Pastry Chef

OPENING PASTRY CHEF | ALLEYWAY GRILL

Alleyway Grill, a new contemporary Midwestern restaurant opening in downtown Evanston from Chefs Beverly Kim and Johnny Clark, is seeking a Pastry Chef to join our opening culinary team.

We are looking for a dependable, organized, hands-on pastry chef with strong fundamentals, creative curiosity, and a thoughtful approach to desserts and baking. This person will help develop and lead a pastry program spanning daytime bakery production and lunch and dinner desserts, with the ambition of building a distinctive and pastry program rooted in Midwestern sensibility, seasonality, and exceptional execution.

Our food is ingredient-driven and approachable, with live-fire cooking at the center of the restaurant. The ideal candidate understands how to balance creativity and quality with thoughtful production, smart use of ingredients, efficient systems, and minimal waste.

• Collaborate with the chefs and culinary leadership team to develop and execute Alleyway Grill’s opening pastry program
• Develop and maintain a focused daytime bakery program , along with seasonal desserts for lunch and dinner
• Create desserts and baked goods that are distinctive, approachable, and aligned with the restaurant’s culinary direction
• Develop, test, document, and standardize recipes, yields, and plating specifications
• Establish efficient prep systems, production schedules, pars, and quality standards across multiple dayparts
• Manage pastry ordering, inventory, food cost, yields, storage, rotation, and waste
• Thoughtfully cross-utilize ingredients and production while maintaining quality and creativity
• Maintain consistent execution and presentation from service to service
• Train and support culinary team members in pastry production, baking, finishing, and plating
• Develop systems that allow the culinary team to successfully execute pastry items when the Pastry Chef is not present
• Work hands-on in daily production and service
• Maintain a clean, organized, and well-prepared pastry production area
• Participate in seasonal menu development, tastings, holidays, private events, and special menus
• Communicate proactively with culinary leadership about production needs, challenges, ordering, and staffing
• Help establish a positive, professional, accountable kitchen culture from opening day forward

• 2–3+ years of professional pastry experience; previous pastry leadership experience preferred
• Strong foundation in baking, bakery production, plated desserts, pastry production, and seasonal menu development
• Ability to develop and standardize recipes and maintain consistent execution
• Strong organizational and time-management skills, including the ability to plan production across multiple dayparts
• Understanding of ordering, inventory, food cost, yields, pars, and waste management
• Reliable, punctual, prepared, and able to follow through on responsibilities with minimal oversight
• Strong communication skills and a collaborative, team-oriented approach
• Ability to train and support other members of the culinary team
• Adaptable, receptive to feedback, and comfortable working in a new restaurant environment where priorities may evolve
• Illinois Food Handler certification or ability to obtain one
• Flexible availability, including weekends and holidays as required

• Ability to stand and walk for the duration of a typical kitchen shift, generally up to 8–10 hours with appropriate breaks
• Ability to regularly lift and carry 25–30 lbs and occasionally lift or move up to 50 lbs , with assistance when appropriate
• Ability to bend, reach, squat, push, pull, and perform repetitive kitchen tasks
• Ability to work safely around ovens, hot equipment, refrigeration, and varying kitchen temperatures
• Ability to perform the essential functions of the position, with or without reasonable accommodation