Culinary Director

Great kitchens are not built by ego. They are built by craft, consistency, and the quiet confidence of someone who cares more about the plate than the title. The Blue Star is reopening after nearly a decade away, and we are searching for a Culinary Leader who is as serious about culture as they are about food. Someone who understands that the way a kitchen runs, its rhythm, its standards, its energy, these are as important as anything that comes out of it.

THE ROLE

This is not a position for someone who arrives with a fully-formed vision and expects others to conform to it. It is a position for someone who arrives ready to learn, our guests, our history, our team, our systems, and then leads with that knowledge in hand.

You will be responsible for:

Leading all culinary operations for dinner service and supporting events and catering production Building and maintaining kitchen systems that are repeatable, teachable, and sustainable Training, coaching, and developing your team, not just executing alongside them Managing food cost, ordering, and vendor relationships with precision and accountability Collaborating with the General Manager on menu development that honors The Blue Star's identity while allowing for thoughtful evolution Holding the standard, on every plate, at every service, regardless of who is watching

WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR

We are not asking for the most decorated résumé in the applicant pool. We are asking for the most grounded.

The ideal candidate:

Has serious culinary experience in an elevated dining environment and a deep understanding of kitchen fundamentals Leads with humility, they ask questions before making changes, and earn influence before wielding it Is obsessed with quality in the details others overlook: timing, consistency, cleanliness, mise en place Coaches first and criticizes last, they develop cooks into craftspeople Builds systems, not kingdoms. They want their kitchen to run beautifully even when they're not in it Communicates clearly and directly with FOH leadership, treating the dining room as a partner, not a downstream problem Is genuinely curious about learning, our concept, our guests, our team, before trying to change anything

WHAT WE OFFER

Competitive compensation reflective of experience and scope A collaborative leadership team that will support your development and give you the resources to succeed A historic concept with a loyal guest base and a community eager for its return A kitchen designed for excellence, not survival

ON THE TITLE

We intentionally use the title Culinary Leader rather than Executive Chef. Not because we don't respect the craft (we revere it) but because we believe the best culinary professionals lead people before they lead kitchens. If you are a Chef in the deepest sense of the word, this title will not diminish you. It will define you. We are not building a stage for talent. We are building a team.