STEAKHOUSE CHEF (Don Julio Group Corporate Office)

Don Julio Restaurant Group; Orlando (FL); On-site; USD 80,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Job summary

Don Julio Restaurant Group is opening a new steakhouse in Orlando and seeks a highly skilled, hands-on Steakhouse Chef to lead the kitchen. You will manage daily preparation, execution, and presentation, train cooks, and ensure quality across steaks, seafood, and accompaniments, collaborating with the Corporate Chef and management.

The role emphasizes on-site leadership, high-volume service, and adherence to recipes, sanitation, and food-safety standards, with a starting salary around $80,000

Qualifications

• Minimum five years of progressive professional culinary experience in high-volume restaurant environments.
• At least two years of steakhouse cooking or kitchen-leadership experience.
• Strong knowledge of beef grades, cuts, trimming, seasoning, and cooking temperatures.
• Bilingual proficiency in English and Spanish for training a Spanish-speaking kitchen team.
• Current food-manager certification or ability to obtain it.

Responsibilities

• Oversee daily food preparation, execution, quality, and presentation.
• Work hands-on in the kitchen during service.
• Lead, train, and supervise sous chefs and line cooks.
• Ensure consistent cooking to guests’ requested temperatures.
• Maintain recipes, portions, and plating standards.
• Support opening preparations and menu testing with the Corporate Chef.
• Coordinate station assignments, prep lists, and inventory control.
• Protect product quality and monitor food costs.

Skills

Culinary leadership

Steakhouse cooking

Staff training

Food safety

Menu knowledge

Bilingual English/Spanish

Job description

Orlando, Florida

Starting Salary: $80,000 annually, based on experience

OPENING STEAKHOUSE
Hands-On Kitchen Leader

Company Culture – The Don Julio Difference

At Don Julio Restaurant Group, our culture is rooted in family, excellence, innovation, and hospitality. Our “Culture of Yes” guides every interaction with our guests and team members.

We are preparing to open a new steakhouse and are seeking a highly skilled, hands‑on Steakhouse Chef who understands the complete steakhouse concept and can consistently execute exceptional food.

Every team member is expected to go above and beyond to create memorable guest experiences through teamwork, quality, consistency, and exceptional service.

Position Summary

The Opening Steakhouse Chef will be responsible for the daily preparation, execution, quality, consistency, and presentation of all food served in the restaurant.

This is a hands‑on culinary leadership position—not a corporate or administrative Executive Chef role. The Chef must be comfortable working directly in the kitchen, preparing food, demonstrating proper culinary techniques, training cooks, inspecting every station, and leading the kitchen during busy service periods.

The selected candidate must have strong steakhouse experience and comprehensive knowledge of steaks, chops, seafood, appetizers, salads, soups, sauces, side dishes, accompaniments, and desserts commonly offered in a quality steakhouse.

The Chef will work closely with the Corporate Chef, ownership, and restaurant management to prepare the kitchen and culinary team for the opening of the new restaurant and maintain the established standards after opening.

Key Responsibilities

• Take responsibility for the daily preparation, execution, quality, consistency, and presentation of all food.

• Work hands‑on in the kitchen before, during, and after service.

• Prepare and properly cook steaks, chops, seafood, and other proteins.

• Ensure steaks and other proteins are consistently prepared to guests’ requested temperatures.

• Demonstrate strong knowledge of beef grades, steak cuts, trimming, portioning, seasoning, grilling, broiling, searing, resting, carving, and presentation.

• Understand and properly execute the complete steakhouse menu, including appetizers, salads, soups, sauces, seafood, side dishes, accompaniments, and desserts.

• Assist the Corporate Chef with menu testing, recipes, tastings, product selection, food presentation, and opening preparations.

• Follow and enforce all standardized recipes, preparation procedures, portion sizes, cooking methods, and plating requirements.

• Lead, train, supervise, and provide hands‑on direction to Sous Chefs, Line Cooks, Prep Cooks, and other kitchen employees.

• Demonstrate proper cooking, preparation, sanitation, and food‑handling techniques to the kitchen team.

