Executive Chef: Lead Creative Coastal Cuisine & BOH

Sea Watch on the Ocean; Fort Lauderdale (FL); On-site; USD 125,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Sea Watch on the Ocean, Fort Lauderdale, seeks an Executive Chef to lead the back-of-house culinary operations. You will oversee the Sous Chef team, drive quality, and ensure financial performance while maintaining the restaurant’s signature seafood-leaning menu and guest favorites.

This role requires strong leadership, menu development and cost-control skills, with hands-on involvement in service during peak periods and major events to sustain excellence.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years of progressive culinary-management experience in a high-volume, upscale or fine-dining restaurant.
• Experience as an Executive Chef or senior culinary leader with P&L responsibility.
• Proven ability to recruit, train, coach, evaluate and develop culinary leaders and employees.
• Strong high-volume à-la-carte and private-event execution experience; holiday staffing experience is a plus.
• Culinary degree or formal culinary training; equivalent professional experience will also be considered.

Responsibilities

• Lead daily BOH operations, including production, service, expo/pass, quality control and consistency.
• Maintain a visible, hands-on presence in the kitchen during service and high-volume periods.
• Direct, coach, schedule and develop the Sous Chef team and culinary staff; set standards and succession plans.
• Partner with the General Manager and HR on hiring, promotion, performance evaluation and disciplinary actions.
• Maintain a professional kitchen culture and address employee concerns with leadership.
• Plan BOH staffing based on volume, reservations, events and business needs; control overtime and productivity.
• Own culinary financial performance: food cost, labor, waste, inventory and purchasing; review with GM.
• Forecast production for private events and major holidays; adjust inventory and orders accordingly.
• Keep standardized recipes, plating specs, allergen info, prep procedures and portion controls.
• Use historical sales data and events to forecast production and minimize waste.

Skills

Culinary leadership

Budgeting & forecasting

Staff development

Food cost management

High-volume service

Menu development & costing

Education

Culinary degree or equivalent

Tools

Toast POS

Job description

Sea Watch on the Ocean, Fort Lauderdale, seeks an Executive Chef to lead the back-of-house culinary operations. You will oversee the Sous Chef team, drive quality, and ensure financial performance while maintaining the restaurant’s signature seafood-leaning menu and guest favorites.

This role requires strong leadership, menu development and cost-control skills, with hands-on involvement in service during peak periods and major events to sustain excellence.