Multi-Unit EC | Reputable and Growing Brand | NYC

Culinary Director/Multi-Unit EC

We're hiring a Culinary Director for a growing restaurant group that's building a portfolio of concepts across the country. This is a hands-on leadership role for a chef who's happiest in the kitchen developing people, sharpening technique, and building food and guest experiences worth remembering.

Working as the right hand to the Chief Culinary Officer, you'll help shape the culinary vision across every concept and make sure it shows up on the plate, night after night, in every location. The job is built around mentorship, training, menu development, and execution not sitting behind a desk. If you love coaching cooks, opening restaurants, and leaving a kitchen better than you found it, this is your kind of role.

Culinary Leadership

• Serve as the culinary leader and creative partner to the Chief Culinary Officer
• Help develop and carry out the culinary vision across all concepts
• Collaborate on seasonal menus, recipe testing, tastings, and rollout
• Hold every menu to a high bar for creativity, consistency, and execution

Developing People

• Spot, mentor, and grow culinary talent throughout the company
• Coach Executive Chefs, Sous Chefs, and line cooks through hands-on leadership
• Build training programs and culinary standards that stick
• Create a culture of learning, accountability, and craft

In The Restaurants

• Spend real time on the line, working alongside culinary teams
• Run regular kitchen assessments for quality, consistency, and organization
• Refine recipes, prep systems, station setup, and execution standards
• Keep every kitchen running with discipline, pride, and attention to detail

Openings

• Lead culinary execution for new restaurant openings
• Help with hiring, onboarding, training, recipe implementation, kitchen setup, and readiness
• Partner with opening teams for smooth launches and clean handoffs into everyday operations

You'll work closely with Operations, Corporate Culinary, Purchasing, and Leadership. Food cost, labor, and efficiency all matter, but the heart of this role is culinary excellence, people, and execution not day-to-day financial management.

What We're Looking For

• 10+ years of progressive culinary leadership
• Experience leading multiple locations or concepts
• A strong track record developing chefs and building training programs
• Restaurant opening experience, from pre-opening through launch
• An exceptional palate, real creativity, and a sharp eye for detail
• Comfort in both fine dining and high-volume rooms
• Strong communication and leadership, and the organization to juggle several projects at once
• Humble, collaborative, and genuinely energized by developing other people

A Note On Travel

This role travels a lot. You'll spend 25-30% of the year on the road between existing restaurants, new builds, training, and openings, with extended stretches away from home. You'll need a valid driver's license, the ability to fly as needed, and a schedule that's genuinely open to frequent, extended travel. It's best suited to someone who likes being on the road and building restaurants from the inside out.

Who Thrives Here

First and foremost, we're looking for a teacher someone who'd rather coach cooks than sit in meetings. Someone who can walk into any kitchen, earn the team's respect through knowledge and humility, and leave it stronger than they found it. We believe consistency comes from training, culture comes from leadership, and great restaurants are built by developing great people. If that's how you think, we should talk.