Japanese Executive Chef

An established hospitality group is seeking a hands-on Executive Chef for a Japanese-inspired restaurant in Midtown Manhattan. The chef will lead menu development and daily kitchen execution while working closely with the line cooks and the broader team. We are looking for someone who knows Japanese cuisine well and can build consistent standards as the restaurant grows.

Responsibilities
• Lead kitchen prep, service, quality control, and closing procedures.
• Create and update menus rooted in Japanese cuisine, balancing creativity, consistency, and guest appeal.
• Develop recipes, portioning, plating standards, and practical training for the kitchen team.
• Work alongside line cooks during service; coach, schedule, and support the team.
• Oversee purchasing, receiving, inventory, product rotation, and vendor coordination.
• Track food cost, waste, and labor, and use that information to improve kitchen performance.
• Maintain high standards for food safety, sanitation, labeling, and storage.
• Collaborate with ownership and front-of-house colleagues on service flow and guest experience.

Qualifications
• At least 2–3 years of professional experience in a Japanese restaurant kitchen.
• Experience leading and training a restaurant kitchen team.
• Strong knowledge of Japanese ingredients, cooking methods, and menu development; izakaya or Japanese à la carte experience is a plus.
• Experience with inventory, purchasing, food costing, and recipe standards.
• Organized, dependable, calm under pressure, and willing to be hands-on during service.

Please apply with your resume and a short note about the Japanese kitchens you have worked in, menus you have developed, and teams you have led.