Executive Chef

Cheeky's is a neighborhood seafood restaurant and oyster bar on Central Ave in St. Petersburg, Florida. We shuck oysters, shake martinis, pour ice cold beers and grill fresh fish the right way while taking great care of everyone who walks through our door, especially our team members. We opened in May 2025 and in our first year we have been named to Best of the Bay by Creative Loafing and recognized on several Best Of lists by the Tampa Bay Times. Our neighborhood has welcomed us in a way that means everything to us, and we are just getting started. Cheeky's is owned and operated by Nate Siegel, whose projects include award-winning bistro Willa's and café Willa's Provisions in Tampa, named Top Restaurants by the Tampa Bay Times, The Coolest Place to Dine by Architectural Digest and Best Restaurant in The South by Southern Living. We are looking for an executive chef ready to lead. Someone who wants to step into a working kitchen, take ownership and grow with a concept that is earning its place as one of the best neighborhood restaurants in the region. If you are ready to lead for the first time or step into a bigger role than you have had before, this is your opportunity. The Role: The Cheeky's menu is rooted in our waters and driven by fresh seafood. We build close relationships with the people who catch and grow our product and then we get out of the way and let it shine. Our menu evolves with the seasons–a clam bar launch each summer, a full fall relaunch, stone crabs from October-May and festive specials that follow the rhythm of the year–but we do not mess with things that are working. There is real artistry in that restraint. This job is to own that standard. Execute with precision, hold the line and build a kitchen that delivers without fail every shift. Where creativity lives here is in our events, pop‑ups and collaborations: moments where the team gets to stretch. The daily work is the discipline of doing what we do exceptionally well and finding real pride in that. If that excites you, this is your kitchen. How We Work: We are looking for someone who leads by lifting people up, finds real satisfaction in developing the people around them and understands that true hospitality starts in the kitchen and in how we treat each other. The kitchen and the dining room are one house. Our Executive Chef works alongside the service team, not apart from them. We communicate, we support each other and we solve problems together. The best shift is one where both sides of the restaurant finish strong and feel great about the work they did. We do not yell. We do not operate with ego or fear. We lead with a growth mindset, for ourselves and for every person on the team. What You'll Own Execute the existing menu to spec, consistently, every shift Seasonal menu updates in partnership with ownership: summer clam bar, fall relaunch and holiday specials Food cost controls and daily tracking through MarginEdge BOH scheduling and labor cost management published two weeks in advance Review and understand P&L monthly: own your numbers and present solutions Health department compliance: zero violations, every inspection Kitchen cleanliness, organization and equipment care Hiring, onboarding and developing BOH team members Weekly inventory and vendor relationships: hold vendors accountable for product quality and consistency Catering and private events execution as we grow that program Cross-team communication and collaboration with FOH leadership Team culture: growth mindset, accountability and one house Recipe index and training materials kept current Compensation & Benefits $75,000-$90,000 base salary based on experience Performance bonus up to 15% tied to food cost, labor cost and kitchen KPIs Meal every shift Paid time off Medical, dental and vision benefits Clear path to growth as the company expands Schedule: Full-time salaried. Five days per week with two consecutive days off. 50-55 hours per week. Flexibility for events and business needs. Evenings, weekends and holidays required. Who You Are Hungry, focused and ready to lead Deeply detail-oriented: you care about the small things because the small things are everything A relationship builder: with your team, your vendors and your FOH partners Low ego, high standards Financially fluent: you know your food cost, your labor cost and your P&L Comfortable with technology: MarginEdge, scheduling platforms and inventory systems Obsessed with cleanliness and health department compliance A collaborator who works well with FOH and understands one house Excited about catering, events and pop‑ups as a growth opportunity Someone who finds pride and artistry in consistency and mastery, not just reinvention Qualifications 2+ years of kitchen leadership experience in any capacity Demonstrated focus on food cost and labor cost management High‑volume kitchen experience Strong communication and team leadership skills Ability to work nights, weekends and holidays Cheeky's is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, national origin, age, sex, religion, disability, marital status, veteran status or any other basis protected by local, state or federal law. #J-18808-Ljbffr