Executive Chef

MW Millworks • Charleston, SC

55d • $125,000 - $150,000 • Onsite

About The Position

A family-owned, high-volume restaurant business in Charleston, South Carolina, is seeking an experienced Executive Chef to lead culinary operations. The business generates more than $10 million in annual sales and includes multiple dining experiences, significant seasonal volume, private events, and a large culinary team.

The Executive Chef will oversee culinary performance, including food quality, menu execution, food and labor costs, training, sanitation, staffing, systems, and development of the BOH leadership team. The role calls for a highly present, hands-on leader who can bring structure, consistency, accountability, and strong people leadership to day-to-day operations. The final scope and reporting structure may evolve based on the experience and strengths of the culinary leadership team assembled.

Requirements

• At least 5 years of Executive Chef or comparable senior culinary leadership experience in a high-volume restaurant, hospitality group, or sophisticated multi-unit organization.
• Bilingual English/Spanish required.
• Proven experience leading a large, high-volume kitchen and developing multiple levels of culinary leadership.
• Strong financial acumen and demonstrated experience managing food cost, labor, purchasing, inventory, waste, and margins.
• Strong knowledge of menu development, recipe costing, production systems, and high-volume execution.
• Demonstrated ability to improve food quality, consistency, sanitation, training, and overall BOH performance.
• Strong recruiting, coaching, performance management, and leadership development skills.
• Highly organized, proactive, accountable, and comfortable operating in a fast-moving environment.
• Hands-on leadership style and ability to balance strategic planning with daily operational execution.

Responsibilities

• Lead overall BOH operations, culinary standards, and kitchen performance across a high-volume restaurant environment.
• Own food quality, consistency, presentation, recipe adherence, portioning, and execution across all service periods.
• Develop, coach, and hold Sous Chefs, Kitchen Managers, supervisors, and hourly culinary team members accountable.
• Establish clear expectations for kitchen leadership and ensure consistent follow-through on standards and priorities.
• Manage food cost performance, kitchen labor, inventory, purchasing, waste reduction, productivity, and other key BOH metrics.
• Partner with ownership and senior restaurant leadership on budgeting, forecasting, cost controls, operational priorities, and business performance.
• Lead menu development and execution, including specials, recipes, costing, testing, training, and rollouts.
• Use sales mix, guest feedback, food cost, and operational data to identify opportunities to improve menu performance and consistency.
• Ensure appropriate BOH staffing, scheduling, deployment, prep levels, and leadership coverage based on business volume.
• Build and improve culinary training, onboarding, cross-training, and leadership development programs.
• Maintain standards for sanitation, food safety, organization, equipment care, and regulatory compliance.
• Create systems for cleaning, preventive maintenance, storage, receiving, labeling, rotation, and kitchen organization.
• Partner with FOH leadership to improve communication, ticket execution, speed of service, and the guest experience.
• Support private events, high-volume service periods, seasonal changes, and other revenue-generating initiatives.
• Maintain a hands-on presence during peak service and step into operations when needed.
• Identify equipment, facility, staffing, and process improvements that strengthen long-term kitchen performance.
• Build a culinary culture focused on accountability, respect, development, consistency, and retention.
• Support future growth and broader culinary initiatives as the organization evolves.

Benefits

• Competitive medical and health insurance benefits.
• Retirement plan.
• Performance-based bonus opportunities tied to net sales, COGS, BOH labor, cost control, and overall culinary performance.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: No Education Listed