Head Chef

Room 38 Restaurant & Lounge; Columbia Township (MO); On-site; USD 60,000 - 86,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus opportunities

Company cell phone

Job summary

Room 38 Restaurant & Lounge in Columbia, MO seeks an experienced Head Chef to own the kitchen, drive menu direction, and manage costs with ownership and front-of-house leadership.

You’ll lead, train, and develop the kitchen team, ensure food safety, and coordinate staffing for university calendar events while delivering high quality plates for a loyal local dining audience. If you thrive under pressure and want to shape a community-focused menu, this role offers growth and bonus opportunities.

Qualifications

• Proven track record managing and analyzing food and labor costs, with measurable results.
• Experience structuring menus and developing recipes.
• Strong team management and kitchen leadership experience.
• 3+ years of kitchen leadership experience (Head Chef, Executive Sous Chef, or Kitchen Manager).
• Comfort with inventory systems, scheduling tools, and P&L reports.
• ServSafe Manager certification (or ability to obtain within 30 days).
• Calm, organized leadership under pressure.

Responsibilities

• Manage food and labor costs, including ordering, inventory, waste tracking, scheduling, and regular cost analysis.
• Build and refine menus that balance creativity, guest appeal, and profitability, including recipe costing, pricing, and menu engineering.
• Lead, train, and develop the kitchen team, from hiring and onboarding to coaching and performance reviews.
• Build a positive, accountable kitchen culture that keeps good people around.
• Maintain consistent food quality, presentation, and ticket times.
• Uphold all food safety, sanitation, and health code standards.
• Plan and staff for high-volume periods tied to the University of Missouri calendar.

Skills

Food cost analysis

Menu development

Team leadership

P&L familiarity

Inventory systems

Scheduling tools

Tools

Inventory systems

Scheduling tools

P&L reports

Job description

As Head Chef, you'll own the kitchen: the menu, the numbers, and the people. You'll work closely with ownership and front-of-house leadership to keep quality high, costs in line, and the team strong through our busiest seasons.

What You'll Do

• Manage food and labor costs, including ordering, inventory, waste tracking, scheduling, and regular cost analysis
• Build and refine menus that balance creativity, guest appeal, and profitability, including recipe costing, pricing, and menu engineering
• Lead, train, and develop the kitchen team, from hiring and onboarding to coaching and performance reviews
• Build a positive, accountable kitchen culture that keeps good people around
• Maintain consistent food quality, presentation, and ticket times
• Uphold all food safety, sanitation, and health code standards
• Plan and staff for high-volume periods tied to the University of Missouri calendar

What We're Looking For

• Proven track record managing and analyzing food and labor costs, with results you can speak to
• Demonstrated experience structuring menus and developing recipes
• Strong team management and team-building skills, with experience leading a kitchen staff
• 3+ years of kitchen leadership experience (Head Chef, Executive Sous Chef, or Kitchen Manager)
• Comfort with inventory systems, scheduling tools, and P&L reports
• ServSafe Manager certification (or ability to obtain within 30 days)
• Calm, organized leadership under pressure

Schedule Requirements

Columbia runs on the Mizzou calendar, and so do we. This role requires availability on key days and dates aligned with the university schedule, including home football game days, Homecoming, Family Weekend, move-in, and commencement weekends. Other key dates will be shared in advance.

What We Offer

• Competitive compensation package
• Bonus opportunities
• Company cell phone
• A chance to lead the kitchen at an established restaurant with a loyal following

Room 38 Restaurant & Lounge is an equal opportunity employer.

About Us

Room 38 Restaurant & Lounge has been part of Columbia's dining scene for 18 years, serving locals, families, and the Mizzou community. We're looking for an experienced Head Chef to lead our kitchen, sharpen our operations, and build a team that takes pride in every plate.