Executive Chef

Executive Chef — Japanese Fine Dining

Location : [Hikari Miami, Surfside, Florida ]

Reports to : [Owner / GM / Director of Ops]

Role Summary

Leads the culinary vision and execution of an upscale Japanese kitchen (omakase / kaiseki / robata / sushi). Owns menu R&D, sourcing, fish and rice programs, and service standards. Builds and mentors a world-class brigade, protects food safety and consistency, and steers kitchen financial performance.

Key ResponsibilitiesCulinary Leadership & Menu

Design seasonal menus (omakase / à la carte), chef’s tastings, and pairing menus that honor Japanese technique and luxury ingredients.

Codify recipes, specs, knife cuts, rice prep (wash / soak / steam / season), dashi fundamentals, tare / sauces, pickling / fermentation, aging / curing, tempura, kushiyaki / robata, and sashimi / sushi standards with photos and plating guides.

Calibrate taste and presentation daily; lead lineups and pre-service tastings.

Sourcing & Product Integrity

Manage premium procurement : auction-grade seafood (Tsukiji / Toyosu import partners), wagyu (A5 / Prefecture-specific), uni, toro, caviar, seasonal produce, specialty pantry (koji, miso, katsuobushi, kombu).

Build vendor SLAs (quality, traceability, delivery windows); implement receiving, temperature logging, and yield tracking for whole-fish butchery.

Operations & Financials

Own kitchen P&L : COGS, labor, waste, smallwares; maintain target food cost and contribution margins via recipe costing, portion control, and menu engineering.

Create prep lists, pars, station maps, and service flows to hit luxury-level ticket times without compromising craft.

Oversee inventory cycles, waste logs, and corrective actions.

Team & Culture

Recruit, train, and performance-manage all BOH roles (CDC, sous, sushi chefs, robata cooks, pastry liaison, prep, stewards).

Coach Japanese culinary technique, knife safety / maintenance, and hospitality standards; build bench strength and succession plans.

Foster a calm, disciplined, respectful kitchen with continuous improvement.

Quality, Safety & Compliance

Enforce HACCP and seafood-specific controls : time / temperature, parasite destruction (where applicable), shellfish tags, allergen protocols, labeling, and sanitation.

Maintain A-level health inspections; schedule preventive maintenance on specialized equipment (sushi cases, robata grills, binchotan management, blast chiller, rice cookers / warmer cabinets, combi ovens).

Service Excellence & Brand

Lead expo and be present on sushi / robata lines during peak periods; coach in the moment.

Collaborate with Beverage on sake, Japanese whisky, and tea pairings; support Marketing with menu language, photography, and PR moments.

Execute chef’s tables, seasonal festivals (e.g., matsutake, cherry blossom), and off-site activations.

Qualifications

5–8+ years progressive culinary leadership; 2–3 years as Executive Chef or CDC in fine dining (Japanese or Michelin-level preferred).

Mastery of Japanese technique (knife work, rice, dashi, nigiri, sashimi, tempura, robata); strong plating and flavor discipline.

Proven P&L ownership and menu engineering; vendor negotiation experience.

Current Food Manager Certification; deep HACCP knowledge.

Competencies

Taste & Technique

• Leadership & Coaching
• Precision & Discipline
• Cross-Team Communication
• Financial Acumen
• Calm Under Pressure

KPI Targets (customize)

Food Cost : 24–30% | Kitchen Labor : 18–22% | Weekly Waste : ≤ 1.5% of COGS

Health Inspection : A / 95+ | Avg. Ticket Times : Apps ≤ 10 min / Mains ≤ 20 min / Omakase cadence ≤ 8 min / course

90-Day BOH Retention : ≥ 85% | Guest Food Sentiment : ≥ 4.7 / 5

Schedule & Compensation

Schedule : Full-time; nights / weekends / holidays as needed.

Compensation : $[Range] base + KPI bonus.

Benefits : Medical / Dental / Vision, PTO, dining perks, professional development.

Tools & Systems

Inventory / recipes : [MarketMan, MarginEdge, xtraCHEF]

Scheduling / payroll : [7shifts, Toast, ADP]

Physical Requirements

Stand / walk extended periods; lift / carry up to 50 lbs; work in hot / cold environments; repetitive knife work.

EEO Statement

[Company] is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to an inclusive workplace.