Sushi Chef - OMAKAI sushi Coconut Grove

Sushi ChefLocation: Coconut Grove, FLEmployment Type: Full-Time (30-40 hours)About OMAKAIOMAKAI is a traditional sushi restaurant with one aim: to be known for blowing people's minds. Everything we do rests on three guarantees: warm rice for contrast, crispy nori for texture, and kind service. Every guest, every visit.We serve high-quality traditional sushi at an accessible price, and we are growing across South Florida and expanding to other cities nationally with our full-service restaurants and hand roll bars. We aim to hold ourselves to a five-star hotel standard in a casual dining room, which means the details matter here more than they do in most restaurants.We treat every guest with genuine kindness and focus heavily on execution. Our team runs on accountability, reliability, and doing what we say we will do.Position OverviewWe are seeking Sushi Chefs at every level of our kitchen, from our roll and sashimi stations through our nigiri line. We require at least one year of restaurant experience for our entry-level Sushi Chef positions or a strong willingness to learn, and our senior stations require two or more years of hands-on nigiri and neta work.Our sushi chefs work in four levels, and this posting is open to all of them. Chef B owns sashimi and the roll section. Chef B2 owns plating and saucing, the finishing station where every outgoing plate meets our presentation standard. Chef A2 owns neta prep and takeout nigiri, cutting and portioning all fish and toppings and keeping the nigiri station stocked and labeled before service. Chef A owns nigiri prep and service, the most demanding seat in the kitchen, where rice, fish placement, and presentation have to be identical from the first ticket to the last.Where you start depends on your experience, knife work, and speed, and every level has a clear path to the next. We are looking for chefs who have done this work before or are strongly motivated to learn, know what excellence looks like, are genuinely kind, and bring high standards to the station.ResponsibilitiesSashimi (Chef B)Slice and plate all sashimi to standard with proper fish handling and freshnessKeep fish at proper temperature and follow every handling and storage stepCheck quality before plating and pull anything that falls below standardKeep cuts precise and consistent from the first order to the lastRoll Section Prep and Service (Chef B)Set up roll station mise en place before serviceExecute every hand roll, cut roll, and specialty roll accurately and on timeKeep rolls tight and consistent, and never send an open hand roll or a sloppy plate to the windowSequence the work when sashimi and rolls fire at once so neither station falls behindPlating and Saucing Service (Chef B2)Apply sauces, garnishes, and finishing touches to every outgoing plate to our presentation standardHave sauces, garnishes, and finishing components prepped and ready before service so nothing slows the passHold presentation standards when plates pile up at the finishing stationUse your peripheral vision to catch what needs help and jump in to support other line positionsRaise a presentation or component problem with expo or the kitchen manager rather than finishing and running a substandard plateNeta Prep (Chef A2)Cut and portion all fish and toppings to OMAKAI standardsKeep the nigiri station fully stocked and labeled before service starts, every shiftBreak fish down efficiently when neta runs low during a rush and communicate with the kitchen managerFlag fish that is past its window or a labeling error immediatelyTakeout Nigiri Service (Chef A2)Execute accurate, consistent nigiri on every takeout ticketCut takeout neta with the same care as a dine-in plateKeep the station clean and organized and the tickets moving when takeout orders stack upNever let an inconsistent or off-looking piece go into a takeout boxNigiri Prep and Service (Chef A)Prep and portion all nigiri components to standard before serviceExecute every order with consistent rice, fish placement, and presentationDeliver warm rice for contrast and precise fish placement on every pieceHold the station through a full rush without losing rice or fish consistencyPull in support before quality slips rather than cutting cornersTaste and check quality thoroughly, and refuse to serve any product that falls below standardAll LevelsFollow our recipe books and standard operating procedures exactly, on every item, every shiftPrepare sushi rice to recipe, including washing, cooking, cutting, and seasoningClean and filet a variety of fish and mollusks at the level your station requiresComplete opening, running, and closing side work, including cleaning your station at the end of each meal period and storing food properlyMinimize waste of fish, food, and kitchen suppliesSupport inventory and ordering accuracy, including checking that deliveries match what was orderedContribute to training newer chefs and cooks when neededQualificationsOne year of restaurant experience is required for Chef B, and two or more years for our senior neta and nigiri stations (Chef A)Japanese cuisine knowledge is welcome but not requiredSafeServe, allergy compliance, and sexual harassment prevention certifications required, and all can be obtained during training. We cover the cost of the sexual harassment prevention certificateSkilled with a knife, including cleaning, filleting, and portioning a variety of fish and mollusks, is required for senior stations, but we are willing to train highly motivated candidates for entry-level positionsAble to learn and memorize the entire food menu in detail, including ingredients, preparation, and presentationAble to maintain both quality and speed through a rushCommunicates well with teammates, expo, and management, especially during a rushReliable transportation to and from the restaurantMust be legally authorized to work in the United StatesWorking ConditionsIndoor kitchen environment in a restaurant that handles fish, seafood, vegetables, fruits, wheat products, rice, dry seaweed, sauces, and many other food and beverage productsCandidates with food allergies must inform management during the application processNoise levels vary depending on how busy the restaurant isThe kitchen is an enclosed space with a single dispatch window looking out over the dining floorStanding for long periods, with some bending and kneeling to reach items such as plates, knives, sauces, and dry goodsConstant knife handling and contact with raw seafood, including cold and wet productModerate lifting, up to 50 poundsManeuvering between tabletops, kitchen equipment, and cornersCharacteristics We ValueDetail-oriented, and you never let a plate that does not look right go out the windowConsistent, with portioning and presentation that hold up ticket after ticketFast and precise at peak volume, without cutting cornersDisciplined about recipes, standard operating procedures, and food safetyGenuinely kind, with patience for teammates who are still learningComposed, you keep your station clean and calm through a full rushHonest, you say when something is off instead of sending it outTeam first, you support another station before being askedCore ValuesYou handle fish with the care of someone serving family, and you cut a takeout guest's neta with the same care as a dine-in plate. You help a newer chef learn a portioning cut with patience rather than keeping the technique to yourself.Be