Head Chef

Cru Cellars; Tampa (FL); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Cru Hospitality Group in Tampa, FL seeks a Head Chef to lead BOH operations, oversee recipe management, and uphold financial and quality standards. You will supervise the kitchen, train staff, and ensure a superb dining experience aligned with CHG guidelines.

This role requires strong culinary expertise, leadership, and hands-on management, with a focus on menu execution, inventory control, and customer hospitality in a fast-paced setting.

Qualifications

• Extensive knowledge of cooking, food handling, and kitchen maintenance.
• Strong hospitality ethos and teamwork.
• Ability to coach and train staff.
• Experience in menu development and kitchen operations.

Responsibilities

• Execute all food service and kitchen operations, including expeditor duties.
• Direct kitchen staff and ensure duties are performed.
• Ensure health and fire regulations compliance.
• Manage inventory, ordering, and food costs.
• Lead menu evolution under CHG guidelines.
• Open/close kitchen and supervise staff accountability.
• Train and motivate staff, uphold CHG standards.

Skills

Cooking

Food safety

Team leadership

Operations

Job description

The Head Chef is responsible for all aspects of the kitchen such as BOH operations, recipe management, financial responsibility, portion and inventory control, food quality, and employee supervision. The Head Chef provides leadership, training, and hands-on management of the kitchen staff. They ensure the kitchen runs smoothly and customers have excellent dining experiences while ensuring all Cru Hospitality Group’s standards are upheld or exceeded.

The role of Head Chef is one that can elevate the experience offered by the entire operation. Primary responsibilities are to (1) supervise daily back of house restaurant operations, including food prep, cooking, stocking, inventory, and safety procedures, (2) execute the vision of the menu as directed by CHG (3) provide proper and continuous training to all line staff members and service team members and model proper skills as well as behavior, (4) manage the entire kitchen staff and guide them to deliver quality food in a timely manner. The personality and success of the kitchen and the location as a whole are directly related to the role of Head Chef.

A strong Head Chef will exhibit the following characteristics.

• Strong knowledge of & skills in cooking, food handling, food preparation, kitchen maintenance
• Strong knowledge of food, culinary terms, and the restaurant industry
• Exhibit sincere hospitality and teamwork
• Be intuitive as to where their help is most needed
• Be a Coach and a Teacher
• Be the Example This role reports to the General Manager of the location.

AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY

• Successfully executes all food service operations and daily kitchen operations, including serving as Expeditor.
• Provides direction to kitchen staff, ensuring execution of all employee duties.
• Ensures compliance with all health and fire department regulations.
• Implements and manages kitchen and restaurant policies and procedures
• Ensures that kitchen staff maintain a clean and organized station at all times and are keeping their stations stocked and supplied.
• Participates in daily and monthly inventory process.
• Uses in-house systems to order and receive food and supplies.
• Participates in menu evolution; leads teams to develop ideas for menus under CHG guidelines
• Supervises opening and closing tasks. Holds staff accountable.
• Coaches, teaches, and motivates fellow team members in cooking and kitchen skills as well as the proper preparation of CHG menu items.
• Ensures products are stored at the correct temperature.
• Ensures recipes are up to date with current menu items, portions, and ingredients.
• Creates and ensures use of prep sheets and makes sure they are up to date.
• Upholds all recipe and service standards.
• Communicates all 86’d items to both BOH and FOH staff. Has daily counts ready before service.
• Coordinates and communicates with runners and front of house staff to ensure proper service.
• Completes the duties of a line cook when needed and is capable of performing the duties of all kitchen positions.
• Organize, schedule, and lead kitchen meetings
• Attend weekly management meetings as set forth by the General Manager.
• Professional handling of the Coworker Relationship: includes BOH and FOH staff
• Monitors labor costs to attain budgeted goals
• Anticipates, identifies, and corrects any issues with inventory, systems, and staffing
• Continues to learn and educate themselves on food, cooking, and industry trends
• Leads and participates in the hiring process for all kitchen staff : includes posting job opportunities, interviewing, and onboarding new hires.
• Assure all members of your team are properly trained, including ServeSafe certified.
• Maintains the highest quality, consistent product standards.
• Demonstrates great hospitality by example
• Ensure all CHG standards are upheld or exceeded

OTHER

Operates as a member of a team, helping others and requesting help as needed. Further duties not currently detailed here may be added at the discretion of the General Manager and Director of Operations