Head Chef

Highland Brewing Company • Asheville, NC

7d

About The Position

In collaboration with the Guest Experience Director, our Head Chef will lead the culinary vision and operations for Highland Brewing’s new pizza kitchen. This is an opportunity for a hands-on leader to build a team from the ground up and shape our kitchen culture from day one. The role combines menu development, team building, leadership, and operational excellence—delivering consistently outstanding food at scale for our brewery guests. The ideal candidate has a passion for making extraordinary pizza plus the culinary expertise to lead a kitchen team in a high-volume setting using high-quality ingredients and equipment.

Requirements

• 5+ years of culinary leadership experience in high-volume kitchens; pizza or bakery expertise strongly preferred, and a passion for great pizza required.
• Familiarity with multiple pizza styles, including New Haven, New York, Tavern, and Detroit.
• Proven success in launching new concepts
• ServSafe Manager certification (or ability to obtain within 30 days).
• Strong financial acumen and operational systems experience.
• Excellent leadership and communication skills; thrives under pressure.
• Ability to work evenings, weekends, and event-heavy periods.

Nice To Haves

• Familiarity with Toast POS is a plus

Responsibilities

• Menu & Concept Development
• Execute a Northeast-inspired pizza program using high-temperature electric deck ovens (e.g. Pizzamaster, Moretti Forni), balancing traditional Artisanal pizza making practices with the demands of high-volume production.
• Working with the Guest Experience Director, refine a menu of pizza, Italian sandwiches, salads, and appetizers
• Collaborate with Brewing and Taproom teams on beer pairings and special releases.
• Launch & Operations
• Oversee the end-to-end launch of the pizza kitchen team: equipment setup, workflow design, recipe development, and staff training/coaching.
• Implement systems for high-volume production that maintain quality and consistency during peak service.
• Ensure compliance with food safety standards and health regulations.
• Team Leadership
• Recruit, train, and manage a kitchen team of 12-15 people
• Foster a positive, inclusive kitchen culture focused on quality and efficiency.
• Manage scheduling, labor planning, and cross-training.
• Set clear standards and lead with both accountability and heart
• Financial & Vendor Management
• Develop and manage food and labor budgets; maintain COGS targets.
• Source and negotiate with vendors; manage inventory and ordering.
• Engineer menus for profitability and efficiency.

Benefits

• health
• dental
• vision
• company-paid life insurance
• no-cost mental health and financial services
• paid time off
• paid holidays
• free beer

What This Job Offers

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