Kitchen Chef / Head Chef

Emish Market LLC.; Federal Way (WA); On-site; USD 37,000 - 48,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid sick leave

Paid holidays

Competitive benefits

Job summary

Emish Restaurant in Federal Way, WA, is seeking an experienced Head Chef to lead our kitchen team and deliver authentic Ukrainian and European cuisine. The ideal candidate will bring 5+ years in fast-paced restaurants, open-kitchen leadership, menu development, cost control, and team-building skills.

This full-time role offers competitive pay and benefits. You will work closely with management on menu planning, kitchen operations, and maintaining high standards of quality, safety, and guest

Qualifications

• 5+ years of professional experience as Head Chef or Kitchen Manager.
• Experience leading a 110-120+ seat restaurant or high-volume operation.
• Proven experience opening a restaurant and launching the kitchen within ~2 months.
• Strong knowledge of recipe development and production cards.
• Understanding of food costing, pricing, and portion control.
• Ability to manage P&L for the kitchen/restaurant operation.
• Proven leadership and conflict resolution skills.
• Knowledge of Ukrainian and European cuisine preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead and oversee daily kitchen operations.
• Prepare and oversee authentic Ukrainian and European dishes.
• Develop menu items while preserving traditional flavors and quality.
• Ensure consistency in taste, quality, portion sizes, and presentation.
• Train, supervise, and support kitchen staff.
• Manage inventory, ordering, and product rotation.
• Ensure compliance with food safety standards.
• Collaborate with restaurant management on menu planning and specials.
• Lead by example and maintain a professional kitchen environment.

Skills

Team leadership

Kitchen management

Menu development

Food costing & P&L

Open-kitchen / fast-paced

Staff training

Ukrainian & European cuisine

Tools

POS systems

Restaurant management software

Scheduling software

Inventory management software

Job description

Emish Restaurant is a Ukrainian and European restaurant located in Federal Way, WA. We are looking for an experienced and passionate Head Chef to lead our kitchen team and help us deliver authentic, high-quality Ukrainian and European cuisine.

The ideal candidate is an experienced culinary professional with strong leadership skills, excellent knowledge of Ukrainian and European cooking, and a passion for creating high-quality food.

What You'll Do

• Lead and oversee daily kitchen operations
• Prepare and oversee authentic Ukrainian and European dishes
• Develop and improve menu items while maintaining traditional flavors and quality
• Ensure consistency in taste, quality, portion sizes, and presentation
• Train, supervise, and support kitchen staff
• Assign daily tasks and ensure efficient kitchen workflow
• Monitor food preparation, cooking, plating, and service
• Maintain high standards of food quality and presentation
• Manage food inventory, ordering, and product rotation
• Control food waste and help maintain food cost standards
• Ensure proper food storage, labeling, and handling
• Maintain a clean, organized, and safe kitchen
• Ensure compliance with food safety and sanitation standards
• Work closely with restaurant management on menu planning, specials, and kitchen operations
• Lead by example and maintain a professional and respectful kitchen environment

Work Schedule: Full-time; schedule will be discussed during the interview. Weekend and holiday availability is required.

Pay & Compensation: $27-35 per hour (Competitive pay based on experience and qualifications).

Benefits:
We offer competitive employee benefits including paid sick leave (1 hour per 40 hours worked), 5 paid holidays.

Required Qualifications

• 5+ years of professional experience as a Head Chef, Executive Chef, Chef, or Kitchen Manager.
• Must already have an established kitchen team or have proven experience recruiting and building a kitchen team from the ground up.
• Proven experience managing a restaurant with 110-120+ seats or a similar high-volume operation.
• Proven experience opening a restaurant from the ground up, with the ability to prepare and launch the kitchen operation within approximately 2 months.
• Strong knowledge of recipe and production development, including creating and maintaining standardized recipe/production cards.
• Strong understanding of food costing, cost pricing, portion control, and food cost management.
• Ability to prepare, understand, and manage Profit & Loss (P&L) for the kitchen/restaurant operation.
• Experience planning and managing purchasing, ordering, inventory, and supplier relationships.
• Ability to train, lead, and develop kitchen staff and maintain high performance standards.
• Experience with performance management, disciplinary warnings, employee termination, attendance, and timesheet management.
• Ability to create and manage staff schedules based on business needs, labor requirements, and expected volume.
• Proficiency with restaurant management software, POS systems, scheduling software, and other restaurant technology.
• Experience working in an open-kitchen environment.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills with strong soft skills and the ability to effectively manage people and resolve conflicts.
• Strong problem-solving and decision-making skills in a fast-paced, high-volume restaurant environment.
• Strong knowledge of food presentation and plating, with the ability to create attractive and consistent plate designs.
• Ability to maintain high standards of food quality, consistency, portioning, presentation, cleanliness, and kitchen organization.
• Experience developing and implementing kitchen SOPs, recipes, production standards, and quality-control procedures.
• Ability to monitor and improve kitchen efficiency, profitability, labor costs, and food costs.
• Strong knowledge of Ukrainian and European cuisine is highly preferred.
• Must be willing to be a hands-on leader and actively participate in kitchen operations, particularly during the restaurant opening and initial development period.