Director of Culinary Operations

The Director of Culinary Operations will oversee culinary operations across multiple sushi restaurants, ensuring consistent food quality, menu execution, and operational standards. This role will lead chef recruiting and development, manage food costs and inventory controls, and oversee new restaurant openings from construction handoff through launch and stabilization.

This position is based in New York and requires frequent domestic travel. The Director will also work behind the sushi counter as a sushi chef to support service, training, openings, and staffing needs.

• Culinary Leadership & Restaurant Operations
• Lead sushi chefs and BOH teams, setting clear expectations for quality, service, professionalism, and performance.
• Maintain consistent preparation, portioning, presentation, and menu execution.
• Work behind the sushi counter as needed, preparing and serving omakase and engaging with guests.
• Conduct regular venue visits, assess performance, and address operational gaps.
• Oversee kitchen organization, sanitation, and food safety, including proper handling and storage of raw fish.
• Partner with culinary leadership to implement menu updates, standardized recipes, and operating procedures.
• Coordinate staffing, scheduling, coverage, and service execution with restaurant and Operations leadership.

Food Cost, Inventory & Purchasing

• Monitor food costs by location and address variances through purchasing, portion control, product yield, and waste reduction.
• Establish and maintain ordering, inventory, receiving, storage, and product rotation procedures.
• Review inventory accuracy, spoilage, purchasing trends, and adherence to approved products and suppliers.
• Manage vendor relationships to maintain product quality, availability, pricing, and reliable delivery.
• Train chefs and managers on food cost accountability and inventory controls.

Chef Recruiting, Hiring & Training

• Lead sushi chef recruiting and hiring, including sourcing, interviews, and practical skills assessments.
• Maintain a pipeline of qualified chefs for existing restaurants and new openings.
• Oversee onboarding and training, establish standards, and assess readiness before chefs lead service independently.
• Coach and develop culinary teams to support performance, retention, and advancement.
New Restaurant Openings
• Lead opening readiness, managing timelines, budgets, checklists, and coordination among internal teams, vendors, and external partners.
• Coordinate kitchen and sushi bar layouts, equipment installation, POS setup, deliveries, and inspections with the responsible teams.
• Develop opening staffing plans and coordinate FOH and BOH hiring, onboarding, and training with Operations and HR.
• Partner with the responsible departments on payroll and timekeeping setup and applicable health, safety, alcohol service, and labor requirements.
• Prepare opening orders and establish inventory levels, receiving procedures, and storage systems.
• Provide onsite leadership for previews, media events, friendsandfamily services, and openings.
• Remain onsite through stabilization, resolve operational issues, and ensure a smooth handoff to restaurant and Operations leadership.
Qualifications
• Minimum of 5 years of progressive culinary or restaurant operations experience, including leadership of sushi chefs and BOH teams.
• Minimum of 3 years of handson experience as an omakase sushi chef.
• Strong skills in fish handling, sushi preparation, and guestfacing omakase service.
• Experience overseeing multiple restaurants and leading new restaurant openings.
• Demonstrated ability to recruit, assess, train, and develop sushi chefs.
• Strong knowledge of food cost management, purchasing, inventory controls, food safety, and sanitation.
• Experience managing timelines, budgets, vendors, and coordination across departments.
• Strong leadership, communication, organizational, and problemsolving skills.
• Ability to work independently and provide handson support during service and openings.
• Availability for frequent domestic travel and evening, weekend, and extended hours as business needs require.