Head Chef - Thunderbolt

Denco Family•Los Angeles, CA

2d•Onsite

About The Position

The Head Chef is the culinary leader responsible for the overall success, execution, and consistency of all kitchen operations. This role is equal parts creative and operational—owning menu development, food quality, kitchen systems, labor, and financial performance while protecting the culture and standards of the team. The Head Chef is accountable for delivering excellent food at every service, maintaining organization and cleanliness throughout the BOH, and building a high-performing kitchen team rooted in professionalism, urgency, and teamwork. This position requires strong leadership, disciplined execution, and the ability to operate at a high level during both high-volume services and day-to-day operations.

Requirements

Ability to lift and carry supplies and equipment up to 30 lbs
Ability to raise a tray weighing up to 25 lbs to shoulder height
Able to bend, stoop, reach, wipe, lift, and grab
Must have sufficient mobility to move and operate in work area
Must be able to stand and walk throughout a 4 to 8 hour shift
Must be able to hear well in a loud environment to respond to employee and guest needs
Must meet any state, county or municipal regulation pertaining to health risk concerns about food handling
Must be able to observe and differentiate between monetary denominations
Must be able to serve all menu products
Must be able to operate point of sale system
Must be able to work around potentially hazardous chemicals
Minimum Age requirements of 21.
Able to work in a team environment.
Meets uniform and grooming standards and maintains them throughout the shift.
Must be able to pass all required tests and training requirements.
Must meet any state, country or municipal regulation pertaining to health risk concerns about food handling and legal requirements for serving alcohol.
Must be able to work a flexible schedule, including holidays, nights and weekends.
Possesses excellent guest service skills.
Able to learn basic tasks and follow instructions.
Places a value on diversity and shows respect for others.

Responsibilities

Create, maintain, and evolve all food menus (brunch/lunch/dinner/late night/specials) in alignment with the concept, seasonality, and operational feasibility.
Develop new dishes, test recipes, and finalize specifications including ingredients, weights, yields, prep method, and plating standards.
Build and maintain standardized recipe cards, prep sheets, and plating guides for every menu item.
Ensure systems are clear, repeatable, and executable by the team to protect consistency across all services.
Maintain complete ownership of food execution and quality control.
Ensure every dish leaving the kitchen meets standards for taste, portion size, temperature, presentation, and speed.
Conduct daily walkthroughs to confirm readiness, pars, cleanliness, and station setup.
Lead BOH operations through service, monitoring ticket times, pacing, and bottlenecks.
Expo food (or manage expo standards) during peak service and maintain active communication with FOH leadership regarding 86’d items, service flow, and any operational challenges.
Build daily prep lists, assign station responsibilities, and ensure completion.
Set daily and weekly pars for ingredients and prep items to maintain service execution while minimizing waste and inefficiency.
Write kitchen schedules, manage labor targets, and monitor productivity.
Approve time punches, prevent unnecessary overtime, and ensure BOH coverage supports the volume and standards of the business.
Hire, train, and develop BOH staff including line cooks, prep cooks, dishwashers, and sous/lead roles.
Coach performance in speed, cleanliness, communication, and execution.
Cross-train cooks across stations to build depth and coverage.
Conduct performance reviews and corrective actions as needed while building a strong leadership bench.
Manage ordering based on pars, sales trends, and upcoming business needs.
Source vendors, maintain ordering guides, review invoices for accuracy and consistency, and support vendor relationships to ensure quality, reliability, and appropriate pricing.
Cost every menu item accurately, set pricing with margin targets in mind, and engineer the menu for profitability.
Track food COGS weekly and monthly, investigate variances, and implement controls for waste, portioning, and high-cost proteins.
Use portion control tools (scales, scoops, ladles) and enforce standards consistently.
Ensure full compliance with health department requirements and food safety standards including labeling, FIFO rotation, sanitation, allergen controls, and cooling/reheating procedures.
Maintain accurate logs, enforce cross-contamination prevention, and create allergen reference documentation for FOH.
Maintain daily cleanliness standards across the kitchen, including line, floors, drains, hood area, and dish station.
Implement weekly/monthly deep cleaning schedules.
Maintain equipment organization and functionality by identifying issues quickly, requesting service, and tracking kitchen equipment maintenance schedules.
Maintain smallwares inventory and ensure the BOH is properly resourced.
Coordinate menu rollouts including training, ordering, prep conversion, and execution.
Plan and execute kitchen operations for events, pop-ups, catering, and special service needs, including prep plans, staffing, timing, and kitchen flow.
Collaborate with GM/Ops on operational goals and business needs.
Participate in P&L reviews and build kitchen action plans.
Deliver weekly BOH updates to leadership and ensure the kitchen team remains aligned, supported, and accountable.
Protect BOH culture through professionalism, urgency, teamwork, and respect.
Ensure service closes correctly every day including labeling, wrap, inventory procedures, cleaning standards, restocking, and resets.
Maintain execution standards even in high-volume and short-staffed situations.