Lead Chef

Workstream; Capitola (CA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Executive leadership

Lead 50 staff

Three kitchens

Historic institution

Impactful legacy

Job summary

Shadowbrook Restaurant in Capitola, CA, is seeking a Lead Chef to partner with the Executives to direct a historic culinary operation across three kitchens and a team of about 50 professionals. This hands-on leadership role demands seasoned culinary expertise, top-tier organization, and a commitment to hospitality.

The ideal candidate will balance tradition with innovation, oversee cost controls, ensure safety and cleanliness, and drive performance across all kitchens to deliver exceptional

Qualifications

• Experience leading large culinary teams across three kitchens.
• Proven ability to run high-volume production and service.
• Strong inventory, purchasing, logistics, and stock-control skills.
• Solid knowledge of food and labor cost management.
• Exceptional organizational and communication abilities.
• Ability to recruit, train, motivate, and hold a large team accountable.
• Deep understanding of food safety and sanitation standards.
• Calm, decisive leadership in a fast-paced environment.
• Commitment to hospitality and preserving the establishment's legacy.

Responsibilities

• Provide overall leadership and direction for three kitchen operations.
• Lead, mentor, schedule, train, and develop a culinary team of about 50.
• Maintain high standards for food quality, presentation, and consistency.
• Preserve culinary traditions while driving improvements and innovation.
• Oversee daily kitchen operations: prep, service, sanitation, staffing, closing.
• Manage purchasing, inventory, stock control, receiving, storage and rotation.
• Coordinate with management and other departments for smooth operations.
• Establish and enforce kitchen standards, procedures, and accountability.
• Ensure safety, cleanliness, and compliance with California regulations.
• Recruit and retain high-performing culinary staff; lead with professionalism.
• Maintain cost controls and optimize labor while meeting service levels.
• Lead by example and foster a respectful, team-oriented culture.
• Troubleshoot operational challenges during high-volume service.
• Maintain consistency across three kitchens.

Skills

Extensive experience managing largecul

Job description

Historic Santa Cruz Culinary Institution | Santa Cruz, California

Lead the Kitchen. Honor the Legacy. Shape the Future.

We are seeking an exceptional Lead Chef to work with the Executive Chef to direct and lead the culinary operations of a historic Santa Cruz establishment with a proud legacy, loyal following, and deep roots in the community. This is not simply a kitchen management position. We are looking for a seasoned culinary leader who can protect the traditions that have made this establishment special while bringing the organization, creativity, discipline, and leadership required for its next chapter.

THE OPPORTUNITY

The Lead Chef will have

responsibility for the culinary operation, leading a large and diverse team of approximately 50 culinary professionals across three kitchens, as well as working closely with the janitorial and support crews.

This is a hands‑on executive leadership position requiring exceptional organization, communication, culinary expertise, and the ability to manage a high‑volume, multi‑kitchen operation.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provide overall leadership and direction for three kitchen operations.
• Lead, mentor, schedule, train, and develop a culinary team of approximately 50 kitchen professionals.
• Maintain consistently high standards for food quality, presentation, consistency, and execution.
• Preserve the culinary traditions and character of this historic establishment while identifying opportunities for improvement and innovation.
• Oversee daily kitchen operations, including preparation, service, sanitation, staffing, and closing procedures.
• Manage food purchasing, inventory, stock control, receiving, storage, and product rotation.
• Take responsibility for culinary logistics and supply‑chain coordination, ensuring each kitchen has the products and equipment needed to operate efficiently.
• Develop and maintain food‑cost controls, portion standards, waste‑reduction programs, and inventory procedures.
• Coordinate closely with management and other departments to ensure smooth daily operations.
• Establish and enforce kitchen standards, procedures, and accountability systems.
• Work closely with the janitorial and sanitation teams to maintain exceptional cleanliness, organization, and safety throughout all kitchen and back‑of‑house areas.
• Ensure compliance with applicable California food‑safety, sanitation, workplace, and health regulations.
• Recruit, train, motivate, and retain high‑performing culinary staff.
• Manage labor efficiently while maintaining appropriate staffing levels and service standards.
• Lead by example and create a professional, respectful, team‑oriented kitchen culture.
• Troubleshoot operational challenges quickly and effectively during high‑volume service.
• Maintain strong communication between the three kitchens and ensure consistent standards across the entire culinary operation.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Extensive experience managing large culinary teams.
• Proven experience overseeing multiple kitchens or complex food‑service operations.
• Strong knowledge of high‑volume food production and service.
• Demonstrated expertise in inventory management, purchasing, logistics, and stock control.
• Strong understanding of food costs, labor costs, waste reduction, and operational efficiency.
• Exceptional organizational and communication skills.
• The ability to recruit, train, motivate, and hold a large team accountable.
• A strong understanding of food safety, sanitation, and kitchen standards.
• The ability to remain calm, decisive, and professional in a fast‑paced environment.
• A genuine passion for hospitality, culinary excellence, and preserving the legacy of a historic establishment.

THE IDEAL LEADER

We are looking for someone who understands that leading 50 culinary professionals across three kitchens requires more than culinary talent.

You must be a leader, organizer, mentor, problem‑solver, and operator. You should be comfortable moving between strategic planning and the realities of a busy kitchen. You know how to build systems, control costs, manage people, maintain standards, and create an environment where talented culinary professionals can succeed.

Most importantly, you understand the responsibility that comes with becoming the culinary leader of an establishment that has been serving its community for 79 years.

WHAT WE OFFER

• The opportunity to lead the culinary operation of a 79‑year‑old Santa Cruz institution.
• Executive‑level responsibility and significant leadership authority.
• The opportunity to lead and develop a team of approximately 50 culinary professionals.
• Oversight of three kitchens and multiple support operations.
• The opportunity to make a lasting impact on an established and respected culinary operation.
• A dynamic environment where experience, leadership, and culinary vision are valued.

LOCATION

Capitola, California

Founded in 1947, Shadowbrook Restaurant has been known for “Romance in Dining” since the beginning. Award‑winning service, farm‑fresh ingredients, and a world‑famous ambiance are among the many things that make Shadowbrook exceptional. Located in the delightful village of Capitola‑by‑the‑Sea, accessible by its quaint cable car or a stroll through the lushly landscaped hillside, sits the restaurant nestled onto the banks of Soquel Creek. The building design is rich with old‑world charm and boasts numerous meticulously crafted dining rooms and patios. With a magical setting and dedication to excellence, Shadowbrook is genuinely one of a kind.