Kitchen Manager / Sous Chef

Wells, Maine | $75,000–$80,000 | Full-Time

Looking for a culinary leadership role where you can still actually cook? This is an opportunity for a hands-on chef to lead a creative, high-energy kitchen while having real input into seasonal specials, artisan pizza, and the overall culinary direction.

This is not a desk-based management role. You'll work alongside the team during prep and service while developing cooks, improving execution, and keeping the kitchen running at a high level.

Benefits and Compensation

• $75,000–$80,000 annual salary
• Paid time off
• Dining discounts
• Meaningful creative input into menus and specials
• Opportunity to develop and mentor a culinary team
• Hands-on role that keeps you connected to cooking and service
• Creative, chef-driven environment
• Opportunity to influence kitchen systems, workflow, and culinary direction

Requirements & Qualifications

• 3+ years of kitchen management, chef, or culinary leadership experience
• Current ServSafe Certification
• Strong cooking fundamentals and scratch-cooking experience
• Experience training and developing kitchen staff
• Working knowledge of food cost, purchasing, inventory, scheduling, and labor management
• Willingness to actively cook, prep, and work service alongside the team

Must Haves

• Lead daily execution across an integrated kitchen that includes a permanently on-site food truck, indoor prep kitchen, and kitchen extension
• Develop seasonal specials, menu features, and creative food offerings
• Coach cooks to improve technique, consistency, speed, and ownership
• Coordinate production and prep between multiple kitchen work areas
• Maintain consistent standards for flavor, presentation, quality, and execution
• Identify opportunities to improve kitchen organization, systems, workflow, and efficiency
• Balance creativity with food cost and operational execution

Preferred Background & Skills

• Artisan or wood-fired pizza experience
• Chef-driven or elevated casual dining background
• Scratch-kitchen experience
• Experience working with local or seasonal ingredients
• Food truck experience
• Menu development and recipe creation
• Experience building or developing culinary teams
• Comfortable working in an entrepreneurial, creative environment