growing restaurant brand.

It is an ideal next step for a chef who is both operationally strong and development‑minded — someone who wants to lead at a high level today while positioning themselves for greater culinary leadership opportunities tomorrow.