Chef De Cuisine

Chef De Cuisine

Esco Marietta | Marietta, GA

Position Summary

At Esco Marietta, we believe exceptional dining begins with exceptional leadership. We are seeking a highly motivated, experienced, and hands-on Chef De Cuisine to oversee all culinary operations and lead our kitchen with professionalism, accountability, creativity, and consistency.

The Chef De Cuisine serves as the operational leader of the Back of House and is responsible for executing our culinary vision while driving financial performance, maintaining the highest food safety standards, developing future leaders, and ensuring every guest receives an exceptional dining experience.

This is not simply a cooking position—it is a leadership role requiring operational excellence, business acumen, and a passion for developing people.

Primary Responsibilities

Kitchen Leadership

• Lead, mentor, and inspire all Back-of-House team members.
• Recruit, interview, hire, onboard, and develop kitchen employees.
• Build a culture centered around professionalism, accountability, teamwork, and continuous improvement.
• Conduct regular performance evaluations, coaching sessions, and corrective action when necessary.
• Establish clear expectations and maintain consistent execution from every kitchen employee.
• Develop future kitchen leaders through mentorship and training.

Culinary Excellence

• Ensure every plate leaving the kitchen meets Esco Marietta's standards for presentation, flavor, consistency, and portion control.
• Monitor food preparation to guarantee recipes and specifications are followed precisely.
• Perform daily quality assurance inspections during prep and service.
• Maintain consistency during high-volume service without compromising quality.
• Oversee menu execution and collaborate with ownership regarding seasonal features and menu enhancements.

Food Safety & Regulatory Compliance

The Chef De Cuisine is expected to possess expert-level knowledge of food safety regulations and lead by example.

Responsibilities include:

• Enforcing FDA Food Code guidelines.
• Maintaining compliance with Georgia Department of Public Health regulations.
• Ensuring HACCP procedures are followed daily.
• Implementing strict cross-contamination prevention practices.
• Monitoring personal hygiene and hand-washing compliance.
• Verifying proper glove usage and sanitation procedures.
• Maintaining accurate temperature logs for all refrigeration, freezers, prep stations, and cooked foods.
• Ensuring FIFO (First In, First Out) inventory rotation.
• Proper labeling and date marking of all products.
• Monitoring chemical storage and sanitation procedures.
• Preparing the kitchen for health inspections at all times.
• Maintaining an "A" health inspection score.

Required Food Temperature Knowledge

Candidates must demonstrate complete knowledge of safe cooking and holding temperatures.

Minimum Internal Cooking Temperatures

• Poultry: 165°F
• Stuffed meats and stuffed seafood: 165°F
• Reheated foods for hot holding: 165°F
• Ground beef, pork, sausage: 155°F
• Eggs prepared for hot holding: 155°F
• Seafood: 145°F
• Beef steaks: 145°F (unless guest requests otherwise where permitted)
• Pork chops: 145°F
• Whole muscle beef roasts: Per approved time-and-temperature standards.
• Vegetables, grains, rice, beans for hot holding: 135°F

Holding Standards

• Cold Holding: 41°F or below
• Hot Holding: 135°F or above

Cooling Procedures

Must understand and enforce:

• 135°F → 70°F within 2 hours
• 70°F → 41°F within the next 4 hours

Receiving Standards

Inspect all deliveries for:

• Correct temperatures
• Product quality
• Proper packaging
• Expiration dates
• Vendor compliance

Reject products that fail to meet quality or food safety standards.

Kitchen Operations

The Chef De Cuisine is responsible for the daily operation of the kitchen, including:

• Opening and closing procedures.
• Daily line checks.
• Production scheduling.
• Prep planning.
• Equipment inspections.
• Preventive maintenance reporting.
• Shift execution.
• Station readiness.
• Expo management during service.
• Inventory accuracy.
• Waste reduction initiatives.

The Chef De Cuisine will manage restaurant profitability through:

• Inventory control.
• Portion control.
• Waste reduction.
• Yield management.
• Monthly inventory counts.
• Invoice verification.
• Budget adherence.

Inventory & Purchasing

Responsible for:

• Weekly inventory counts.
• Verifying invoices.
• Monitoring product quality.
• Maintaining adequate stock levels.
• Eliminating unnecessary waste.

Team Development

The Chef De Cuisine is expected to:

• Train all new kitchen employees.
• Create station training guides.
• Develop prep standards.
• Cross-train employees.
• Schedule ongoing culinary education.
• Promote employees based on performance.
• Hold team members accountable through coaching and documentation.

Guest Experience

Although the Chef De Cuisine works primarily in the kitchen, they play a critical role in guest satisfaction by ensuring:

• Food is served correctly the first time.
• Tickets are executed efficiently.
• Special requests and dietary restrictions are followed.
• Guest concerns regarding food quality are addressed promptly.
• Consistency is maintained regardless of business volume.

Qualifications Required:

• Minimum 5 years of Chef De Cuisine, Executive Sous Chef, or Kitchen Manager experience in a high-volume upscale restaurant.
• Strong leadership and people-development skills.
• Expert knowledge of food safety and sanitation regulations.
• ServSafe Manager Certification (required or obtained within 30 days).
• Experience managing food and labor costs.
• Strong understanding of inventory and purchasing.
• Excellent organizational and communication skills.
• Ability to work nights, weekends, holidays, and extended shifts as business demands.

Preferred:

• Fine dining or upscale casual experience.
• Experience with scratch kitchens.
• Knowledge of POS and inventory management systems.
• Experience leading teams of 20 employees.
• Stable work history with demonstrated leadership growth.

Physical Requirements:

• Ability to stand and walk for extended periods.
• Lift and carry up to 50 pounds.
• Bend, kneel, reach, push, and pull throughout the shift.
• Work safely in hot, fast-paced kitchen environments.

What We Offer

• Competitive salary
• Performance-based bonuses
• Paid vacation
• Growth opportunities
• Leadership autonomy
• Professional development
• A culture focused on excellence, accountability, and hospitality

At Esco Marietta, we don't just hire chefs—we develop culinary leaders. If you have the experience, discipline, and passion to lead an exceptional kitchen, we encourage you to apply.

Full Service Restuarant/Lounge