Chef de Cuisine

The Carnation Farms Culinary Team is looking for an experienced Chef de Cuisine to lead our growing kitchen operations! We are seeking a creative and motivated culinary professional who has a passion for seasonal cooking, strong leadership skills, and a desire to help our team and culinary programs continue to grow. Reports To: Director of Culinary Operations and Education Employment: Full-Time - Weekends as needed / Evenings as needed Position Overview Position Summary The Chef de Cuisine provides day-to-day leadership of the Carnation Farms kitchen, ensuring culinary operations run smoothly, efficiently, and to a consistently high standard. This is a hands-on leadership role responsible for managing daily kitchen operations, leading and developing the Culinary Team, overseeing food production and execution, and ensuring the systems and standards needed to support a growing culinary operation are consistently followed. Working closely with the Director of Culinary Operations and Education, the Chef de Cuisine will lead creative menu and recipe development across the farm, including Farmstand products, events, catering, and other culinary offerings. The Chef de Cuisine will also play a key role in translating the Director’s vision for culinary programs and events into successful kitchen execution. The right person for this role is an experienced culinary professional who combines creativity with strong organization and leadership. They should be equally comfortable developing a new dish, coaching an employee, improving a kitchen process, managing production priorities, and jumping onto the line or into prep when the team needs support. Schedule & Flexibility This is a full-time position, generally expected to average 40 hours per week . Carnation Farms’ culinary operation supports Farmstand production, catering, Farm-to-Table dinners, weddings, conferences, community events, and other special programs. Because of this, considerable schedule flexibility is an essential part of this leadership role . The Chef de Cuisine’s schedule will vary based on production and event needs and will include some evenings and weekends. This position is expected to be present and actively leading the kitchen during key production periods and significant culinary events. Key Responsibilities Lead and oversee day-to-day kitchen operations, ensuring production is organized, efficient, and completed to established standards. Plan and coordinate daily and weekly kitchen priorities, production schedules, staffing needs, and workflow. Provide hands‑on leadership during production, catering, and events, stepping into cooking and prep responsibilities as needed. Train, coach, mentor, and provide day-to-day direction to Culinary Team members. Establish clear expectations for performance, quality, teamwork, cleanliness, and accountability. Partner with the Director of Culinary Operations and Education on staffing, employee development, and performance management. Foster a kitchen culture built around professionalism, communication, teamwork, respect, and shared accountability. Menu, Recipe & Product Development Lead creative menu and recipe development across Carnation Farms’ culinary operation, working toward cohesive seasonal offerings across Farmstand products, events, catering, and other programs. Partner with the Director of Culinary Operations and Education to develop new Farmstand products featuring seasonal, regional, and farm‑grown ingredients. Develop, test, document, and maintain standardized recipes that support consistency, quality, production efficiency, and accurate costing. Identify creative opportunities to utilize available farm products and seasonal ingredients across culinary offerings. Ensure finished products and dishes consistently meet established standards for flavor, quality, portioning, and presentation. Events & Culinary Programming Partner with the Director of Culinary Operations and Education on culinary programming and events that support the mission of Carnation Farms. Take primary responsibility for kitchen planning and execution of culinary programs, catered events, Farm-to-Table dinners, weddings, community events, and other culinary experiences. Translate event menus and program plans into production schedules, staffing assignments, prep lists, and execution plans. Coordinate with other departments and event partners as needed to ensure successful culinary execution. Develop, document, implement, and continuously improve kitchen Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) in partnership with the Director of Culinary Operations and Education. Ensure established recipes, production processes, and kitchen systems are consistently followed by the Culinary Team. Assist with labor planning and accurate labor tracking to support the financial goals of the Culinary department. Oversee food inventory, ordering, receiving, storage, rotation, and product management. Ensure regular inventory counts are scheduled, completed accurately, and communicated appropriately. Monitor food waste, maintain appropriate waste tracking, and identify creative and responsible ways to reduce waste and utilize excess product. Support responsible food and labor cost management while maintaining established standards for quality. Food Safety, Sanitation & Equipment Ensure all Culinary Team members follow applicable food safety, sanitation, and workplace safety requirements. Maintain high standards of kitchen cleanliness and organization, including cold, frozen, and dry storage areas. Ensure kitchen equipment is used properly, cleaned and maintained appropriately, and kept in safe working condition. Identify equipment maintenance, repair, replacement, and improvement needs and communicate recommendations to the Director. Maintain required food safety practices, documentation, and certifications. Qualifications We are looking for an experienced culinary professional who is as strong at leading people and systems as they are at producing excellent food. 5+ years of professional culinary experience preferred. Previous Chef de Cuisine experience or a minimum of 3 years of demonstrated kitchen leadership experience. Strong culinary foundation with thorough knowledge of cooking techniques, food preparation, and commercial kitchen equipment. Demonstrated ability to lead, train, coach, and hold kitchen employees accountable. Experience managing production schedules, workflow, inventory, ordering, and kitchen organization. Strong recipe and menu development skills with an understanding of seasonality and ingredient utilization. Excellent knowledge of food safety and sanitation requirements. Strong organizational skills and attention to detail. Ability to prioritize and remain calm, flexible, and solutions‑oriented in a fast‑paced environment where plans and priorities may change. Strong communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to work effectively across different personalities, departments, and working styles. Comfortable using basic computer and web‑based applications, including Microsoft Office, Google Workspace, and other business systems. Interest in and enthusiasm for regenerative agriculture, seasonal cooking, and farm‑to‑table food systems. Culinary degree or certificate preferred but not required. Valid Washington State Food Worker Card required. MAST permit required as applicable to job responsibilities. ServSafe Manager certification preferred; candidates without certification may complete it as part of professional development. Must be able to satisfactorily complete a background check. Physical Demands Ability to stand and work on your feet for extended periods. Ability to lift, carry, push, and pull up to 50 pounds. Ability to bend, reach, lift, and perform repetitive kitchen tasks throughout the workday. Ability to work safely around hot surfaces, sharp equipment, and other normal commercial kitchen conditions. Ability to work effectively in a fast‑paced kitchen and event environment. Compensation $83,000 – $90,000 per year . Carnation Farms is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Carnation Farms does not discriminate or determine employment on the basis of race, religion, sex, gender identity, age, or any other protected characteristic. Employment decisions are made on the basis of qualifications, merit, and business needs. Carnation Farms is committed to an environment of mutual respect and maintains a zero-tolerance policy regarding discrimination or harassment of any kind. Carnation Farms also values the power of diverse lived experiences and perspectives. Pay : $83,000.00 – $90,000.00 per year 401(k) 401(k) matching Health insurance Paid time off Vision insurance People with a criminal record are encouraged to apply #J-18808-Ljbffr