Executive Pastry Chef

Job Description

Job Description

Perched sixty stories above Lower Manhattan, Manhatta serves seasonally inspired cooking, and offers stunning views of New York City, its bridges, and waterways. Manhatta is a restaurant and full-service event space from Danny Meyer’s Union Square Hospitality Group, combining sky-high views with down-to-earth hospitality.

Who you are:

The Executive Pastry Chef is responsible for all pastry menu execution and development for the restaurant and events. The Executive Pastry Chef oversees the entire pastry department, ensuring that the Pastry Sous Chef team has the tools and resources needed to lead their team and create high quality products in all areas of the pastry department. This person should have an endless passion for desserts, a great attitude, and exceptional work ethic. Successful candidates require great efficiency and focus, good communication skills, a pleasant friendly attitude, and a strong passion for hospitality and growth. 

What you'll do:​

• Consistently support a culture of Enlightened Hospitality 
• Lead and oversee all aspects of the Pastry Department, ensuring exceptional execution, consistency, quality, and hospitality across daily restaurant service, private events, and large-scale functions
• Act as a trusted partner to the Executive Chef and the Senior Leadership Team to drive culinary excellence, operational efficiency, financial performance, and a culture of accountability and continuous improvement
• Maintain positive working relationships and clear communication with Kitchen and Service teams
• Direct production and execution for high-volume service and complex events, managing multiple priorities while maintaining flawless standards in presentation, taste, and consistency
• Lead, mentor, develop and inspire a pastry team of up to 20 employees, including sous chefs, supervisors, and hourly team members, fostering growth, retention, and high performance
• Ensure full compliance with all Department of Health regulations, food safety standards, sanitation protocols, inventory controls, and operational best practices

What we need from you: 

• 5+ years of pastry leadership experience in a high-volume, fine dining, luxury hospitality, hotel, or event-driven environment with revenues exceeding $20M
• Demonstrated success leading large-scale pastry operations, including banquet, catering, and private event execution for functions ranging from intimate gatherings to events serving hundreds of guests
• Expert-level knowledge of classical and contemporary pastry techniques, bread production, chocolate work, plated desserts, large-scale production systems, wedding cakes, and menu development
• Proven ability to recruit, train, coach and manage teams of up to 20 employees while building strong workplace culture and driving operational excellence
• Comprehensive understanding of food safety, HACCP principles, Department of Health regulations, labor management, purchasing, inventory controls, and cost management
• Strong communication, organizational, and leadership skills with the ability to collaborate effectively across culinary, operations, and service teams in a fast-paced environment
• English fluency and additional languages preferred, but not required 

What you’ll get from us:

At Union Square Hospitality Group,  extending Enlightened Hospitality is at the heart of everything we do. We believe our people are our greatest ingredient. Joining our team means becoming part of a culture rooted in care, creativity, and growth. As an Executive Pastry Chef, you’ll enjoy:

• Competitive pay and bonus potential : Annual compensation of $100,000 - $115,000 plus eligibility for a performance-based bonus, with consideration for your experience and impact
• Comprehensive health coverage: Medical, dental, and vision insurance, plus flexible spending options for healthcare and dependent care
• Time to recharge: Generous paid time off and paid parental leave to support life outside of work
• Investing in your future: A matched 401(k) plan to help you grow long-term savings
• Peace of mind: Life insurance, employee assistance programs, and exclusive access to primary care, mental health, and other wellness services.
• Support in times of need: Access to the USHG HUGS Employee Relief Fund, offering direct assistance to team members facing unexpected hardship
• Dining Credit: An annual dining credit to enjoy exceptional meals and experiences at any of our restaurants 
• Dining Discount: A 51% dining discount across the entire USHG family of restaurants to share unforgettable meals with friends and loved ones 
• Convenience & flexibility:  Pre-tax commuter benefits for transit and parking
• Growth and community: Opportunities for learning, mentorship, and collaboration with some of the most passionate people in hospitality.

Putting Enlightened Hospitality into Practice

Integral to our culture are our six behaviors. Our behaviors guide how we work together.

• We play to win with humble swagger.  Hospitality is a team sport where everyone deserves an opportunity to thrive and belong
• Turn over the rocks and always be connecting dots  to build uplifting experiences and relationships
• Center the salt shaker  with an unwavering commitment to excellence and the values that matter most
• Write a great next chapter.  The road to success is paved with mistakes well-handled
• Bring a charitable assumption  and err on the side of generosity
• Leave our campsite better than we found it;  always responsible for the impact of our wake

*The above represents the expected salary range for this position. Ultimately, in determining your pay, we'll consider your experience and other job-related factors. 

The responsibilities outlined above are not exhaustive. This role may be required to take on other duties or projects as necessary to support organizational goals, in alignment with their skills, experience, and the evolving needs of the business.

Equal Opportunity Employer
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.