Chef - New Restaurant Opening!

About the role

This one's special: you'll open this restaurant. You'll hire the founding team, train them the JNN way, light the smokers for the first time, and set the standard this community will know us by for the next 20 years. Openings are the hardest and most rewarding thing we do, and the leaders who do them well carve the fastest path we have.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Craft: Own food quality across the entire operation: pit, line, prep, and catering
• Execute and protect our recipes, specs, and scratch standards on every plate, every shift
• Coach and develop cooks into craftspeople and future kitchen leaders
• Manage food cost, waste, inventory, and ordering with a pitmaster's discipline
• Hold the highest standard for safety and sanitation, because it's the foundation of the craft
• Partner with the General Manager and Local Owner on goals, budgets, and growth
• On your feet 8+ hours a day standing and walking for extended periods while lifting up to 50 lbs in a live kitchen; bending, reaching, climbing, and equipment operation are part of the craft.

Requirements

• 3+ years leading a high-volume kitchen as a chef, executive chef, or senior kitchen manager
• Scratch cooking is your native language; volume doesn't scare you and quality doesn't slip
• A builder of people as much as plates
• Financially sharp: you know your food cost to the decimal
• High school diploma or GED required; culinary training a plus, real fire required

Benefits

• Chef Base Salary: $75k‑$85k
• Bonus: Chef bonus plan offering achievable, top‑dollar rewards for results you control. Bonuses paid monthly.
• Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance from Day 1: competitive medical, dental & vision plans.
• 401(k) with Annual Discretionary Match: invest in your future with a 401(k) plan and discretionary employer match.
• Company‑Paid Life and Disability Insurance: added peace of mind through company‑paid life and disability coverage.
• Paid Vacation: two weeks of paid vacation beginning in your first year and additional time earned with service.
• Real Support When You Need It Most: The Bar‑B‑Q Family Fund provides support to members of the Jim ’N Nick’s family during times of unexpected hardship.
• Real Growth Opportunities: we are growing 15% year over year, providing real growth opportunities from Chef to Managing Partner and beyond.
• Real Leadership. Real Impact: lead a team inside a culture built on our Core Values (Respect, Honesty, Commitment, Discipline, and Support) where leaders are trusted to develop people and run great restaurants, not just manage shifts.