Executive Chef

About the Role

Sunset Hospitality Group is seeking an experienced and passionate Executive Chef to lead the culinary operations for Stokes Adobe. This role will oversee kitchen operations--driving culinary excellence, operational consistency, strong financial performance, and team development.

The Executive Chef will provide hands-on leadership while following systems that support high-quality execution, accountability, and sustainable growth. This is a leadership role for a chef who thrives in fast-paced environments, leads with professionalism and integrity, and is equally passionate about food, mentorship, organization, and operational excellence.

The ideal candidate is highly organized, financially minded, calm under pressure, and committed to creating a strong, positive kitchen culture rooted in respect, consistency, and accountability.

About Us

Stokes Adobe is a historic Monterey restaurant established in 2021, rooted in warm hospitality, thoughtful service, and ingredient-driven cuisine. Housed in one of California’s oldest adobe buildings, Stokes Adobe blends elevated dining with a welcoming, community-focused culture. Our team is passionate about creating memorable guest experiences through collaboration, professionalism, creativity, and genuine hospitality. We believe in fostering a positive workplace where team members are supported, challenged, and empowered to grow.

Ideal Candidate

This position offers an opportunity to make a significant impact in our business. The ideal candidate has 5+ years of Executive Chef or senior culinary leadership experience in high-volume restaurants and possesses strong leadership, organizational, and financial management skills.

They are passionate about mentoring teams, building systems, maintaining high culinary standards, and creating efficient, respectful kitchen environments. They understand how to balance creativity with consistency and can effectively lead multiple concepts while maintaining quality and profitability.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership and oversight of all BOH operations
• Ensure every service runs smoothly, safely, efficiently, and consistently
• Lead and mentor kitchen management and BOH teams through accountability, coaching, and development
• Develop, implement, and maintain detailed kitchen SOPs, prep systems, and operational standards
• Monitor service flow to ensure food quality, timing, consistency, and execution standards are upheld
• Manage food cost, labor cost, purchasing, inventory, and waste reduction initiatives
• Conduct weekly inventory and reconcile discrepancies
• Oversee vendor relationships, ordering systems, and product sourcing
• Collaborate with ownership and FOH leadership to improve systems, communication, and guest experience
• Create and maintain recipe costing and ensure menu profitability
• Support menu development and seasonal updates while maintaining operational feasibility
• Maintain kitchen cleanliness, organization, sanitation standards, and health department compliance
• Build schedules that align labor with projected sales and operational needs
• Foster a positive, professional, and accountable kitchen culture
• Ensure consistent training and development for all BOH employees
• Address performance concerns professionally and proactively with clear coaching and expectations
• Report directly to ownership regarding kitchen operations, performance, staffing, and ongoing initiatives

Desired Skills & Experience

• 5+ years of Executive Chef or senior culinary leadership experience required
• Strong understanding of kitchen systems, financial controls, inventory management, and labor management
• Proven ability to lead and develop large BOH teams with professionalism and accountability
• Strong culinary skills with a focus on quality, consistency, and seasonal ingredients
• Excellent organizational and communication skills
• Ability to thrive in fast-paced, high-volume environments
• Experience with recipe costing, budgeting, purchasing, and vendor negotiations
• Food Safety Manager Certification required
• Strong awareness of COGS and inventory--experience with Margin Edge a plus
• Experience with Toast POS a plus
• High level of professionalism, attention to detail, and operational awareness

Why Join Us

This is a unique opportunity to lead the culinary direction of our restaurant while helping shape the future growth of Sunset Hospitality Group. We are looking for a leader who values hospitality, mentorship, consistency, and operational excellence—and who wants to build something meaningful with a collaborative and passionate team.

If you are a strong culinary leader who thrives on developing people, improving systems, and delivering exceptional guest experiences, we’d love to hear from you!

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: From $85,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Paid time off

Ability to Commute:

• Monterey, CA 93940 (Required)

Ability to Relocate:

• Monterey, CA 93940: Relocate before starting work (Required)

Work Location: In person