Executive Chef – Italian Restaurant

Fort Lauderdale, FL

An upscale Italian restaurant opening within a full-service hotel is seeking an Executive Chef to lead its culinary team. We are looking for a hands‑on chef with strong Italian cuisine experience, a passion for developing people, and the operational skills to deliver exceptional food while managing costs and consistency.

• Great salary
• Fantastic company culture
• Growth and development opportunities
• Benefits / 401k

• Minimum of 5–7 years of progressive culinary leadership experience in upscale or fine dining restaurants.
• At least 2 years of experience as a Chef de Cuisine or Executive Chef in a scratch cooking restaurant.
• Strong knowledge of regional Italian cuisine and classic culinary techniques.
• Extensive experience with handmade pasta, sauces, premium steaks, seafood, and high‑temperature grill cooking.
• Proven ability to recruit, train, develop, and motivate a culinary team.
• Strong financial and administrative skills, including food costing, budgeting, inventory, payroll, and scheduling.
• Ability to execute high-volume service while maintaining food quality, presentation, and consistency.
• Serv Safe Food Protection Manager certification.
• Proficiency with computers and strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Flexibility to work weekends and holidays.

• Italian steakhouse experience, including premium steak preparation and dry-aging programs.
• Restaurant opening experience.
• Hands‑on leadership style that builds teamwork, accountability, and pride in the kitchen.
• Ability to develop daily features and recipes that honor the restaurant’s culinary identity.
• Strong purchasing and production controls, with attention to product quality, yields, waste, and profitability.
• Ability to balance kitchen leadership with administrative responsibilities and deadlines.
• Collaborative approach to working with restaurant management, F&B leadership, and stewarding.
• Commitment to kitchen cleanliness, food safety, and an exceptional guest experience.
• Culinary degree or college education preferred.

JOB #post

Darryl Downs