CDC

The Grey Restaurant is seeking an experienced, disciplined, and creative Chef de Cuisine to lead daily kitchen operations for our casual fine dining restaurant in Savannah, Georgia. This role is responsible for executing the culinary vision of the restaurant while maintaining the highest standards of food quality, consistency, sanitation, organization, team leadership, and financial performance.

The ideal candidate is a hands-on culinary leader who thrives in a high-volume, hospitality-driven environment and understands how to balance creativity with operational excellence. The Chef de Cuisine will lead the back-of-house team, support menu development, manage kitchen systems, uphold food safety standards, and foster a culture of professionalism, accountability, respect, and continuous improvement.

Key Responsibilities

Culinary Leadership & Food Quality

• Execute and uphold the restaurant’s culinary standards, recipes, plating guidelines, and quality expectations.
• Lead daily kitchen service with precision, urgency, and attention to detail.
• Ensure all dishes are prepared consistently, beautifully presented, and delivered in a timely manner.
• Support menu development, seasonal specials, and recipe refinement in alignment with the restaurant’s concept and brand.
• Maintain strong knowledge of ingredients, cooking techniques, product sourcing, and current culinary trends.
• Taste food regularly and provide immediate coaching to ensure quality and consistency.

Kitchen Operations

• Oversee daily back-of-house operations, including prep, line execution, ordering, receiving, inventory, storage, and sanitation.
• Maintain organized, clean, and efficient kitchen stations, walk-ins, dry storage, and prep areas.
• Ensure proper opening, service, and closing procedures are followed by all kitchen staff.
• Create and maintain prep lists, production schedules, station pars, and kitchen checklists.
• Monitor equipment condition and communicate repair or maintenance needs promptly.

Team Leadership & Development

• Hire, train, coach, schedule, and develop cooks, prep cooks, dishwashers, and other back-of-house team members.
• Lead by example with professionalism, calmness, consistency, and a strong work ethic.
• Build a positive kitchen culture based on respect, accountability, teamwork, and pride in craft.
• Provide clear direction before, during, and after service.
• Conduct regular training on recipes, techniques, safety procedures, sanitation, and service standards.
• Address performance issues promptly and professionally.

Financial & Administrative Management

• Manage food cost, labor cost, waste, and inventory in alignment with company goals.
• Assist with budgeting, menu costing, recipe costing, and purchasing decisions.
• Place orders accurately and maintain strong vendor relationships.
• Monitor portion control, yield, spoilage, and waste reduction.
• Support scheduling to meet business needs while managing labor efficiently.
• Maintain accurate records for inventory, ordering, temperature logs, sanitation checklists, and other operational requirements.
  

Food Safety & Sanitation

• Ensure compliance with all federal, state, and local health department regulations.
• Maintain a clean, safe, and organized kitchen at all times.
• Enforce proper food handling, labeling, dating, cooling, reheating, and storage procedures.
• Ensure all staff follow safety protocols and sanitation standards.
• Maintain readiness for health inspections at all times.

Collaboration & Guest Experience

• Partner with front-of-house leadership to ensure a seamless guest experience.
• Communicate clearly with managers, servers, and culinary staff regarding menu changes, allergens, availability, and service needs.
• Respond professionally to guest feedback and use it to improve operations.
• Represent The Grey’s standards of hospitality, quality, and integrity in all interactions.

• Minimum 5–8 years of progressive culinary leadership experience, preferably in a casual fine dining, upscale casual, or chef-driven restaurant.
• Prior experience as a Sous Chef, Executive Sous Chef, Chef de Cuisine, or similar leadership role.
• Strong culinary skills with excellent knowledge of cooking techniques, knife skills, butchery, sauces, seasoning, and plating.
• Proven ability to lead, train, and motivate a kitchen team.
• Strong understanding of food cost, labor management, inventory, ordering, and kitchen systems.
• Excellent organizational, communication, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to perform calmly and effectively under pressure.
• Knowledge of health department standards and food safety requirements.
• Food Handling Manager-level certification (e.g. ServSafe®) or ability to obtain upon hire.
• Flexible availability, including nights, weekends, holidays, and peak business periods.

• Ability to stand and walk for extended periods.
• Ability to lift, carry, push, or pull up to 50 pounds.
• Ability to work in a hot, fast-paced kitchen environment.
• Ability to bend, reach, stoop, climb stairs, and perform repetitive motions.
• Ability to safely operate standard commercial kitchen equipment.

• Passion about food, hospitality, and team development.
• Detail-orientation and high organization skills.
• Creativity grounded in consistency and execution.
• A strong sense of ownership and accountability.
• Calm, respectful, and professional demeanor under pressure.
• Commitment to excellence, integrity, cleanliness, and continuous improvement.
• Ability to balance culinary creativity with business discipline.

• Strong work ethic and ability to effectively work within a team environment
• Organizational skills above reproach
• Ability to multi-task and delegate responsibilities in a timely, organized, and efficient manner
• Superior problem solving, particularly in critical moments, adjusting as necessary for a permanent solution
• Instinct and ability to anticipate needs, considerations, and potential challenges
• Ability to listen intently, process information and to provide clear and accurate results of that processing
• Managerial presence
• Excellent judgment and confident decision-making skills
• Excellent communications skills and an innate ability to ensure critical information is shared timely
• Working knowledge of restaurant management platforms, including Toast, 7shifts and Craftable (or the like), as well as Microsoft Office

The Grey Restaurant LLC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to creating a diverse, inclusive, and respectful workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable law.