Executive Chef - New Upscale Concept Opening 2026 | Established Group

Established Restaurant Group | Chicago Suburbs (Elgin, IL)The OpportunityFamily-owned restaurant group opening second location mid-to-late 2026. We need an Executive Chef with deep Italian and Mediterranean expertise to lead culinary operations from concept through opening.The Setup:Design your kitchen from scratch with our architectsUpscale casual concept, $65-75 PP150-200 seat restaurant in high-traffic locationStart NOW - 6-9 months paid development before openingReal creative input, not just executionOpening: June-October 2026Salary: $100K-$120K (negotiable for exceptional candidates)Location: Elgin, IL (45 minutes from downtown Chicago)What We NeedRequired:15 years as Executive Chef or Chef de CuisineStrong Italian and Mediterranean culinary background (this is critical)Business acumen: P&L management, food cost control, operationsRestaurant opening experienceCollaborative leadership styleNot a Fit:Steakhouse-only specialistsInstitutional backgrounds without upscale restaurant experienceFrequent job changes without clear progressionAnyone needing complete autonomy or micromanagementWhy This WorksAbout Us:Successful existing restaurant with strong growth and retentionBuying the building - long-term real estate investmentFamily-owned, second generationSystems and structure in place, but not corporate rigidYour Role:Partner on concept development and menu creationDesign functional kitchen with equipment you wantBuild and lead kitchen team (15-20 staff)Maintain food cost targets while delivering qualityWork in existing location during development to learn our cultureThe Timeline: Six to nine months before opening means:No rushed menu developmentTime to build supplier relationshipsProper team hiring and trainingKitchen designed for efficiency, not inherited problemsThe PartnershipWe have strong operations. You bring culinary excellence.We're looking for someone who can balance creativity with profitability - not a "yes person" who just executes orders, and not someone who needs total creative control regardless of business impact.If you've been frustrated by corporate limitations or independent restaurant chaos, this might be the right balance.We move quickly for the right candidate.Company DescriptionRestaurantZone is one of the fastest-growing national recruiting agencies in the hospitality/restaurant space. We are a research-based retained recruitment agency & hybrid tech company that focuses on key roles for restaurants and hospitality. RestaurantZone has been featured in National Restaurant News and Total Foods Service Magazine and has worked with reputable brands like Red Lobster, Vapiano's, Chick-fil-a, Sbarro’s, McDonald's, Domino's, Cracker Barrel, Google, and Facebook. We are the cutting edge of recruiting with tech-savvy recruiters with over 100 collective years of experience working on the team. We have hundreds of jobs to fill and grow! Our recruiters work the entire country and focus on all major locations including Los Angeles, San Diego, New York City, Chicago, Miami, Atlanta, Washington DC, Houston, Las Vegas, Denver, Hawaii, and more!

Salary : $100,000 - $120,000