Jose Andres Group

Fine-dining restaurant group offering experiential cuisine

Head Chef

Culinary & Kitchen ProductionConfirmed live in the last 24 hours

Full-timeNashville, TN, USAIn-person

About the Job

Requirements

Requires 5–7+ years of professional kitchen experience, including 2–3+ years in a lead role such as Sous Chef, CDC, or Head Chef in upscale/casual-fine or fine dining.
Requires advanced mastery of grill, sauté, fry, and garde manger stations, and strong expo leadership.
Requires demonstrated success managing inventory, yields, and cost of goods sold (COGS), and familiarity with basic profit-and-loss (P&L) levers.
Requires strong knowledge of Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) and food safety, plus ServSafe Manager certification or equivalent, or ability to obtain it.
Requires familiarity with kitchen display systems (KDS), point-of-sale (POS), inventory, and scheduling tools, and comfort using Google Workspace.
Requires schedule flexibility to work nights, weekends, and holidays.
Requires standing and moving for extended periods of up to eight or more hours, with frequent bending and reaching.
Requires lifting, carrying, pushing, or pulling up to 35–50 pounds.
Requires ability to work around heat, steam, refrigeration, and cleaning chemicals, and to perform repetitive knife and equipment use.
Requires slip-resistant footwear.

Responsibilities

Lead, train, and hold the team to culinary standards for seasoning, texture, temperature, and plating.
Conduct pre-service tastings and line checks, and calibrate stations and expo for quality and timing.
Uphold and improve recipes and standard operating procedures (SOPs), document changes, and ensure version control.
Maintain core menus and seasonal features aligned with the concept, sourcing, and brand story.
Partner with Beverage/Bar on pairings and promotions, and support menu engineering decisions with data.
Execute tastings, rollouts, and training materials for menu changes.
Own the pass by managing ticket flow, coursing, and window times, and work on the line during peak periods.
Communicate 86s and low pars in real time to front-of-house leadership, and drive immediate recovery for remakes.
Analyze service issues after shifts and capture lessons in manager logs and action plans.
Recruit, onboard, and develop Sous Chefs, Line, Prep, and Stewarding team members in partnership with others.
Deliver ongoing coaching, documented feedback, and fair performance management.
Foster an inclusive, respectful, learning-focused kitchen and recognize strong work.
Enforce Department of Health (DOH) and HACCP standards, including cooling logs, holding temperatures, allergen and cross-contact controls, and personal hygiene.
Ensure daily and weekly cleaning schedules, equipment care, and safe use of chemicals and personal protective equipment (PPE).
Prepare for inspections, correct violations immediately, and train the team to prevent recurrences.
Own inventory accuracy, yield tracking, waste logs, and portion control to meet COGS targets.
Build pars and order to forecast, and verify receiving quality, temperatures, and storage by zone.
Partner with vendors on quality, pricing, and substitutions, and escalate shortages with solutions.
Build schedules to volume and skill mix, and manage deployment and breaks to protect ticket times and the labor plan.
Cross-train the team to maintain coverage and provide growth opportunities.
Ensure safe operation and daily maintenance of kitchen equipment, including filtering fryers and cleaning hoods and filters according to schedule.
Submit and track work orders, tag out unsafe equipment, and communicate timelines.
Execute Banquet Event Orders (BEOs), Private Dining Room (PDR) events, and off-site activations to standard, on time, and to cost.
Support new openings and seasonal transitions through hiring, training, tastings, and stabilization.

Description

Job Title: Head Chef – Concept/PropertyNameConcept/PropertyName
Reports To: Director of Operations
Department: Back of House – Culinary
Employment Type: Salaried, Exempt

About José Andrés Group

José Andrés Group (JAG) is a hospitality company led by Chef José Andrés, known for outstanding guest experiences, innovation, and a values-driven culture. Our teams bring world-class food and warm hospitality to life across acclaimed concepts worldwide.

Position Summary

The Head Chef is the culinary leader responsible for daily kitchen performance, food quality, consistency, and team development. This role owns line readiness and execution, menu upkeep and features, food safety compliance, inventory and COGS controls, and the growth of a strong culinary culture—delivering JAG standards of flavor, presentation, and hospitality during every service.

Key Responsibilities

Culinary Leadership & Standards

Lead, train, and hold the team to JAG culinary standards for seasoning, texture, temperature, and plating.
Conduct pre-service tastings and line checks; calibrate stations and expo for quality and timing.
Uphold and improve recipes/SOPs; document changes and ensure version control.

