Head Chef

Head Chef – Beach House Restaurant & Taproom

Lead the Kitchen. Reinvent the Menu. Inspire the Team.

Beach House Restaurant & Taproom on Jekyll Island is looking for a creative, energetic, and experienced Head Chef to take our culinary program to the next level. This is an exciting opportunity for a chef who is passionate about food, energized by hospitality, and ready to bring a fresh, vibrant perspective to an established restaurant.

We have a kitchen team in place, and we are looking for a leader who can inspire, coach, and motivate that team to consistently deliver exceptional food and memorable guest experiences. We want someone who isn't afraid to challenge the status quo, explore new ideas, embrace culinary trends, and create dishes that give our guests a reason to come back.

As Head Chef, you will have the opportunity to refresh and evolve the menu, introduce seasonal and creative offerings, and work closely with the Restaurant General Manager and leadership team to build a culinary identity that reflects the energy and character of Beach House.

What You'll Do

Bring Creativity to the Menu

• Develop a fresh and exciting culinary direction for Beach House.
• Create new menu items that are creative, approachable, seasonal, and aligned with guest preferences.
• Keep the menu fresh by responding to seasonal ingredients, culinary trends, and customer feedback.
• Work with the Restaurant General Manager and leadership team to identify opportunities to increase guest satisfaction and drive revenue.
• Develop appealing and profitable catering offerings in partnership with the Sales & Catering team.
• Ensure recipes and menu items are properly costed and maintain appropriate food margins.

Lead & Inspire the Team

• Be a visible, hands-on leader who sets the standard for the entire Back of House team.
• Inspire a team with established routines to embrace new ideas, higher standards, and a stronger culture of accountability.
• Coach and develop team members while identifying opportunities for career growth and advancement.
• Create a positive kitchen culture where people take pride in their work and understand how their role impacts the guest experience.
• Recruit, train, and develop new culinary team members as needed.
• Address performance, attendance, and other personnel matters fairly and consistently.

Drive Consistency & Quality

• Ensure every dish leaving the kitchen meets established standards for presentation, portion, temperature, taste, and timing.
• Establish and maintain recipes, preparation standards, and kitchen procedures.
• Work alongside the team during service and lead by example when the kitchen is busy.
• Monitor ticket times and kitchen execution to ensure guests receive their food accurately and promptly.
• Maintain the highest standards of food safety, sanitation, organization, and cleanliness.
• Ensure compliance with ServSafe and all applicable health and safety requirements.

Own the Kitchen Operation

• Manage food and labor costs while maintaining the quality of the guest experience.
• Oversee inventory, ordering, receiving, storage, and product rotation.
• Maintain appropriate inventory levels and minimize waste.
• Build efficient BOH schedules that support the business while controlling labor costs.
• Monitor and manage Back of House payroll.
• Assist with invoice processing and vendor relationships.
• Stay current with culinary techniques, trends, equipment, and best practices.
• Participate in weekly leadership meetings when the Restaurant General Manager is unable to attend.
• Participate in the Manager on Duty program.

What We're Looking For

We're looking for more than someone who can simply run a kitchen.

We want a Chef who wants to lead.

The ideal candidate is:

• Creative, energetic, and genuinely passionate about food and hospitality.
• An inspiring leader who knows how to bring out the best in a team.
• Comfortable taking an established menu and asking, "How can we make this better?"
• Passionate about creating food that guests remember and talk about.
• A strong communicator who can set clear expectations while building trust and respect.
• Hands-on and willing to work alongside the team during busy services.
• Focused on consistency and unwilling to compromise on quality.
• Business-minded and comfortable balancing creativity with food cost, labor, and profitability.
• Adaptable, positive, and able to thrive in a fast-paced restaurant environment.
• Someone who understands that great food is only part of a great guest experience.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years of experience in a Head Chef, Executive Chef, Sous Chef, or similar leadership role, preferably in an upscale-casual or high-volume restaurant environment.
• Valid ServSafe certification.
• Proven experience with menu development, recipe costing, food cost management, and inventory control.
• Strong understanding of food safety, sanitation, and kitchen operations.
• Demonstrated ability to recruit, train, coach, and retain culinary team members.
• Strong organizational and communication skills.
• Bachelor's degree in Culinary Arts, Culinary Science, Hospitality, or a related field is preferred but not required in lieu of strong relevant experience.
• Must be available to work weekends, holidays, and evenings, including late-night service as required.

Why Beach House?

Beach House Restaurant & Taproom is more than a place to eat—it's part of the Jekyll Island experience.

With a lively atmosphere, 24 rotating beer taps, seasonal food offerings, live music, and a strong connection to our local community, Beach House has an opportunity to become an even stronger culinary destination.

We're looking for the chef who wants to help us write that next chapter.

• If you're ready to bring your creativity to the table, develop a team, elevate consistency, and create a food experience that guests can't wait to return to, we'd love to meet you.

Benefits

• Health insurance
• Vision insurance
• Dental insurance
• Paid time off
• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Other