Executive Sous Chef

Executive Sous Chef — Caruso’s Grocery (Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C.)

Caruso’s Grocery is seeking an experienced, disciplined, and passionate Executive Sous Chef to help lead daily culinary operations at our flagship Capitol Hill location. Caruso’s Grocery is a homage to the classic red-sauce joint serving the best possible versions of Italian-American dishes.

We are looking for a strong kitchen leader who combines technical skill with a high-energy operational mindset to maintain strict standards for product quality, consistency, and kitchen culture. This position will work closely with Chef/Partner Matthew Adler as well as the culinary and operational teams at The Roost and Neighborhood Restaurant Group.

Caruso’s has received many accolades throughout the years, including OpenTable's top 100 restaurants in the country and stellar reviews from The Washington Post and Washingtonian magazine. It was also voted Readers' Choice Best Italian Restaurant in both Washington City Paper and Washingtonian.

Key Responsibilities

• Culinary Execution & Quality Control: Oversee line production during high-volume dinner service to ensure exact execution of recipes, portion sizes, line setup, and presentation standards.
• Team Leadership: Direct, train, and mentor line cooks and prep cooks while fostering an accountable, safe, and professional kitchen environment focused on hospitality and craft.
• Kitchen Operations & Scheduling: Partner with the Executive Chef to build labor schedules, manage prep lists, handle daily station assignments, and streamline service workflow.
• Financial Oversight: Maintain targeted food and labor costs through tight inventory management, portion control, prep planning, and daily ordering.
• Sanitation & Safety: Ensure compliance with all DOH standards, food safety regulations, sanitation protocols, and equipment maintenance.

Qualifications & Requirements

• Experience: Minimum 2–3 years of culinary management experience (Executive Sous Chef, Sous Chef) in a high-volume, scratch-kitchen environment. I
• Leadership: Proven ability to manage, motivate, and direct a diverse team with clear, concise communication and a constructive leadership style.
• Operational Business Acumen: Experience with inventory systems, invoice processing, food costing, and labor controls preferred
• Schedule Flexibility: Ability to work full-time hours, including evenings, weekends, and holidays.