Executive Chef

About Christophe's Fine Foods

Christophe's Fine Foods is a chef-driven prepared food shop opening summer 2026 on North Clark Street in Lincoln Park. We offer restaurant-quality prepared meals, a curated selection of cheese and charcuterie, pantry essentials, and thoughtfully chosen wines — for the customer who wants to eat exceptionally well at home without the effort. This is not a restaurant. It's a precision food production operation with a retail floor, built around a rotating menu of 40–50 prepared dishes made fresh throughout the week.

Position Summary

The Executive Chef is the culinary leader of Christophe's Fine Foods, responsible for building and running a kitchen that produces exceptional food with consistency, precision, and efficiency. Reporting directly to the owner, the Executive Chef oversees all aspects of culinary production — from pre-opening recipe development and systems-building through daily operations once the store is open. This is a role for a formally trained, process-oriented chef who takes as much pride in documentation and repeatability as they do in the quality of the food itself.

The owner sets the culinary direction and has final say on all menu and recipe decisions. The Executive Chef is a key creative partner in that process — your input, ideas, and expertise are genuinely welcomed and expected.

About the Role

This is a two-phase position that begins immediately and carries through opening and beyond.

Phase 1 — Pre-Opening Responsibilities (now through summer 2026)

• Collaborate with owner to develop, test, and document a library of 100+ recipes, from which the opening menu of 40–50 SKUs will be drawn
• Standardize recipes with precise weights, yields, and scaling for batch production
• Cost every recipe against target COGS; adjust formulations as needed
• Conduct reheating, shelf life, and packaging compatibility testing
• Build daily and weekly production schedules and prep lists
• Develop kitchen workflow systems and batch production plans
• Create HACCP paths and food safety protocols
• Produce complete recipe cards, spec sheets, and SOP documentation
• Assist in evaluating suppliers and establishing vendor relationships
• Support smallwares and equipment planning for the store kitchen

Phase 2 — Store Operations Responsibilities (summer 2026 forward)

• Lead and manage a lean BOH team including hiring, training, and performance
• Oversee daily batch production across the full prepared foods menu
• Maintain food cost and COGS targets; track yields and adjust production accordingly
• Manage ordering, inventory, and supplier relationships
• Ensure food safety, labeling, and allergen compliance on all products
• Evolve and rotate the menu seasonally in collaboration with the owner
• Maintain kitchen organization, cleanliness, and sanitation standards
• All kitchen staff share responsibility for cleaning and maintaining the kitchen and store environment
• Develop and update training materials and production SOPs on an ongoing basis

What Makes This Different

Most Executive Chef roles come with restaurant hours — late nights, split shifts, holiday chaos. This one doesn't. Our store is open Wednesday through Monday, 10am–7pm — no dinner service, no late nights. You'll work a real schedule, earn a real salary, and still do serious, meaningful culinary work. If you're a talented chef who's done with the grind but not done with great food, this was built for you.

This is also a ground-floor opportunity at a concept with a long-term growth vision. You'll work directly with the owner — no corporate bureaucracy, no layers — and for the right person, the ability to grow with the business is real.

What We're Looking For

• Reliability and consistency.
• Formal culinary training preferred — Kendall College, CIA, Le Cordon Bleu, Johnson & Wales, or equivalent
• 5+ years of progressive culinary experience, with time spent at a serious level
• Experience in prepared foods, catering, meal production, ghost kitchens, or CPG strongly preferred
• Genuinely comfortable with the administrative side of the job — recipe costing, yield tracking, SOPs, production scheduling. This is not a secondary part of the role.
• Familiarity with HACCP principles and food safety protocols
• Working knowledge of pastry and baking fundamentals preferred
• A systems thinker who takes pride in consistency and repeatability, not just creativity
• Comfortable engaging with customers on the retail floor from time to time
• Strong communicator who can collaborate closely with a hands-on owner
• ServSafe certified or able to obtain

What We're Not Looking For

If your identity is built around high-adrenaline service, late-night kitchen culture, or cooking purely by feel — this probably isn't the right fit. We need someone who finds genuine satisfaction in making the same dish perfectly, every time, and who is excited to help build something from the ground up within an owner's vision.

Physical Demands

• Ability to stand for up to 8–12 hours per day
• Ability to move or lift up to 50 pounds
• Ability to work in a kitchen environment with exposure to heat, cold, and common food allergens including gluten, dairy, eggs, nuts, seafood, and shellfish

Compensation & Schedule

• $75,000–$85,000 annually, W-2
• Wednesday–Monday schedule
• Based in Chicago, IL (Lincoln Park)

To Apply

Send your resume and a brief note on why this role makes sense for where you are in your career. We're not looking for a cover letter — just an honest paragraph or two.

Christophe's Fine Foods is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.