Executive Sous Chef

EXECUTIVE SOUS CHEF

ISLA DC | Washington, D.C. | We Shall Hospitality

ABOUT ISLA

ISLA DC is an established, globally inspired Caribbean dining destination in downtown Washington, D.C., created by Darren Hinds and guided by Chef/Owner Lonie Murdock. Our philosophy—Global Soul. Island Roots.—honours Caribbean ingredients, heritage and culinary traditions while embracing global influences, classical foundations and contemporary techniques. The culinary program is distinguished by wood-fire cooking, thoughtful ingredient sourcing, precision and expressive, elevated presentation. In its first year, ISLA earned the No. 28 position on Washingtonian’s 2026 list of 100 Very Best Restaurants and received coverage from The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, Essence and Eater DC. We finish the year by being honored as a finalist in RAMMY category of ‘New Restaurant of the year’. Our dining spaces include a 94-seat Main Dining Room, 20-seat Mezzanine, 14-seat Round Room and 84-seat Capital Room, complemented by the 60-seat Goodlove Lounge.

POSITION OVERVIEW

ISLA DC is seeking an accomplished Executive Sous Chef to partner with the Chef de Cuisine in leading daily kitchen operations across our established restaurant and private-events program. This role combines advanced technical execution with floor-level leadership: maintaining standards, directing the brigade, managing production and ensuring that service runs with precision across multiple dining environments. The successful candidate will bring breadth across culinary disciplines, a command of open-fire cookery and protein fabrication, and the ability to coach others to the same standard.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

Salary range: $75,000 - $90,000 annually, based on experience

• Performance bonus: Negotiable based on targets
• Medical, dental and vision insurance
• Paid time off
• Family meal every shift
• Dining discount across We Shall Hospitality venues

KITCHEN EXECUTION AND TECHNICAL STANDARDS

• Support the Chef de Cuisine in directing all culinary stations, prep, service, quality control and kitchen opening and closing procedures.
• Execute Caribbean-rooted, globally influenced menus with fluency in classical and contemporary techniques, including sous vide, confit, poaching, roasting, fermentation, curing, smoking, sauce work and refined plating.
• Lead hands-on wood-fire grill execution, including fuel and fire management, heat zones, protein cookery, smoke control and consistency under volume.
• Demonstrate and teach whole-fish cleaning and filleting, shellfish handling, meat and poultry butchery, primal breakdown, trimming, portioning, storage and yield control.
• Maintain strong command of garde manger, vegetable fabrication, hot-line operations and collaboration with pastry and dessert production.
• Ensure detailed recipes, accurate mise en place, tastings, station checks and consistent timing and presentation during every service. Support coordinated prep and service for private functions alongside regular restaurant operations.

LEADERSHIP AND TEAM DEVELOPMENT

• Lead lineups, station assignments, coaching, technical demonstrations and real-time service direction; act as the senior kitchen leader when the Chef de Cuisine is absent.
• Help recruit, onboard, train and assess cooks and sous chefs; establish clear expectations and provide timely, constructive feedback.
• Reinforce a culture of accountability, professionalism, teamwork, urgency and meticulous attention to detail.

CONTROLS, SYSTEMS AND COMPLIANCE

• Manage ordering, receiving, rotation, inventories, pars, waste logs and production planning; support food-cost and labour targets.
• Use MarginEdge, Toast or comparable systems for purchasing, inventory, recipe costing and operational coordination.
• Uphold rigorous sanitation, allergen management, safe food handling, HACCP-based procedures and equipment-maintenance standards.
• Identify operational inefficiencies and recommend improvements that protect culinary quality and profitability.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Progressive Sous Chef or Executive Sous Chef experience in an upscale, fine-dining, high-volume or multi-outlet environment.
• Strong technical breadth in live-fire cooking, fish and seafood fabrication, meat and poultry butchery, classical techniques and modern culinary methods.
• Experience supporting private events and coordinating simultaneous service demands.
• Strong understanding of recipe costing, portion control, inventory, food safety and kitchen-management systems.
• A calm, hands-on and highly organized leader able to train others, communicate clearly and work evenings, weekends and holidays as needed.

WHY JOIN ISLA

• Work alongside Chef/Owner Lonie Murdock in a kitchen with a distinctive culinary identity, creative encouragement and national recognition.
• Lead at scale: run a multi-space restaurant and a growing private-events program in downtown Washington, D.C.
• Shape what comes next: contribute to the continued evolution of ISLA's menu, events and kitchen culture.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

We are an Equal Employment Opportunity (“EEO”) Employer. We Shall Hospitality does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, gender, gender identity, pregnancy, marital status, partnership status, domestic violence victim status, sexual orientation, age, national origin, alienage or citizenship status, veteran or military status, disability, medical condition, genetic information, caregiver status, unemployment status or any other characteristic prohibited by federal, state and/or local laws.

This policy applies to all aspects of employment, including hiring, promotion, demotion, compensation, training, working conditions, transfer, job assignments, benefits, layoff, and termination.