Executive Chef

Love's Alibi is a bar and restaurant in The Gulch neighborhood located at 901 Gleaves St. in Nashville, TN. It is one of the newest additions to the LeBlanc + Smith portfolio. JOB PURPOSE The Executive Chef at Loves Alibi is responsible for leading the stabilization and long-term growth of the culinary program while building the operational foundation for future LeBLANC+SMITH Hospitality concepts. This role is designed for a chef who wants to build something, not simply maintain it. During the first six months, the Executive Chef will become fully immersed in Loves Alibi, taking ownership of the kitchen, rebuilding systems, strengthening the team, refining the menu, and creating operational standards that can be replicated throughout future restaurant openings. Working in partnership with the managing partner and ownership, this position has significant creative ownership over menu development, staffing, training, systems implementation, and operational excellence while operating within established financial goals and brand standards. As Loves Alibi reaches stability, this role is intended to evolve into a broader culinary leadership position supporting new openings, menu development, training, kitchen design, operational systems, and multi-unit culinary initiatives across LeBLANC+SMITH Hospitality. ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES Culinary Leadership Model and promote LeBLANC+SMITH’s values with consistency and integrity. Communicate clearly and respectfully with team members and other managers. Support a culture of calm, focus, and care in a fast-paced environment. Collaborate closely with the front of house team to ensure seamless bar and food coordination. Fill in on the line as needed to support a smooth shift. Ensure prep and execution are timely and aligned with service demands. Maintain kitchen labor costs in alignment with budget expectations, 25% food cost. Monitor food and supply costs, ensuring tight control over portioning and waste. Conduct weekly inventory and submit reports on time. Manage all back of house labor costs and scheduling Partner with management on budget planning and act quickly when financial goals are at risk. Food Safety & Sanitation Ensure all food is prepared according to health and safety regulations, maintaining a clean and organized kitchen. Advise staff on proper food handling procedures and ensure compliance with local health department regulations. Maintain updated ServSafe certification Maintain accurate documentation of safety logs, temperature checks, and cleaning schedules. Ensure that kitchen equipment is in safe, working condition. Oversee cleanliness and organization across all kitchen and storage areas. Staff Training & Development Lead hiring andtraining on food preparation, cleanliness, safety, and kitchen systems. Provide in-the-moment coaching and formal feedback to build accountability. Foster a respectful and reliable kitchen culture, emphasizing consistency and clear communication. Assist in training new kitchen staff, ensuring they are proficient in Loves Alibi’s standards and procedures. Support the professional growth of the culinary team, providing feedback and coaching to enhance their skills. WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE Within the first six months, success in this role will include: Loves Alibi is operating with a fully staffed and engaged culinary team. Operational systems—including recipes, prep guides, station guides, order guides, and training materials—have been fully developed and implemented. The kitchen consistently achieves budgeted food cost and labor goals. The menu has been thoughtfully refreshed to improve guest experience and profitability. Catering and event offerings have been expanded. A clear second-in-command has been identified and is actively being developed. The kitchen is operating independently with consistency, allowing this leader to begin contributing to broader company initiatives. PROFESSIONAL GROWTH OPPORTUNITY LeBLANC+SMITH is committed to promoting leaders from within whenever possible. The Executive Chef role at Loves Alibi has been intentionally designed as a development opportunity for a future Regional Culinary Director or equivalent leadership position. Approximately six months after the employee's start date, ownership will conduct a formal review to evaluate progress toward operational goals, leadership development, and readiness to support future restaurant openings and company growth initiatives. As responsibilities expand beyond Loves Alibi, compensation—including salary and bonus opportunities—will be reviewed to reflect the increased scope of the position. ESSENTIAL CHARACTERISTICS Must Embody Our Five Values Do Cool Sh*t and Stay Humble Teach Why Must Be Entrepreneurial with the ability to take initiative, be decisive and see all projects and responsibilities through. Maintain an upbeat and optimistic outlook and generosity of spirit, believing the best in people and possibilities while embodying the warm, engaging and fun hospitality that makes us distinctive. Must enjoy being a part of a great team, believing in and lifting your teammates up and never knocking them down. Must hold yourself and our team to a consistent standard of excellence. Must work beautifully, paying great attention to detail all manner of presentation related to people, place and products. Must recover beautifully. If you make a mistake, your head will not roll. But we do expect you to take responsibility for your mistake, immediately make it up to whomever may have been hurt by the mistake, and then learn and grow from it. Must be coachable and willing to coach others. We are more interested in being great than in being right, and while we should believe in ourselves, we must always acknowledge that we can always learn and improve. Likewise, we must be comfortable with coaching our team, even in moments where difficult conversations are required to continue to develop them to the best of their abilities. Must be capable of prioritization and always identifying The #1 Thing. Must be capable of delegating and holding team members accountable for their performance, both good and bad. COMPENSATION Bonus Structure: $1,500 for each month Love's Alibi achieves over $50,000 in food revenue. Additional Benefits Accrued PTO at a rate of 2.15 hours per week worked with accrual starting on the date of hire. Affordable Health Insurance Offered for all team members with weekly contributions from LeBLANC+SMITH Free access to Mental Health Services through WeHelp and Oyster Sunday Benefits . Free access to Oyster Sunday Wellness Dashboard which offers discounts on Health Services, Gyms, Continued Education, Knives, Cookware, Subscriptions and more #J-18808-Ljbffr