Job Description

Head Chef

Salary Range: $75,000-$90,000

About Mister Cheeks 

Mister Cheeks is an all-day café and neighborhood market opening this fall in the heart of Carroll Gardens, proudly owned and operated by a local family. We're on the hunt for passionate, creative team members who love great food, warm hospitality, and serving the community as much as we do. Guests can swing by our takeout window for coffee and soft serve ice cream, or step inside to browse a thoughtfully curated spread of house-made eats including pastries, soups, sandwiches, rotisserie chicken, and seasonal salads. All of which can be enjoyed in our cozy indoor or outdoor seating—or picked up to go. 

Position Overview
The Head Chef at Mister Cheeks is both a creative and operational leader who will collaborate with ownership on developing and executing a seasonal, thoughtful menu that reflects the café’s identity and values. This role oversees all kitchen operations to ensure quality, consistency, and a smooth flow of service. The Head Chef will lead a small, tight-knit back-of-house (BOH) team and collaborate with front-of-house (FOH) leadership to maintain an exceptional guest experience.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead menu development and culinary concepting in partnership with ownership, creating offerings that are delicious, approachable, and highlights locally sourced seasonal ingredients 
• Execute all recipes and prep systems with consistency and attention to detail
• Manage daily kitchen operations, including prep, production, service, and closing
• Supervise and support the kitchen team, including daily prep lists, task delegation, and real-time coaching
• Cultivated a learning-focused kitchen environment with a strong emphasis on advancing culinary skills and encouraging innovation 
• Collaborate closely with FOH leadership to ensure communication, service flow, and food quality standards are upheld
• Oversee cleanliness, organization, and compliance with all NYC Department of Health standards
• Support inventory management, ordering, and vendor relationships for kitchen and bakery operations
• Assist ownership with track food cost and helping maintain budget goals through portioning, waste reduction, and operational efficiencies. Execute plans to stay within budget and maximize profitability. 
• Participate in hiring, onboarding, scheduling, and performance feedback for BOH team members
• Assist with catering prep and occasional offsite events as needed
• Lead by example during all service hours, jumping in as needed on the line or prep station
• Support additional BOH projects as needed

Qualifications

• 3+ years of experience in a culinary leadership role, preferably in a fast-casual or café setting
• Strong skills in menu development, recipe scaling, and kitchen systems
• Experience managing small BOH teams with a collaborative, hands-on leadership style
• Deep understanding of food safety, kitchen operations, and NYC Department of Health compliance
• Excellent communication and organizational skills
• NYC Food Handler’s Certificate required

Health & Safety

• Ensure compliance with all food safety, sanitation, and workplace hygiene standards per NYC Department of Health
• Maintain a clean, organized, and safe kitchen environment at all times
• Teach and enforce fFood sSanitation and sSafety standards

Work Environment

• Involves standing and working in a hot kitchen for the majority of the shift
• Requires frequent lifting, bending, and movement throughout the shift
• Must be able to lift and carry up to 50 pounds regularly

Benefits:  We’re currently developing our benefits offerings with a focus on health, sustainability, and work-life balance. Full details will be shared as we grow - and your feedback will be part of the process.
General Working Hours: 

• Proposed Operating Hours of business: Mon-Sat 8am-7pm; Sun 8am-5pm
• Head Chef Schedule TBD
• May include extra hours and working weekends, events, additional hours, or holidays as needed

DISCLAIMER
EOE: Mister Cheeks provides equal employment opportunity to all persons regardless of age, color, national origin, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

Job Tags

Full time, Casual work, Local area, Shift work, Weekend work,

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