Pan-Asian Executive Chef: Lead Culinary Team & Excellence

about wagamamafrom bowl to soul isn’t just how we serve food—it’s how we show up for our peopleat wagamama, every dish we make and every shift we work is guided by one belief: we can always be better today than we were yesterday. that’s kaizen in our heartwe’re a place where your work has purpose, your voice matters, and your growth is taken seriously. where bold ideas are welcomed, effort is noticed, and learning never stops. you won’t just clock in—you’ll build skills, confidence, and a career alongside people who care deeply about what they do and who they do it withif you’re looking for more than a job—if you want to be part of something that feeds your future as much as it feeds our guests—this is your signfrom bowl to soul, start your journey with wagamama and apply nowabout this rolethe executive chef is responsible for the overall culinary leadership + back-of-house operations of a high-performing pan-asian restaurant. this role drives menu execution, food quality, kitchen performance, and cost control while ensuring consistency across diverse asian cuisines. the executive chef partners closely with front-of-house leadership to deliver a cohesive + high-quality guest experience.what you’ll doculinary leadership + executionlead all kitchen operations, ensuring consistent execution of recipes, presentation, and flavor profilesoversee multiple stations (e.g., wok, fry, ramen, teppan as applicable) with strong command of pan-asian techniquesestablish + enforce standards for food quality, consistency, and speed of serviceconduct regular line checks + quality audits before + during serviceteam leadership + developmentrecruit, hire, train, and develop kitchen staff, including executive sous chefs, sous chefs, line cooks, and prep teamsbuild bench strength through coaching, performance management, and succession planningfoster a culture of accountability, teamwork, and continuous improvementlead pre-shift meetings and ongoing culinary training programskitchen operations + efficiencyoversee prep production, station setup, and service execution to ensure smooth kitchen flowmanage scheduling and labor deployment to align with business volume and productivity targetspartner with foh leadership to coordinate pacing, coursing, and service standardscontinuously evaluate and improve kitchen systems, workflows, and ticket timesfood safety + complianceensure strict adherence to food safety, sanitation, and hazard analytics + Critical control points (HACCP) standardsmaintain a clean, organized inspection-ready kitchen at all timesenforce proper storage, labeling, and handling of all food productsensure compliance with all local health department regulationsmonitor labeling, storage, temperatures, + other haccp aligned practicesinventory, purchasing + cost controlmanage ordering, inventory, and vendor relationships, including specialty asian ingredientscontrol food cost through portioning, yield management, and waste reductionconduct regular inventory counts + analyze variancesnegotiate with vendors where applicable to optimize pricing + qualityfinancial performanceown back-of-house financial performance, including food cost %, labor %, and overall profitabilitydevelop + manage budgets, forecasts, and cost targetsanalyze key performance indicators + implement corrective actions as neededbrand standards + guest experienceensure all dishes meet brand standards + contribute to a cohesive guest experiencesupport guest engagement when needed, including table touches + vip interactionsmaintain alignment between culinary execution and overall concept positioningskills + qualifications5–10+ years of progressive culinary experience, including leadership roles in high-performing restaurantsstrong background in pan-asian cuisine or demonstrated ability to lead multi-cuisine asian conceptsproven experience managing food cost, labor, and kitchen financial performanceadvanced knowledge of kitchen operations, systems, and food safety standardsdemonstrated leadership, coaching, and team development skillsavailability for evenings, weekends, and holidays.sanitation + food safety certified, local/state lawsphysical + work environment requirementsability to stand and work for extended periodsability to lift and carry up to 50 lbsability to work in a fast-paced, high-temperature kitchen environmentavailability to work nights, weekends, and holidaysDepending on business needs, requires up to 55 hours per week #J-18808-Ljbffr