• Conduct line checks before service to confirm that each station is properly prepared, stocked, clean, and ready.

• Monitor food quality, cooking temperatures, presentation, ticket times, and kitchen performance throughout each shift.

• Correct food‑quality, preparation, presentation, or performance problems immediately.

• Coordinate preparation lists, station assignments, product levels, shift transitions, and service responsibilities.

• Oversee kitchen opening, preparation, service, closing, storage, labeling, rotation, and cleaning procedures.

• Assist with ordering, receiving, inventory, portion control, product utilization, and waste reduction.

• Protect product quality and assist with controlling food costs.

• Maintain a clean, organized, safe, and sanitary kitchen.

• Ensure compliance with food‑safety requirements and all applicable health regulations.

• Communicate effectively with restaurant management and front‑of‑house leadership to support smooth operations and guest satisfaction.

• Help prepare the kitchen team for training sessions, tastings, mock services, soft‑opening events, and the restaurant’s official opening.

• Provide calm, professional, and effective leadership during high‑volume and high‑pressure service periods.

• Identify and report equipment, product, staffing, or operational concerns promptly.

• Lead by example and maintain Don Julio Restaurant Group’s standards for quality, consistency, professionalism, teamwork, and service.

Required Qualifications and Experience

• Minimum of five years of progressive professional culinary experience in high‑volume restaurant environments.

• At least two years of directly related steakhouse cooking or kitchen‑leadership experience.

• Strong, verifiable experience preparing and executing a complete steakhouse menu.

• Comprehensive knowledge of steaks, chops, seafood, appetizers, salads, soups, sauces, side dishes, accompaniments, and desserts.

• Strong knowledge of beef grades, meat cuts, trimming, portioning, seasoning, grilling, broiling, searing, cooking temperatures, resting, carving, and presentation.

• Ability to prepare steaks accurately and consistently from rare through well‑done.

• Ability and willingness to work directly on the kitchen line and demonstrate proper culinary techniques.

• Experience training, directing, supervising, and supporting kitchen employees.

• Previous experience assisting with a new restaurant or steakhouse opening is strongly preferred.

• Experience with inventory, ordering, receiving, food costs, portion control, and waste reduction.

• Bilingual proficiency in English and Spanish is required because the Chef must effectively train and communicate with a predominantly Spanish‑speaking kitchen team.

• Strong leadership, organization, communication, decision‑making, and problem‑solving skills.

• Ability to remain composed, organized, and productive in a fast‑paced, high‑volume kitchen.

• Current food‑manager certification or the ability to obtain the required certification.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to stand and work in a commercial kitchen for extended periods.

• Ability to lift, carry, and move food products, supplies, and equipment consistent with restaurant kitchen operations.

• Ability to work around heat, open flames, refrigeration equipment, sharp utensils, and other commercial kitchen equipment.

• Ability to perform the physical duties required for food preparation and kitchen service.

Work Schedule

This position requires flexibility to work various shifts based on operational needs, including days, evenings, weekends, holidays, training sessions, tastings, mock services, soft‑opening events, and peak business periods.

The Chef must be available and present during the restaurant’s busiest service periods.

Compensation

Starting salary: $80,000 annually, based on directly related steakhouse experience.

The final salary may be adjusted based on the candidate’s qualifications, depth of steakhouse knowledge, leadership experience, and restaurant‑opening experience.

Benefits

• Medical insurance

• Dental insurance

• Vision insurance

Benefit eligibility and coverage are subject to the terms of the applicable benefit plans.

Application Requirements

Applicants must submit a résumé clearly identifying their directly related steakhouse experience.

Candidates should be prepared to discuss:

• The steakhouses where they previously worked

• Their position and responsibilities at each restaurant

• The steakhouse menu items they personally prepared

• Their knowledge of beef grades, steak cuts, preparation methods, and cooking temperatures

• Their experience working directly on the kitchen line

• The number of kitchen employees they trained or directed

• Their experience with inventory, ordering, food costs, portion control, and waste reduction

• Any previous restaurant‑opening or steakhouse‑opening experience

Only candidates with directly related steakhouse culinary experience will be considered.

This is a full‑time position

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