Head Chef
Straker's NYC
59 Grand Street, New York, 10012
237 people viewed
Required Years of Experience
3 years
Job Details
About Straker's
Straker's is a newly opened restaurant at 59 Grand Street in SoHo, open for dinner and getting ready to launch lunch. We opened in October 2026 and are now building the team, systems, and standards that will carry us for years to come.
Job Summary
We're hiring a Head Chef to run the kitchen day to day, reporting to Executive Chef Luka. Luka leads the culinary vision; you make it happen every service and keep the systems, numbers, and paperwork behind it tight.
This role is for a chef who is as strong at the pass as at the desk. You run calm, fast lunch and dinner services, work hand in hand with the front of house, and own the admin that keeps a high-volume kitchen consistent and on budget. You'll also help launch lunch service as part of the restaurant's next stage of growth.
Responsibilities
Service Leadership
- Run lunch and dinner services from the pass, keeping ticket times, pacing, and plate quality consistent
- Partner with front-of-house management on covers, large parties, VIPs, allergies, and guest feedback
- Lead pre-shift meetings for the kitchen and join FOH line-ups: specials, 86s, menu changes, and service notes
- Solve problems mid-service quickly and calmly, without letting standards slip
- Execute Luka's menus, specials, and events to spec
Administration & Reporting
- Build and manage weekly kitchen schedules that match covers and labor targets
- Review time punches and payroll in Toast for accuracy and compliance before each pay run
- Process and reconcile invoices, and keep vendor records organized
- Complete daily end-of-day kitchen reporting and contribute to weekly performance reports for ownership, split by lunch and dinner
- Keep documentation current: recipes, training records, temperature and cleaning logs, and employee performance files
- Report regularly to Luka and management on costs, staffing, issues, and opportunities
Kitchen Operations
- Oversee prep, station setup, service, and closing across both services
- Maintain recipes, prep lists, plating guides, and SOPs so every shift runs the same way
- Keep the kitchen clean, safe, and inspection-ready at all times, in line with NYC Health Department requirements
- Run regular tastings and line checks
Purchasing & Cost Control
- Manage ordering, inventory counts, and vendor relationships
- Hit food and labor cost targets; track waste and adjust ordering and prep to match
- Use cost and sales data by service to find savings without compromising quality
Team Leadership
- Hire, onboard, and train kitchen staff alongside Luka
- Set clear expectations and give regular feedback, coaching, and performance management
- Build a professional, respectful kitchen culture centered on teamwork and accountability
Qualifications
- 2+ years in a kitchen leadership role (Head Chef, Chef de Cuisine, or Sous Chef) in a high-volume, quality-driven restaurant
- Proven track record running a busy pass across lunch and dinner services
- Strong administrative skills: scheduling, payroll review, invoicing, inventory, and cost reporting
- Comfortable with numbers and spreadsheets (Google Sheets or Excel): food cost, labor percentage, and reading a P&L
- Experience with Toast or a similar POS, scheduling, and payroll system; Toast is a strong plus
- Experience managing food and labor costs, ordering, and vendor relationships
- Clear, professional communicator who works well with front of house and ownership
- Deep knowledge of food safety and sanitation; NYC Food Protection Certificate required
- Organized, calm under pressure, accountable, and solutions-oriented
- Experience opening a restaurant or launching a new service a plus
- Flexible availability, including nights, weekends, and holidays
Compensation Details
Compensation: Salary/Hourly ($90,000.00 - $100,000.00)
Benefits & Perks: Health Insurance, Paid Time Off, 401k
Required Skills
Leadership
Team Collaboration
Problem Solving
Time Management
Attention to Detail
Communication Skills
Adaptability
Organizational Skills
Read more
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Part of Straker's
Thomas Straker is coming to New York, Bringing his London success to Soho. We are looking for talented Hospitality workers across all fields, to work closely with Tom in setting up a brand new restaurant.
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