Executive Chef - bar Vetti - Louisville, KY

Eternal Optimist•Louisville, KY

About The Position

Executive Chef - bar Vetti - Louisville, KY Job Description: Executive Chef Reports to: Managing Partners and Director of Restaurant Operations, with culinary alignment and partnership with Chef/Owner. The Executive Chef is the senior culinary leader responsible for delivering consistent food quality, running a disciplined and accountable kitchen, developing and leading the BOH team, and achieving agreed financial targets. This role sets the standard for food quality, culture, systems, and performance while overseeing financial performance, staffing, training, and long-term development of the BOH team. The Executive Chef leads through clear expectations, accountability, and mentorship, ensuring that daily execution aligns with the restaurant’s culinary identity and business goals. The Executive Chef partners closely with FOH leadership and ownership to ensure the guest experience matches bar Vetti’s goals every day. Direct reports: Executive Sous Chef, Sous Chefs (and any additional BOH leadership roles assigned) Key partners: GM and FOH leadership, Director of Operations, ownership group, vendors LEADERSHIP EXPECTATIONS The Executive Chef is expected to lead with clarity, consistency, urgency, and professionalism. This role creates an environment where standards are non-negotiable, communication is direct, coaching happens in the moment, and accountability is fair and documented. Key Responsibilities The Executive Chef is ultimately accountable for food quality, cost control, cleanliness, team development, and operational excellence across all services: CULINARY EXECUTION & STANDARDS Establish, document, and uphold all recipes, specs, portioning, plating, seasoning, and prep standards Own food quality and consistency across all stations and shifts. Conduct routine line checks and tastings, including pre-service checks and mid-service adjustments. Ensure strong service execution: pacing, communication with FOH, ticket flow, and re-fire prevention. Set standards and training for allergy awareness, dietary accommodations, and cross-contact prevention. LEADERSHIP, STAFFING, & CULTURE Build and retain a high-performing BOH team through hiring, training, coaching, and performance management Set the tone for professionalism, mutual respect, urgency, and hospitality in the kitchen Lead, mentor, and develop the Executive Sous Chef and Sous Chefs as strong operational leaders Identify and develop high-potential team members for leadership growth Ensure structured onboarding and station training programs are executed consistently Define performance benchmarks for each BOH role and ensure evaluations are meaningful and accurateAddress performance issues directly and constructively; document and follow through on corrective action when patterns emerge Foster a calm, organized, and accountable environment during service SYSTEMS, EXECUTION & ACCOUNTABILITY Create and maintain clear, repeatable kitchen systems for prep, production, station setups, pars, labeling, ordering, inventory, cleaning, service execution, and communication Hold leadership accountable to daily, weekly, and monthly expectations Ensure opening, mid-shift, and closing standards are consistently audited and executed and correct gaps with training and accountability. Oversee BOH scheduling strategy in partnership with operations management to balance labor efficiency and execution FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE & COST CONTROL Own food cost performance through recipe costing, portion control, inventory management, purchasing controls, and waste reduction Ensure menus are properly costed and priced in alignment with agreed margin targets. Review inventory, ordering, and invoices to ensure accuracy and alignment with pars and sales volume Partner with the Executive Sous Chef and operations team to identify cost drivers and implement corrective action. Analyze trends and proactively address cost pressures with smart operational solutions Maintain vendor relationships and oversee ordering strategy to ensure quality, availability, and value. Ensure accurate and timely completion of inventories and proper storage, labeling, dating, and rotation Partner with operations on budgeting, forecasting, and pricing strategy Menu development and R&D Lead menu development, testing, and rollouts in alignment with seasonality, the bar Vetti concept, and business goals Create and execute seasonal menu items within agreed cost targets that support the brand and operational capacity Maintain recipe documentation and training materials for new and updated menu items Coordinate menu changes with FOH training and service standards Make short-term substitutions for availability or quality issues, with timely communication to FOH and ownership as needed Executive Chef must align with Chef/Owner and ownership/operations for: Major reworks of core dishes Significant vendor changes, major spec changes, or long-term purchasing strategy shifts Major staffing restructures, compensation changes beyond established bands, or material operational policy changes Capital expense requests and major equipment decisions (while still identifying needs proactively) HEALTH, SAFETY & FACILITIES Ensure full compliance with health department standards, food safety practices, and sanitation systems Maintain inspection readiness at all times Ensure proper handling procedures, cleaning schedules, and corrective action for violations Maintain required certifications and ensure compliance with company policies COMMUNICATION & COLLABORATION Maintain clear, proactive communication with FOH leadership to support service flow and guest experience Lead BOH leadership meetings and set a consistent cadence for alignment Align with ownership and operations on goals, challenges, opportunities, and any operational risks Provide written updates when needed: staffing changes, recurring issues, cost variances, and action plans Represent the kitchen professionally in all internal and external relationships

