Kitchen Director | Food Hall | 80K - 85K

Job Description

Job Description

Location: San Clemente, CA

Base Salary: $80,000 – $85,000 | Salaried

Bonus: Quarterly bonus tied to concept performance — begins after 90-day intro period. Uncapped upside as volume grows.

Work Week ~50 hours ongoing after opening period settles

A fast-growing, food hall operator in Southern California is seeking a Kitchen Director to lead culinary operations at a brand-new multi-concept food hall. This is a ground-floor leadership role at a company opening multiple high-profile venues across SoCal — with a clear path to grow as the portfolio expands.

If you're a kitchen-first operator who's ready to stop running someone else's line and start building your own team from scratch — this is your shot.

WHY JOIN US

•     Ground floor at a well-funded, rapidly growing company — multiple food hall venues opening across Southern California

•     True leadership role — 80% management, 20% hands-on once your team is built

•     Uncapped bonus potential — the better you build your team, the more you earn

•     Work in a stunning, design-forward venue built by one of SoCal's top architecture firms

•     Multi-brand skill development — managing multiple concepts makes you more valuable, faster

•     Clear growth path — additional Kitchen Director roles already planned at higher comp as the portfolio scales

WHAT YOU'LL DO

•     Oversee all culinary operations across multiple proprietary fast casual concepts within a single food hall venue

•     Hire, train, and develop your entire kitchen team from the ground up — you build the culture

•     Maintain food quality, consistency, and standards across all concepts on every shift

•     Partner with the Food Hall GM on day-to-day venue operations

•     Work directly with the company's Culinary Director and senior leadership on opening execution

•     Develop key hourly leads and promote from within as the team matures

•     Own your kitchen's performance — food cost, execution, team development, and guest satisfaction

WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR

•     3+ years in kitchen management — KM, Sous Chef, or Chef de Cuisine level

•     Experience across multiple cuisines or concepts — seafood, burgers, and healthy fast casual backgrounds are a strong fit

•     Builder DNA — energized by opening environments, not intimidated by a blank slate

•     Strong tenure — we're building something long-term and need people committed to the ride

•     Fast casual, food hall, or high-volume kitchen background strongly preferred