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HEAD CHEF

Company:

Southern Charm Bistro Location:

Fort Myers, Florida Position:

Head Chef Reports To:

Owner/Management Employment Type:

Full-Time Position Summary Southern Charm Bistro is seeking an experienced, dependable, and creative Head Chef to lead our kitchen operations. The Head Chef is responsible for maintaining the quality and consistency of our Southern-inspired cuisine while overseeing kitchen staff, food preparation, inventory, sanitation, and overall back-of-house operations. The ideal candidate is a strong leader who can maintain high culinary standards while controlling food costs, reducing waste, developing staff, and ensuring the kitchen operates efficiently during regular restaurant service, private dining events, and catering production. Key Responsibilities Kitchen Leadership & Operations Lead and oversee daily kitchen operations and food production. Manage the kitchen during lunch, dinner, private events, catering orders, and special events. Ensure all dishes are prepared according to Southern Charm Bistro recipes, presentation standards, and portion specifications. Maintain consistency in flavor, quality, portion size, temperature, and presentation. Organize kitchen stations and ensure proper preparation before each service. Maintain an efficient flow of food from the kitchen during service. Address kitchen problems quickly and professionally. Communicate product shortages, equipment issues, staffing concerns, and other operational needs to management. Staff Management Supervise, train, coach, and develop cooks, prep cooks, dishwashers, and other back-of-house employees. Assign daily prep lists and station responsibilities. Ensure kitchen employees arrive prepared and complete assigned duties. Train employees on recipes, cooking techniques, portion control, plating, sanitation, and proper equipment use. Establish a professional, respectful, organized, and team-oriented kitchen culture. Assist management with interviewing, hiring, evaluating, scheduling, and addressing performance issues involving kitchen employees. Hold kitchen employees accountable for maintaining restaurant standards. Food Quality & Menu Execution Follow and enforce all approved recipes and preparation procedures. Ensure proteins, sauces, vegetables, starches, appetizers, and other menu components are properly prepared and seasoned. Monitor plating and presentation before dishes leave the kitchen. Work with the Owner on seasonal specials, new dishes, menu improvements, and special-event menus. Participate in tastings and recipe development as requested. Maintain appropriate production levels without sacrificing freshness or quality. Food Cost, Inventory & Waste Control Monitor food usage and help maintain established food-cost targets. Complete or supervise food inventory counts. Assist with ordering food and kitchen supplies. Check deliveries for quality, quantity, temperature, and accuracy. Maintain proper rotation using FIFO (First In, First Out). Minimize food waste, overproduction, spoilage, and unnecessary portioning. Ensure staff follows established portion sizes and recipes. Report unusual food-cost variances or excessive waste to management. Food Safety & Sanitation Maintain a clean, sanitary, and organized kitchen at all times. Ensure compliance with Florida food-safety requirements and restaurant policies. Monitor proper food temperatures, cooling procedures, reheating, storage, labeling, and date marking. Prevent cross-contamination and ensure appropriate allergen procedures are followed. Ensure walk-in coolers, freezers, dry storage, prep areas, cooking equipment, and dish areas are properly maintained. Complete and enforce opening, closing, and cleaning procedures. Ensure employees follow proper personal hygiene and food-handling practices. Catering & Special Events Coordinate kitchen production for catering orders, private dining, and off-site events. Prepare production and prep plans based on expected guest counts. Ensure catering food is properly portioned, packaged, labeled, stored, and ready for transportation or service. Work with management to ensure special-event menus can be executed efficiently and within budget. Performance Expectations The Head Chef will be evaluated based on: Food quality and consistency Kitchen cleanliness and organization Ticket times and service efficiency Food-cost management Waste reduction Inventory control Recipe and portion compliance Staff training and development Food-safety compliance Dependability and attendance Leadership and communication Successful execution of catering and special events Guest satisfaction related to food quality Qualifications Previous experience as a Head Chef, Executive Chef, Sous Chef, Kitchen Manager, or similar culinary leadership position preferred. Strong knowledge of professional kitchen operations and food preparation. Experience supervising and training kitchen employees. Knowledge of food safety, sanitation, temperature control, and proper food storage. Ability to manage food costs, inventory, ordering, portion control, and waste. Strong organizational and time-management skills. Ability to remain calm and lead effectively during high-volume service. Experience with Southern cuisine is strongly preferred. Catering and banquet production experience is a plus. ServSafe Manager certification preferred or must be obtained within the timeframe established by management. Physical Requirements The position requires the ability to: Stand and work for extended periods. Work in hot, fast-paced kitchen conditions. Bend, reach, lift, carry, and perform repetitive kitchen tasks. Safely lift approximately 50 pounds. Work evenings, weekends, holidays, and special events as required. Leadership Standard The Head Chef is expected to lead by example . This position requires professionalism, accountability, consistency, respect for employees, attention to detail, and a commitment to Southern Charm Bistro's culinary standards. The Head Chef is not simply responsible for preparing food-the Head Chef is responsible for ensuring that the entire kitchen performs successfully . Schedule Schedule will be based on restaurant operating hours, catering commitments, private events, prep requirements, and business needs. Evening, weekend, and holiday availability may be required. Equal Opportunity Southern Charm Bistro provides equal employment opportunities and considers qualified applicants without regard to characteristics protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.