CHEF DE CUISINE — OPENING TEAM
Somewhere Near... is a new all-day hospitality concept opening in Jackson Heights, Queens, bringing together coffee, brunch, afternoon tea, dinner, art, and nightlife under one roof.
We are seeking a hands-on Chef de Cuisine to lead our culinary program and help build the kitchen operation from the ground up.
This is an opportunity for a chef who leads with accountability, takes responsibility for the kitchen, and wants to play a meaningful role in shaping the culinary identity and culture of a new restaurant.
The Chef de Cuisine will oversee culinary operations across our daytime and evening food programs, including breakfast and brunch, afternoon tea, and dinner.
Responsibilities include:
- Recruiting, leading, training, and developing the opening BOH team
- Managing daily prep, production, and service
- Maintaining consistency, quality, portioning, and presentation
- Establishing standardized recipes, prep procedures, pars, and station systems
- Managing ordering, receiving, inventory, and vendor relationships
- Managing food cost, purchasing, yields, and waste
- Scheduling and BOH labor management
- Maintaining rigorous sanitation, food safety, and NYC health-code standards
- Developing strong kitchen systems, organization, and accountability
- Contributing to menu development, costing, testing, and execution
- Collaborating closely with the General Manager and FOH leadership to ensure smooth service across all dayparts
- Preparing the culinary operation for opening, including team training, mock service, and opening procedures
- Maintaining a calm, organized, respectful, and professional kitchen culture
We are looking for someone who is highly organized, dependable, solutions-oriented, calm under pressure, and comfortable being hands-on during service.
The ideal candidate has strong culinary fundamentals, proven kitchen leadership experience, a solid understanding of food and labor costs, and the ability to move comfortably between different styles of service throughout the day.
Experience opening a restaurant, building a BOH team, or establishing kitchen systems from the ground up is strongly preferred.
This is not a role for someone looking simply to inherit an established kitchen. We are looking for a culinary leader who is excited by the opportunity to build and lead from day one.
Somewhere Near... is being built with a long-term vision, and we are looking for a Chef de Cuisine who wants to grow with us and play an important role in shaping the culinary program from the beginning.