Requirements

Proven Executive Chef or senior chef leadership experience in a high-volume, quality-driven kitchen.
Strong ability to lead teams, coach, set standards, and hold people accountable without creating chaos or resentment.
Solid operational competence: prep systems, ordering, inventory, costing, and scheduling collaboration.
High standards for cleanliness, organization, and safety.
Ability to communicate clearly and consistently with FOH leadership and ownership.
Flexible schedule including nights, weekends, and holidays
ServSafe (or ability to obtain/maintain as required).

Responsibilities

Establish, document, and uphold all recipes, specs, portioning, plating, seasoning, and prep standards
Own food quality and consistency across all stations and shifts.
Conduct routine line checks and tastings, including pre-service checks and mid-service adjustments.
Ensure strong service execution: pacing, communication with FOH, ticket flow, and re-fire prevention.
Set standards and training for allergy awareness, dietary accommodations, and cross-contact prevention.
Build and retain a high-performing BOH team through hiring, training, coaching, and performance management
Set the tone for professionalism, mutual respect, urgency, and hospitality in the kitchen
Lead, mentor, and develop the Executive Sous Chef and Sous Chefs as strong operational leaders
Identify and develop high-potential team members for leadership growth
Ensure structured onboarding and station training programs are executed consistently
Define performance benchmarks for each BOH role and ensure evaluations are meaningful and accurateAddress performance issues directly and constructively; document and follow through on corrective action when patterns emerge
Foster a calm, organized, and accountable environment during service
Create and maintain clear, repeatable kitchen systems for prep, production, station setups, pars, labeling, ordering, inventory, cleaning, service execution, and communication
Hold leadership accountable to daily, weekly, and monthly expectations
Ensure opening, mid-shift, and closing standards are consistently audited and executed and correct gaps with training and accountability. Oversee BOH scheduling strategy in partnership with operations management to balance labor efficiency and execution
Own food cost performance through recipe costing, portion control, inventory management, purchasing controls, and waste reduction
Ensure menus are properly costed and priced in alignment with agreed margin targets.
Review inventory, ordering, and invoices to ensure accuracy and alignment with pars and sales volume
Partner with the Executive Sous Chef and operations team to identify cost drivers and implement corrective action.
Analyze trends and proactively address cost pressures with smart operational solutions
Maintain vendor relationships and oversee ordering strategy to ensure quality, availability, and value.
Ensure accurate and timely completion of inventories and proper storage, labeling, dating, and rotation
Partner with operations on budgeting, forecasting, and pricing strategy
Lead menu development, testing, and rollouts in alignment with seasonality, the bar Vetti concept, and business goals
Create and execute seasonal menu items within agreed cost targets that support the brand and operational capacity
Maintain recipe documentation and training materials for new and updated menu items
Coordinate menu changes with FOH training and service standards
Make short-term substitutions for availability or quality issues, with timely communication to FOH and ownership as needed
Ensure full compliance with health department standards, food safety practices, and sanitation systems
Maintain inspection readiness at all times
Ensure proper handling procedures, cleaning schedules, and corrective action for violations
Maintain required certifications and ensure compliance with company policies
Maintain clear, proactive communication with FOH leadership to support service flow and guest experience
Lead BOH leadership meetings and set a consistent cadence for alignment
Align with ownership and operations on goals, challenges, opportunities, and any operational risks
Provide written updates when needed: staffing changes, recurring issues, cost variances, and action plans
Represent the kitchen professionally in all internal and external relationships