Executive Chef

ABOUT FLIGHT WEST

Flight West is a neighborhood restaurant and bar in South Miami built around flights — whiskey, agave and wine alongside signature cocktails, martinis and a deep wine list. The kitchen's job is to match that program: food that pairs, travels across a table and keeps guests ordering another round.

We're part of Bue Hospitality, a growing South Florida group with new concepts in development. The right chef grows with us.

THE ROLE

We're hiring a hands-on Executive Chef to own the kitchen as Flight West scales to full operation: six dinners a week,lunch service and weekend brunch. You'll set the menu, build the team and run the numbers.

This is a working chef role, not an office job. You'll be on the line during service, lead our pairing dinners and help shape the food program for the group's next venues.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Menu & Culinary Direction
• Create and evolve dinner, lunch and weekend brunch menus that pair with our whiskey, agave and wine flights
• Develop bar bites and shareable plates built for the Sunset Hour and lounge crowd
• Design and execute pairing dinners and special events with spirit and wine partners
• Change menus seasonally based on guest feedback, food cost and South Florida product
• Hold every plate to the same standard across services, dayparts and nights of the week
• Growth & New Services
• Lead the culinary build-out for expanded dinner, lunch and brunch service: menus, prep systems, staffing and training
• Write recipe books, plating guides and kitchen SOPs so the program runs the same without you on the pass
• Contribute culinary input on concepts, kitchen design and equipment for future group venues
• Cost Control & Financials
• Own food cost, kitchen labor and the culinary side of the weekly P&L
• Run inventory, portioning, waste tracking and ordering around our weekly delivery cycle
• Cost every recipe and run regular menu engineering to protect margin without cutting quality
• Manage purveyor relationships and negotiate pricing
• Team Leadership
• Hire, train and develop sous chefs, line cooks, prep and dish staff
• Build a kitchen culture that's disciplined, positive and guest-focused
• Set weekly schedules within the labor budget
• Work tightly with the GM, bar team and FOH so food and beverage feel like one program
• Food Safety & Standards
• Keep the kitchen inspection-ready at all times: sanitation, HACCP, temperature logs, allergen protocolsHold a current Florida food manager certification and keep the team's certifications current
• Maintain equipment and coordinate repairs and service

QUALIFICATIONS

5+ years as Executive Chef, Chef de Cuisine or Executive Sous Chef in an upscale, high-volume restaurant

Track record of original menu creation, ideally including bar-forward or pairing-driven programs

Proven food and labor cost control, budgeting and P&L ownership

Experience opening or scaling new services (brunch, lunch, events) or new venues is a strong plus

Florida Food Manager / ServSafe Manager certification required

Strong leadership, communication and vendor negotiation skills

Familiarity with South Florida purveyors and the Miami dining market a plus

Available evenings, weekends and holidays

WHAT WE OFFER

$90,000–$110,000 annual salary, DOE, paid weekly

Medical insurance: after 90 days, Flight West covers 50% of the monthly premium for an employee-only plan

PTO: one week annually after six months of service

Eligibility for a performance-based bonus program

Employee discount at Flight West

Creative collaboration of the menu and the kitchen, with room to grow as the group opens new venues

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $90,000.00 - $100,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Food provided
• Health insurance
• Paid time off

Work Location: In person