Menu Management & Innovation

Maintain core menus and seasonal features aligned with concept, sourcing, and brand story.
Partner with Beverage/Bar on pairings and promotions; support menu engineering decisions with data.
Execute tastings, rollouts, and training materials for any menu change.

Service Execution & Expo

Own the pass: manage ticket flow, coursing, and window times; step onto the line during peaks.
Communicate 86s/low pars in real time to FOH leadership; drive “fix now” recovery for remakes.
Analyze service issues post-shift; capture learnings in manager logs and action plans.

People Leadership & Culture

Recruit, onboard, and develop a skilled team (Sous Chefs, Line, Prep, Stewarding in partnership).
Deliver ongoing coaching, documented feedback, and fair performance management.
Foster an inclusive, respectful, and learning-focused kitchen; recognize great work.

Food Safety, Sanitation & Compliance

Enforce DOH/HACCP standards: cooling logs, holding temps, allergen/cross-contact, and personal hygiene.
Ensure daily/weekly cleaning schedules, equipment care, and safe chemical/PPE use.
Prepare for inspections; correct violations immediately and train to prevent recurrences.

Inventory, COGS & Procurement

Own inventory accuracy, yield tracking, waste logs, and portion control to meet COGS targets.
Build pars and order to forecast; verify receiving quality/temperatures and storage by zone.
Partner with vendors on quality, pricing, and substitutions; escalate shortages with solutions.

Labor & Scheduling

Build schedules to volume and skill mix; manage deployment and breaks to protect ticket times and labor plan.
Cross-train team to maintain coverage and growth opportunities.

Facilities, Equipment & R&M

Ensure safe operation and daily maintenance of kitchen equipment; filter fryers, clean hoods/filters per schedule.
Submit and track work orders; tag out unsafe equipment and communicate timelines.

Events, Banquets & Openings (as applicable)

Execute BEOs, PDR, and off-site activations to standard, on time and to cost.
Support new openings and seasonal transitions: hiring, training, tastings, and stabilization.

Requirements

Required Qualifications

5–7+ years of professional kitchen experience with 2–3+ years in a lead role (Sous Chef, CDC, or Head Chef) in upscale/casual-fine or fine dining.
Advanced station mastery (grill, sauté, fry, garde manger) and strong expo leadership.
Proven success managing inventory, yields, and COGS; literacy with basic P&L levers.
Strong knowledge of HACCP/food safety; ServSafe Manager or equivalent (or ability to obtain).
Clear communicator and coach; calm, organized decision-maker under pressure.
Familiarity with KDS/POS, inventory, and scheduling tools; Google Workspace comfort.
Schedule flexibility (nights, weekends, holidays).

Working Conditions & Physical Requirements

Stand and move for extended periods (up to 8+ hours); frequent bending/reaching.
Lift/carry/push/pull up to 35–50 lbs.
Continuous exposure to heat, steam, refrigeration, and cleaning chemicals; repetitive knife/equipment use.
Slip-resistant footwear required.

In Return, We Offer You

Competitive compensation and performance-based bonus opportunities
Comprehensive health & wellness benefits
Retirement savings plans
Employee dining and partner discounts
Professional growth in a values-driven, award-winning hospitality group

Equal Opportunity Employer

José Andrés Group is an Equal Opportunity Employer and participates in the federal E-Verify Program.

About the Company

Jose Andres Group

Fine-dining restaurant group offering experiential cuisine

The Jose Andres Group runs a collection of high-end restaurants, including The Bazaar, where guests experience innovative dining led by James Beard Award–winning chef Jos Andrés. The Bazaar combines avant-garde dishes with theatrical presentations in a stylish, modern space designed by Philippe Starck. The restaurant showcases creative techniques—such as smoking cocktails and spherified items—within a lively, immersive setting. What sets it apart is the combination of a celebrity-led culinary team, chef-driven artistry, and a strong emphasis on experiential dining rather than just food, all within a distinctive, stylish venue. The goal is to provide memorable, magical dining experiences that push culinary boundaries and surprise guests with both taste and presentation.

Company size: 1-10
Company stage: Not listed
Total funding: Not listed
Headquarters: Auckland, New Zealand
Founded: 2019

Recently Posted Jobs

Explore more opportunities at Jose Andres Group

See more jobs