Kitchen Chef / Head Chef
1 month ago
Federal Way
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.