Crew Member
About the job
- Prior food and customer service experience is required.
- Candidates must be reliable, arrive on time, and be ready to work.
- Candidates must be able to move quickly and stay focused during rushes.
- Candidates must be flexible to help wherever needed.
- Take guest orders accurately.
- Fry chicken, prepare sides, and assemble plates to Hot Chi standards.
- Keep stations stocked, clean, and food-safe.
- Support the crew wherever needed across front of house, back of house, or expo.
- Represent Hot Chi by bringing positivity, hustle, and hospitality to every shift.
- Rotate between guest service, food preparation, and kitchen support.
- An optimistic, team-oriented attitude.
About the company
Hot Chi Chicken + Cedars Mediterranean Kitchen operates as a Chicago-based fast-casual brand offering Nashville-style hot chicken infused with Middle Eastern and Mexican flavors. Its menu centers on chicken sandwiches and tenders at various heat levels, with signature items like the Hot Honey Butter Chicken Sandwich and harissa-glazed options, plus fusion sides such as Grilled Corn Elote and location-specific items like The Dirty Mac. The concept blends chef-driven recipes with a fast-casual format and relies on social media marketing and community events to attract and retain customers, differentiating itself through a Midwest-Mideast fusion and a family-backed, chef-led approach. The goal is to expand its Chicago footprint while maintaining accessible, flavorful dining and strong local partnerships in neighborhoods and food halls.
Company Size
1-10
Company Stage
N/A
Total Funding
N/A
Headquarters
Chicago, Illinois
Founded
2021
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Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- Hot Chi opened Lakeview at 953 W Belmont in November 2025 with strong demand.
- Time Out reported millions of views on TikTok and Instagram, fueling cheap customer acquisition.
- Cedars updated hours and dine-in service in 2025, showing stable ongoing operations in Hyde Park.
What critics are saying
- Package Development sued Cedars Mediterranean Foods on March 4, 2025, signaling vendor dispute risk.
- Hot Chi's expansion into Lakeview and Avondale stretches attention across multiple formats and neighborhoods.
- A viral brand can fade fast if TikTok traffic drops after the November 2025 opening surge.
What makes Hot Chi Chicken + Cedars Mediterranean Kitchen unique
- Amer Abdullah and Mutaz Abdullah fuse Nashville hot chicken with Middle Eastern flavors in Chicago.
- Hot Chi uses location-specific exclusives like Lakeview's Dirty Mac to drive repeat visits.
- Cedars Mediterranean Kitchen gives the founders a 1992 family-backed operating base in Hyde Park.
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Benefits
Meal Benefits