Apprentice · Chef de Partie

Who We AreOrange Taco is a craft lifestyle house in the heart of downtown Houston. We make everything from scratch

• tacos, sauces, syrups, tortillas, baked goods.

Every item on our menu exists because we refused to compromise on quality.

We are not a chain. We are not casual. We are a small team that takes the work seriously. If you have eaten here, you already know the difference.

The RoleOrange Taco is a scratch kitchen. Nothing comes pre-made. Everything on the line was prepared here, by hand, to exact specification. If you have worked in serious kitchens long enough to know the difference between a kitchen that means it and one that does not

• you will feel it the moment you walk in.

As an Apprentice Chef on the Chef de Partie track, you bring real kitchen experience into a program designed to develop it fully. You will own your station, execute production to standard, and work inside a kitchen built around genuine craft and a defined path to station leadership.

This is not a lateral move. Apprentice Chefs who demonstrate the right pace, craft, and cultural fit advance to Chef de Partie

• full-rotation ownership across every station and competitive compensation.

Advancement is based on demonstrated performance, not time served.

Who We Are Looking ForWe are not screening for a resume. We are screening for what the resume produced in you.

You have 2 to 4 years of real kitchen experience. You have held at least one role long enough to own something. You know what mise en place actually means in practice, not just in theory. You can hold a station through a full rush without creating bottlenecks or waiting for direction.

You cook outside of work because you genuinely want to. You can describe the last thing you made with specificity

• the technique, the decision behind it, what you would do differently next time.

You have a point of view on food and you can defend it in a conversation.

You have been in kitchens that compromised and you have been in kitchens that did not. You know the difference and you chose this one deliberately.

You chose Orange Taco specifically. You know what we make, where we are, and why it is different. That matters to us.

Above everything else

• genuine passion for this craft.

Not passion you describe on paper. Passion that shows in how you talk about food, what you cook at home, what excites you about a technique or an ingredient. We will know within minutes of talking to you whether it is real. It always shows.

ResponsibilitiesSet up and break down your station to standard before and after every shift

• without being askedPrepare ingredients to exact specification
• measure and portion accurately, every timeFulfill customer orders with speed, correct flavor profiles, and intended presentationMaintain fully stocked line stations throughout service
• anticipate needs, do not waitFollow proper food rotation and shelf life management protocolsReceive, sort, and store deliveries
• verify quality and accuracy against ordersKeep your station clean as you go.

Always.

Follow all food safety and sanitation protocols defined under company policySupport kitchen, baking, and front-of-house operations when needed

• no task is beneath this roleCreate direct, confident, genuine interactions with every guestQualificationsDemonstrated tenure in at least one prior role
• kitchen, food service, or customer-facing
• of 6 months or more2 to 4 years of kitchen experience
• line, prep, or bothAt least one sustained tenure of 12 months or more in a single kitchen roleDemonstrated ability to hold a station independently through a full serviceCan speak with specificity about technique, flavor decisions, and your own growth as a cookTexas Food Handler's Certification or willingness to obtain within 30 daysAbility to stand for extended periods and lift up to 50 lbsBilingual (English/Spanish) a plusWhat This Is NotThis role is not for someone who has the hours but not the habits.

This kitchen is small, fast, and fully visible. The pace of your prep shows in service. The quality of your station management shows in the guest experience. The way you receive correction shows in how the team functions. There is no corner of this kitchen where average work goes unnoticed

• we are a culture of excellence and we know exactly what good looks like.

If your years in the industry have made you comfortable rather than sharper, this is not the right fit. If you arrive at a new kitchen ready to demonstrate what you already know before you have learned this one, you will struggle here. If correction lands as an affront rather than information, this kitchen will be the wrong environment.

If you are looking for a kitchen that takes the craft as seriously as you do and develops you further

• this is exactly the right place.

Your Path ForwardApprentice Chef is the starting point. Chefs who demonstrate the right pace, craft, and character advance to Chef de Partie

• full-rotation ownership across every station, expanded kitchen responsibility, and competitive compensation.

Above that, real leadership opportunities exist for those who grow into them.

The ceiling is not low. But you have to earn every step.

What to Expect in Our ProcessWe move quickly and deliberately.

Application review

• we screen for intent and specificity, not credentialsPhone screen
• 10 to 15 minutes, no prep requiredIn-person interview at Orange Taco, Houston Center, no prep requiredPaid trial shift
• up to 3 hours, real service conditions, evaluated on work ethic and team fit.

The trial shift may be stopped early if the standard is not met. Candidates who do not advance will be notified within 48 hoursOffer within 48 hours of trial shift if it is the right matchYour performance during the working interview, demonstrated skills, and other factors assessed throughout the process will determine your starting level and compensation. We place every chef where the work says they belong

• not where the resume suggests.

We pay $13.00

• 19.

00/hr. Advancement is fast for the right person.