Executive Chef / Kitchen Manager

Wally s Operating Company LLC•Pontiac, IL

29d•$80,000 - $90,000•Onsite

About The Position

Wally’s is looking for an experienced Executive Chef / Kitchen Manager to lead one of the most important and fast-paced areas of our operation. This is a hands-on leadership position for someone who knows how to run a high-volume kitchen, develop people, maintain exceptional standards, and keep a complex food operation organized and moving. Our Executive Chef is responsible for the people, food, safety, execution, and overall performance of the kitchen. You’ll lead the kitchen management team, develop team members, manage food cost and inventory, and ensure our guests receive fresh, consistent, high-quality food every day. At Wally’s, this isn't a traditional restaurant kitchen. Our food operation includes multiple concepts and production areas, including BBQ and smoked meats, pizza, bakery, cold food preparation, popcorn, jerky, sausage, Wally Dogs, grab-and-go offerings, and more. If you’re a proven kitchen leader who enjoys building teams, solving problems, and taking ownership of a large operation, we want to talk to you.

Requirements

5+ years of progressive kitchen, restaurant, or food service leadership experience
Experience leading a high-volume food operation and a large team
Previous Executive Chef, Kitchen Manager, Food Service Manager, Chef de Cuisine, Sous Chef, or comparable leadership experience
Strong knowledge of food safety, sanitation, production, inventory, and kitchen operations
Experience managing food cost, waste, ordering, and labor
Strong coaching, communication, organization, and problem-solving skills
Ability to establish expectations and hold leaders and team members accountable
Comfort using computers, operational reporting systems, and basic business applications
Ability to remain effective in a fast-paced environment with changing priorities
Reliable attendance and a strong commitment to team success
Ability to stand and walk for extended periods, including shifts of 8–12 hours
Must be able to perform the essential functions of the position with or without reasonable accommodation

Responsibilities

Take ownership of the overall performance of Wally’s kitchen and food production areas. Establish priorities, organize the operation, and ensure your team is prepared to execute successfully every day.
Lead, coach, and develop the Sous Chef/Assistant Kitchen Manager, kitchen leaders, and food service team members. Set clear expectations, hold people accountable, recognize strong performance, and develop future leaders.
Ensure every product meets Wally’s expectations for quality, freshness, consistency, presentation, and availability. Maintain recipes, production standards, and proper cooking and holding procedures throughout the operation.
Make food safety a daily leadership priority. Maintain outstanding sanitation standards and ensure proper food handling, documentation, certifications, training, and regulatory requirements are consistently followed.
Take ownership of ordering, inventory, food cost, production planning, and waste reduction. Use operational information to identify problems and make adjustments that improve kitchen performance and profitability.
Build effective systems for prep, production, staffing, organization, cleaning, and shift execution. Anticipate business needs and ensure the kitchen is prepared for Wally’s highest-volume periods.
Ensure new and existing team members receive the training, coaching, tools, recipes, and expectations they need to be successful. Reinforce Wally’s standards through consistent leadership and follow-up.
Work closely with the General Manager and other store leaders to support staffing, scheduling, guest experience, safety, operational priorities, and overall store performance.
Ensure Wally’s food programs consistently deliver the quality, speed, availability, and hospitality our guests expect. Respond quickly when something isn't meeting our standards and take ownership of correcting it.