Executive Sous Chef

WePlate; New York (NY); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary based on experience

Growth opportunities

Collaborative environment

Job summary

WePlate in New York is seeking an Executive Sous Chef with a deep background in authentic and contemporary Mexican cuisine to lead our culinary team. This role blends leadership with high-volume production, recipe development, and operational excellence across kitchen systems.

You will train and mentor staff, standardize production, ensure food safety, manage costs, and collaborate with leadership to push menu innovation while honoring traditional Mexican flavors.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years of experience working with Mexican cuisine.
• Executive Sous Chef or Senior Sous Chef/ Kitchen Manager role experience.
• Proven experience in high-volume kitchen operations.
• Strong leadership, communication, and organizational skills.
• Fluent in English and Spanish.
• Deep knowledge of traditional Mexican ingredients and techniques.
• Creative mindset to modernize dishes while preserving authenticity.
• Calm under pressure with excellent problem-solving skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead and oversee daily kitchen operations in a high-volume production environment.
• Train, mentor, and inspire culinary team members.
• Develop, test, and refine authentic and modern Mexican recipes.
• Standardize recipes and production processes to ensure consistency and quality.
• Maintain the highest standards of food quality, presentation, and execution.
• Monitor food cost, labor efficiency, and inventory.
• Ensure compliance with food safety and sanitation standards.
• Collaborate with leadership to improve kitchen systems, workflow, and operational excellence.
• Drive innovation while respecting traditions and authenticity of Mexican cuisine.
• Availability to travel

Skills

Mexican cuisine expertise

Leadership

Staff development

Bilingual English/Spanish

High-volume kitchen operations

Quality control

Communication

Problem solving

Job description

We’re Hiring | Executive Sous Chef – Mexican Cuisine & Culinary Operations

Location: New York

We’re looking for an exceptional Executive Sous Chef with a strong background in authentic and contemporary Mexican cuisine to join our growing culinary team at Chef Andres Mendez for CookUnity.

This is not a traditional sous chef role. We’re looking for a leader who is passionate about Mexican gastronomy, thrives in high-volume production, develops people, and is excited to help elevate and innovate Mexican cuisine at scale.

If you take pride in creating outstanding food, leading by example, and building efficient kitchen operations, we want to hear from you.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and oversee daily kitchen operations in a high-volume production environment.
• Train, mentor, and inspire culinary team members.
• Develop, test, and refine authentic and modern Mexican recipes.
• Standardize recipes and production processes to ensure consistency and quality.
• Maintain the highest standards of food quality, presentation, and execution.
• Monitor food cost, labor efficiency, and inventory.
• Ensure compliance with food safety and sanitation standards.
• Collaborate with leadership to improve kitchen systems, workflow, and operational excellence.
• Drive innovation while respecting the traditions and authenticity of Mexican cuisine.
• Availability to travel

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years of experience working with Mexican cuisine.
• Previous experience as an Executive Sous Chef, Senior Sous Chef, or Kitchen Manager.
• Proven experience in high-volume kitchen operations.
• Strong leadership, communication, and organizational skills.
• Fluent in both English and Spanish.
• Deep knowledge of traditional Mexican ingredients, techniques, and regional cuisines.
• Creative mindset with the ability to modernize dishes while preserving authenticity.
• Calm under pressure with excellent problem-solving skills.
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to excellence.

What We Offer

• Competitive salary based on experience.
• Opportunity to grow with a fast-growing culinary organization.
• A collaborative environment that values creativity, innovation, and leadership.
• The chance to make a real impact on menu development and culinary operations.
• Professional growth and long-term career opportunities.

If you’re passionate about Mexican cuisine and believe you have the leadership, creativity, and operational experience to help build something exceptional, we’d love to hear from you.