What are the responsibilities and job description for the Culinary Director + Private Chef - SF Peninsula, CA position at Sorensen Staffing?
Culinary Director / Private Chef
Full-Time | SF Bay Area Peninsula–Based | Travel with Italy Focus
Please note: IF YOU DO NOT FILL OUT THE PRE-SCREENER ASSESEMEMNT THAT ACCOMPANIES THE APPLICATION YOUR CANDIDACY CAN NOT BE CONSIDERED.
Heart of the Role
This role represents the foundational hire in what is envisioned as a long-term, evolving private culinary program. In the near term, you will be highly hands-on—cooking, planning, and executing at a very high level—while over time the role is expected to grow into something broader, including shaping systems, refining standards, and helping to build and lead additional culinary staff as the household’s needs and properties expand.
This is an opportunity for someone who enjoys not only cooking beautifully, but building something thoughtfully and correctly from the ground up. The right person will take pride in laying the foundation for a program that will, over several years, rival the sophistication and consistency of a top-tier restaurant—within the privacy of a home. Food should feel indulgent, abundant, and memorable.
Compensation & Benefits
Salary: $225,000–$250,000 annually, commensurate with experience, plus benefits
Travel expenses fully covered when traveling for the role
Overview
The Culinary Director / Private Chef will be responsible for all aspects of the household’s food world, including daily meals beginning with a drop-off model, entertaining, travel food logistics, sourcing and preservation, agricultural projects, and kitchen build-out projects. This is a full-time, permanent role. While the scope is significant today, it is also forward-looking, and the person in this role will help define how the culinary program grows, including determining when and how additional staff are brought on.
Ideal Candidate Profile
Background in private chef work (required) , fine dining, or boutique hospitality
Michelin restaurant background required
Interested in building a program, not just executing meals
Comfortable operating hands-on now, with leadership responsibility later
Exceptionally organized, self-directed, and reliable
Calm, emotionally intelligent, and steady under pressure
Discreet, respectful, and professional
Strong judgment and common sense
Open to travel and an evolving scope
Location & Travel
Primary Residence: Bay Area (Peninsula)
Travel includes periodic travel within the U.S. and limited but meaningful travel to Italy. Currently this involves multiple planning and exploratory trips per year, with longer stays of several weeks annually over time. The Italy property is in development; near-term involvement will focus on planning kitchens, sourcing, and agricultural projects, alongside possible daily cooking.
About the Household
Private, low-key couple with no children
Deeply appreciative of food, with exceptionally high standards
Extremely detail-oriented and discerning
Collaborative, thoughtful, and kind—within clear expectations
Values privacy, professionalism, and long-term relationships
Culinary Philosophy
Mediterranean / Italian coastal approach
Seasonal, local, nutritionally dense ingredients
Olive oil as the primary fat; butter used rarely
No processed foods, seed oils, or “pseudo-healthy” substitutes
No fake meats or trend-driven food
Sugar reserved for rare desserts
Food should feel indulgent, abundant, and memorable
Real meals matter; snacks are secondary
Aperitivo is a category of its own and is valued
Dietary Considerations
One principal is pescatarian (no poultry; meat rarely)
Other principal is vegetarian-plus (select invertebrates; no octopus)
Current Operating Model (Near Term)
Three days per week of thoughtfully prepared meals, produced from an off-site kitchen and dropped off; two days of planning and admin
Meals are designed for quality and suitability for reheating
Breakfast is left for the mornings
One to three elevated dinner parties per month, hosted at the home for up to approximately 12 guests
These dinners are intended to impress and reflect the household’s high-level culinary standards
Additional staff will be provided to assist with execution as needed for larger dinner parties
As the role develops and infrastructure evolves, including kitchen build-out, the cadence, frequency, and level of live cooking are expected to increase.
Responsibilities
Daily & Weekly Cooking
Advance preparation of breakfasts, left ready the day prior
Lunch and dinner preparation aligned with the current cadence
Occasional weekend meals
Preparing food for animals (e.g., chickens)
Fridge stocking and prepared meals ready upon return from travel
Entertaining
One to three elevated dinner parties per month, hosted at the home for up to approximately 12 guests
Collaborative menu planning, plating, and table aesthetic
Oversight of supporting staff during events
Travel & Food Logistics
Preparing food for flights with clear reheating and sequencing instructions
Coordinating food sourcing when departing from other cities
Reviewing hotel menus and liaising with chefs for special requests
Identifying strong food options in challenging locations
Occasional travel with the principals to cook or prep
Food oversight for private dinners hosted while traveling
Sourcing, Preservation & Long-Term Projects
Building relationships with farmers and specialty purveyors
Importing and directing production of estate-grown and preserved goods
Fermenting, pickling, preserving, and recipe development
Producing curated annual food gifts
Elimination of plastic use in the kitchen
Kitchen equipment planning and stocking
Wine curation and pairings
Input on kitchen design and renovations in the U.S. and Italy
Participating in long-term planning for future culinary hires
Culinary Reference Points
Cotogna
Quince
Chez Panisse (Restaurant & Café)
Mister Jiu’s
The Progress
Zuni Café
Kin Khao
Pizzetta 211
Nopa
Sushi Ran
Benefits
Health Insurance: 100% employer-paid for employee; 50% coverage for spouse/dependents
Eligibility for a 401(k) plan with employer match
Paid Time Off: Three weeks annual PTO policy, with flexibility and mutual respect
Employment Type: Full-time W-2
Salary : $225,000 - $250,000