Executive Chef

Executive Chef

Lake Anna Restaurant Group – Mineral, VAFull-Time | Leadership Position

Lake Anna Restaurant Group is seeking an experienced Executive Chef to lead our culinary operations and take full ownership of the back of house.

We are looking for more than a talented cook. We need a kitchen leader who can develop a team, maintain high standards, control costs, build systems, and operate the kitchen without requiring constant direction from ownership.

The right candidate understands that running a successful kitchen means balancing great food, strong people, cleanliness, organization, consistency, and financial performance.

What You’ll Be Responsible For

• Lead and oversee all back-of-house operations
• Recruit, train, develop, and retain a strong kitchen team
• Establish clear expectations and hold the BOH team accountable
• Maintain exceptional kitchen cleanliness and organization
• Ensure consistent food quality, presentation, and execution
• Create and maintain recipes, specifications, prep procedures, and kitchen systems
• Build effective schedules based on projected sales and labor budgets
• Manage BOH labor and keep it within established targets
• Manage food cost, waste, portions, purchasing, and inventory
• Oversee ordering and vendor relationships
• Maintain proper food storage, labeling, rotation, and sanitation standards
• Ensure stations are properly prepared and staffed for service
• Identify operational problems and take ownership of solving them
• Maintain kitchen equipment and coordinate repairs when necessary
• Work with restaurant leadership on menu development and improvements
• Develop sous chefs, leads, and cooks into stronger leaders
• Communicate effectively with FOH management and senior leadership
• Take ownership of the kitchen’s overall performance

What We’re Looking For

We are looking for someone who has proven experience running a kitchen, not simply working in one.

The ideal candidate has:

• Executive Chef, Head Chef, Chef de Cuisine, or Kitchen Manager experience
• Strong leadership and people-management skills
• Experience managing food cost and BOH labor
• Strong understanding of inventory, purchasing, yields, waste, and portion control
• Experience creating and enforcing kitchen systems
• High standards for cleanliness and organization
• Ability to train and develop cooks and kitchen leaders
• Strong communication and problem-solving skills
• Ability to remain organized and lead during high-volume services
• A hands-on leadership style combined with strong administrative skills
• A track record of improving kitchen operations

What Success Looks Like

A successful Executive Chef in our organization will build a kitchen where:

The team is trained.
Employees understand their stations and expectations.

The kitchen is clean.
Cleanliness is maintained every day, not just before an inspection.

The numbers work.
Food cost and labor remain within budget without sacrificing quality.

The food is consistent.
Recipes, portions, preparation, and presentation are executed the same way every time.

Problems get solved.
The Executive Chef takes ownership and brings solutions rather than waiting for ownership to identify every issue.

The kitchen can operate without the owner.
Our goal is to build strong leaders who truly own their departments.

Why Join Lake Anna Restaurant Group?

We are an independent restaurant group in the Lake Anna/Mineral area focused on building strong restaurants with professional systems and leadership.

This is an opportunity for an experienced chef who wants real ownership of their kitchen and the ability to make an impact.

We value leaders who bring ideas to the table, develop their people, solve problems, understand the financial side of the business, and take pride in building something better.

If you’re an experienced culinary leader looking for an opportunity where you can truly take ownership of a kitchen and its team, we’d like to meet you.

To Apply:
Please submit your resume along with a brief description of the kitchens you’ve led, including team size, approximate sales volume, and the food-cost and labor targets you were responsible for managing.

Pay: $60,000.00 - $65,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Paid time off

Experience:

• Cooking: 8 years (Required)
• Executive Chef: 3 years (Required)

Work Location: In person